STATUTE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR FOUNDATION STUDIES

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.538

STATUTE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

FOR FOUNDATION STUDIES

3rd May, 2016

LEGAL NOTICE 143 of 2016, and by Legal Notices 328 of 2017 and 72 of

2019.

The title of this statute is the Statute for the International

School for Foundation Studies.

(1)

In this Statute, unless the context otherwise requires

"the Board" shall mean the Board of the International School for

Foundation Studies;

"the School" shall mean the International School for Foundation

Studies.

(2) This statute shall be applicable from 1 April 2019 onwards.

The International School for Foundation Studies is hereby

established as an institution within the University of Malta.

The aims of the School shall be

(a) to administer and run foundation studies courses that

provide students who have not followed an educational

system comparable to the one in Malta with the

knowledge as well as the personal and interpersonal

skills and organisational framework upon which to

base their future studies;

(b) to engage and stimulate students whilst giving the

appropriate support needed to move from a fully

structured educational environment in high school to

the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of degree

students;

(c) to enable students to progress successfully to academic

programmes of study by offering specific training and

support in those core areas where students may require

further assistance;

(d) to cooperate with the University’s academic entities

where the School’s students will continue their studies,

in order to ensure the best possible level of preparation

in the various areas tackled by the School’s courses;

(e) to cooperate with other University units responsible

for academic and international affairs in matters

related to the School; and

(f)

to promote and facilitate intake of students at the

School in collaboration with other University

academic and administrative entities.

The School shall be governed by a Board consisting of

(i)

Chairman: Rector or his/her delegate;

(ii)

Vice-Chairman: Director of the School;

(iii)

Pro-Rector for International Development and

Quality Assurance;

(iv)

Chairman of the Board of Studies;

(v)

the Area Co-ordinators of the School;

(vi)

the Director of the International Office or

delegate;

(vii) the Director of the Marketing, Communications

and Alumni Office or delegate;

(viii) a person appointed by the Council of the

University;

(ix)

a person appointed by the Senate of the

University

(x)

up to two representatives of the teaching

complement of the School;

(xi) up to two representatives of the students

registered with the School.

The Registrar or his/her delegate shall act as Secretary to the Board.

All members of the Board, other than those appointed ex

officio, and the two representatives of the academic staff, shall be

appointed for a period of one year, renewable for up to four years.

A retiring member will be eligible for re-appointment.

The functions of the Board shall be

(a) to govern the affairs of the School, subject to the

provisions of this statute and of such regulations,

policies or directions as may from time to time be

approved by the Council and the Senate;

(b)

to decide the policy of the School, to supervise its

activities and administration, and without prejudice to

the generality of the foregoing, the Board may

(i) approve strategic/business plans and annual

estimates of revenue and expenditure of the

School for consideration and approval by the

Council;

(ii) with the written concurrence of the Rector, enter

into agreements with third parties for funding of

the School or of particular activities;

(iii) publish an annual report on academic and

administrative matters;

(iv) propose Regulations and Bye-Laws to the

Senate;

(v) recommend to the Council the creation or

abolition of academic and non-academic posts in

the School;

(vi) propose for approval to the Senate, Boards of

Studies and Boards of Examiners for its courses;

and

(vii)

propose for

the

approval to the Senate,

Programmes

of

Study

and

Study-Unit

descriptions of each course.

The School shall have a Director and Staff as follows

(a) the Director of the School shall be appointed

according to the procedure for the appointment of

Directors of Institutes and Centres as approved by the

Council of the University, for a duration of one year,

with the possibility of renewal annually subject to

established performance criteria, the needs of the

School and the needs of the University, for a total

period not exceeding four (4) years; and

(b) the staff of the School shall be appointed by the

University according to usual practice.

The duties of the Vice-Chairman/Director shall include

(a) promoting the development and implementation of the

School’s curricula, including the School’s internal

management structures as approved by the Board;

(b) compiling and submitting to the Registrar of the

University by not later than January of each academic

year, an updated comprehensive prospectus of the

content descriptions of all current and projected study-

units as proposed by the Board of Studies and as per

guidelines established by the Programme Validation

Committee;

(c) ensuring that the study-units offered by the staff

members of the School are delivered in accordance

with the advertised programme of studies; the Director

must ensure that lecturing staff under his remit deliver

all lectures, seminars and tutorials assigned to them

respectively, at the time and venue advertised in the

official timetable, and that any deviations thereof are

formally registered, and the students duly notified in

good time;

(d) delivering and implementing the strategic/business

plan of the School;

(e) administering the School in full consultation with the

members; monitoring and approving requests for leave

of absence of members of the School; the Director is

expected to maintain records of all leave taken by

members and to pass on these records to the Director

of Human Resources Management and Development

upon request;

(f)

promoting students’ academic and personal welfare,

providing first-line support to students with any

difficulties they may encounter during their studies

related to the activities of the School;

(g) monitoring the running of examinations in the School

and ensuring that all assessment and examination

results are submitted to the Registrar by not later than

the end of March, July and September, provided that

the results are submitted to the respective Chairman of

STATUTE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

FOR FOUNDATION STUDIES

the Board of Examiners within following deadlines

•

January session - by the end of the third week of

March;

•

May/June session - results by not later than two

working days prior to the classification board;

•

September session - by the end of the third week

of September.

(h) encouraging and facilitating co-operation with

faculties, centres and institutes and other institutions;

(i)

chairing meetings of the Board in the absence and with

the permission of the Chairman;

(j)

ensuring and facilitating the further development and

training of academic and non-academic staff;

(k) participating at any meeting of the University

congruent with the post;

(l)

representing the School during official functions of the

University;

(m) compiling and submitting to the Secretary of the

University by the end of September of each academic

year, an annual report outlining the activities of the

School for the outgoing year, which should include,

amongst others, information that may be requested by

the Secretary: a list of all conferences/seminars/

meetings attended abroad by members of the School

during term time; and an outline of the School’s

collaboration with third parties;

(n) compiling and submitting to the Director of Finance of

the University by not later than end of May of each

academic year budgetary estimates for the following

year including a manpower plan for the School, to

cover the projected teaching, and administration

workload of the School, and based on the projected

workload for each Resident Academic member of the

School and Visiting Teaching Staff;

(o) monitoring the performance of the non-academic staff

attached to the School;

(p) authorising the School’s procurement of equipment;

ensuring that the resources assigned to the School -

whether human or other - are utilized fully and

efficiently; and

(q) performing other duties which may be assigned by the

University from time to time.

The Director moreover

(a) is to report directly to the Chairman of the Board

governing the School and shall collaborate with all

senior administrative officers of the University;

(b) shall normally be a Resident Academic engaged with

the University on a full-time basis for the duration of

his tenure as Director;

(c) should not be engaged in any other activity outside the

University which may be in conflict with, or distract

him/her from, his/her duties at the University;

(d) is expected to be present on campus or any designated

University of Malta site at least during normal office

hours from Monday to Friday throughout the year

subject to the exigencies of an academic in accordance

with the University’s practices and needs and subject

to normal leave entitlement and public holidays as

provided for at law; should his absence be necessary

and justified he must ensure that he is immediately

contactable through the secretarial staff of the School;

(e) shall not give access to any information to any third

party that is not associated with the University of

Malta, about any work or data that relates to tasks

conducted at the University of Malta without the prior

approval of the University of Malta; all work carried

out within the School must be treated according to

Maltese data protection legislation; and

(f)

is to abide with the statutes, regulations and policies of

the University of Malta, which are in force now or will

become effective in the duration of his tenure.

The Director of Finance of the University shall be the

Treasurer of the School.