The University of Tartu Centre for Ethics statute
The University of Tartu Centre for Ethics statute
Decree 1-8/RE/19 of the Rector 24.09.2020
Pursuant to section 27(6) of the statutes of the University of Tartu, I hereby proclaim this statute of the Centre for Ethics, University of Tartu.
I. General provisions
1. The Centre for Ethics, University of Tartu (below, the centre) is a consortium of the University of Tartu (below, the university), founded to conduct interdisciplinary research in subjects related to ethics, to promote the teaching of ethics at the university, to raise awareness of ethics among the public, to inform the public about ethics issues, and to encourage members of the public to engage in discussions about values and norms.
2. To attain its aims, the centre shall:
2.1. arrange and carry out interdisciplinary studies in subjects related to ethics, and apply for research grants and other research allocations to fund these;
2.2. organise interdisciplinary colloquia and seminars on ethics issues;
2.3. communicate ethics-related information to different target groups in society;
2.4. provide expert assessment and consultation services in ethics-related matters;
2.5. organise public lecture series, debates and round tables involving representatives of various professions;
2.6. create publications on ethics issues;
2.7. develop international cooperation with ethics centres elsewhere and with other units active in the field of ethics;
2.8. participate in organising national and international conferences and seminars;
2.9. fulfil other tasks related to the teaching and study of ethics.
3. The centre shall pursue its aims in accordance with the statutes of the university, this statute and other legislation.
4. The name of the centre in English is “The Centre for Ethics, University of Tartu”.
5. Units of the university and legal persons whose work is related to the activities of the centre may participate in the centre’s work. To participate in the centre’s work, a legal person shall enter into a cooperation agreement with the university.
6. The centre shall be advised in its work by an international advisory board. The composition of the board shall be approved by the Rector of the university on a recommendation from the council of the centre for a term of five years. Members of the advisory board shall be entitled to receive information regarding the work of the centre from the Head of the centre and the council of the centre. In managing the centre, the Head of the centre and the council of the centre are advised to follow the recommendations of the international advisory board.
7. The Head of the Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics of the Faculty of Philosophy shall be responsible for the organisation of clerical business and for other administrative matters in the centre.
II. Governance
8. The work of the centre shall be managed by the council of the centre and the Head of the centre.
9. The membership of the council shall include:
9.1. representatives of the university’s units participating in the work of the centre, as nominated by the Heads of those units;
9.2. a representative of students, as nominated by the Head of the Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics;
9.3. the Head of the centre;
9.4. members invited by the council, as nominated by a resolution of the council.
10. The composition of the council shall be approved by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.
11. The mandate of the representative of students shall be valid for two years and the mandates of other members of the council for five years. The council shall elect a Chair to lead its work.
12. The Head of the centre shall be a member of the teaching or research staff of the university, and shall meet at least the requirements establishedat the university for senior lecturers or senior research fellows. The Head of the centre shall be appointed by the council for a term of five years. The Head shall fulfil such tasks as may be assigned to him or her by the council.
13. Acting on a recommendation by the Head of the centre, the council may convene a management board to make management of the affairs of the centre more efficient. The management board shall fulfil such tasks as may be assigned to it by the council. The work of the management board shall be led by the Head of the centre, who shall be responsible for the board’s work.
14. The council shall:
14.1. assign tasks to the Head of the centre in regard to planning and organising the centre’s work;
14.2. approve the budget of the centre;
14.3. appoint the Head of the centre;
14.4. resolve the inclusion of a new member in the composition of the council;
14.5. resolve the involvement of a unit of the university in the work of the centre;
14.6. determine the council’s rules of procedure;
14.7. make recommendations to the Rector to apply for funding from governmental and other sources to finance the work of the centre;
14.8. appoint representatives of the centre to other (including international) organisations;
14.9. consider and determine other matters of importance for the development of the centre.
15. The council shall hold meetings at least twice a year.
16. Regular meetings of the council shall be called and chaired by the Chair of the council. An extraordinary meeting shall be called by the Chair if this is requested by at least one-half of the membership of the council, or on his or her own initiative.
17. A meeting of the council shall be competent to act if more than one-half of the membership of the council is in attendance. A resolution of the council shall be deemed carried if more than one-half of the members in attendance vote in favour of the resolution.
III. Funding
18. The funds of the centre shall be constituted by allocations from the university’s units participating in the work of the centre and by research grants, other allocations and donations applied for jointly.
IV. Oversight and reporting
19. The Head of the centre shall report to the council on his or her work at least once a year.
V. Amending the statute of the centre
20. A decision to amend the statute of the centre shall be taken by the Rector on a recommendation of at least two-thirds of the Heads of the university’s units participating in the work of the centre.
VI. Implementing provisions
21. The units of the university that participate in the work of the centre from 1 January 2016 include the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Science and Technology.
22. At the latest by 15 January 2016, Heads of the university’s units participating in the work of the centre shall nominate representatives of their units to the council.
23. The Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy shall appoint an acting Head of the centre to act from the time that this statute becomes effective to the time that the appointment of a regular Head of the centre is approved.
24. This statute shall become effective on 1 January 2016.
