STATUTES AND REGULATIONS OF THE CENTRE FOR ETHICS, POLICY AND SOCIETY

CHAPTER I

(Of the general principles)

Section I

(Of the nature and goals)

Article 1
(Nature)

1.    The Center for Ethics, Politics and Society, hereinafter abbreviated as CEPS, is an Organic Research Subunit of the School of Letters, Arts and Human Sciences of the University of Minho, hereinafter abbreviated as ELACH, which aims to create, promotion and dissemination of high-level scientific research in the field of Philosophy, especially in the fields of Political Theory and Applied Ethics.

2.    CEPS enjoys scientific autonomy and the ability to manage all financial resources and assets allocated to the planned scientific activities, with a view to fulfilling its plan of activities, within the applicable legal framework.

 

Article 2
(Goals)

The general objectives of CEPS are:

a) To undertake and promote high-level research in the field of Philosophy, especially in the fields of Political Theory and Applied Ethics;

b)    edit and publish the results of your investigation;

c) to promote the holding of colloquia, seminars, conferences and other scientific initiatives within the scope of its scientific activity;

d)    organize or co-organize specialization courses that do not award a degree;

e)    to promote and support the implementation of advanced training actions;

f)     to encourage exchanges with similar institutions, national and foreign, being able to establish with them the agreements, protocols and partnerships that are considered adequate for the respective research purposes;

g)    provide services to the community within the scope of its scientific activity, namely consultancy and advice.

Section II

(From Research Projects)

Article 3
(Research Projects)

1.    Research projects are scientific research activities that aim at well-defined objectives and of limited duration, with scheduled execution in time.

2.    CEPS research projects are carried out by individual researchers or, preferably, by teams coordinated by Responsible Investigators.

CHAPTER II

(Of the constitution and bodies)

Section I

(Members)

Article 4
(Members)

CEPS members can be of two types:

a)    Integrated members;

b)    Collaborating members.

Article 5
(integrated members)

1.    The integrated members are PhD holders, who express in writing their desire to integrate the Center and who are approved by the Scientific Council, upon proposal of the Directive Committee.

2.    Integrated members must have at least one research project registered with the Center, contribute substantially to the scientific production of the Center reflected in the annual reports and participate in its activities.

3.    The status of integrated member ends at the user’s own will, communicated in writing to the Board of Directors, or by decision of the latter, duly substantiated in the violation of the duties mentioned in the previous number or in acts likely to harm the good name and interests of the Center.

4. Integrated members whose status has ceased may still belong to the Center as collaborating members as defined in these Regulations.

Article 6
(Collaborating Members)

1.    The collaborating members are PhDs, masters or graduates who, regardless of whether or not they are part of other research institutions, express in writing their willingness to collaborate with the Center and that are approved by the Scientific Council, upon proposal of the Directive Committee.

2.    Collaborating members have a duty to cooperate with the Center in its activities when requested to do so.

3.    The status of collaborating member ends at the user’s own will, communicated in writing to the Board of Directors, or by decision of the latter, duly substantiated in the violation of the duties mentioned in the previous number or in acts likely to harm the good name and interests of the Center.

Section II

(Organs)

Article 7
(Organs)

The following are CEPS bodies:

a)    Director;

b)    Steering Committee;

c)    Scientific Council;

d)    External Scientific Advisory Committee.

Article 8
(Director)

1.    The Director is the unnominal body of direction, management and administration of CEPS.

2.    The Director is an integrated member of CEPS who is a full-time professor or associate professor or a coordinating or principal investigator on a full-time basis at ELACH.

3.    In exceptional cases and authorized by the Rector, the Director may be a doctoral and integrated member of CEPS who is an assistant professor or a full-time assistant researcher at ELACH.

4.    The Director is elected by the Scientific Council for a three-year term, renewable once, according to its own regulation.

5. It is incumbent upon the Director, in particular:

The. direct the Center;

B. define, develop and coordinate the scientific activity of CEPS;

ç. appoint a Deputy Director;

d. chair the Executive Committee and the Scientific Council and convene the respective meetings;

and. prepare the annual budget proposal;

f. prepare the annual activity report;

g. to collaborate with the Investigators Responsible for the projects, in the foreseen scientific activities;

H. represent CEPS in all actions in which the subunit participates;

i. ensure compliance with the law and applicable regulations, as well as the regularity of the deliberations of the CEPS bodies.

Article 9
(Associate Director)

1.    The Deputy Director is appointed by the Director of CEPS from among the integrated members of CEPS.

2.    The term of office of the Deputy Director ends with that of the Director of CEPS or by decision of the latter.

3. It is incumbent upon, in particular, the Deputy Director:

a)    assist the Director in all tasks;

b)    replace the Director in his absences and impediments, and in acts of representation.

Article 10
(Directive Committee)

1.    The Steering Committee is the body that assists the Director in the day-to-day management of CEPS.

2. The Director, the Deputy Director and two members co-opted by them from among the integrated researchers are part of the Executive Committee of CEPS.

3.    The mandate of the Steering Committee ends with that of the Director of CEPS;

4. In particular, it is incumbent upon the Board of Directors to:

a) collaborate with the Director in defining and pursuing the scientific, editorial and logistical objectives of CEPS;

b)    collaborate with the Director in the allocation of CEPS’s own financial resources;

c)    prepare the CEPS annual scientific report.

5.    The Steering Committee meets at least once a semester.

Article 11
(Scientific Council)

1.    The Scientific Council is the body responsible for the scientific management of CEPS.

2.    The Scientific Council is composed of the Center’s doctoral members, and is chaired by the Director.

3. At the proposal of the Director of CEPS, non-doctoral members of the Center may be invited to attend the meetings of the body.

4.    The Scientific Council is specifically responsible for:

a)    elect the Director of CEPS;

b)    to resolve on the acceptance of new members;

c)    to approve the Regulation

CHAPTER III

(From the assessment instruments)

Article 15

(Global Rating)

The CEPS will periodically promote an overall assessment of its activity and functioning, carried out by the Executive Committee, which will be submitted to the External Scientific Advisory Committee for consideration.

Article 16

(Annual report)

The approval of annual reports is a normal assessment tool, without prejudice to the provisions of the previous article.
It is the duty of researchers to provide all relevant information for the preparation of annual reports.

CHAPTER IV

(General and transitional provisions)

Article 17

(Periodic publications)

These are periodic publications of CEPS:

a) the journal Ethics, Politics & Society, published every six months;
b) the Newsletter, published every four months.
Article 18

(Interpretation and integration of gaps)

It is incumbent upon the Director to interpret the doubts and integrate the gaps that arise in the application of these Regulations, without prejudice to the subsequent submission to the Directive Committee.

Article 19

(Revision of Regulation)

These Regulations may be revised:
as a result of a legal or statutory amendment that requires it;
on the initiative of the Director, or at the proposal of at least one third of the members of the Scientific Council.
Amendments to the Regulation require approval by a two-thirds majority of the Scientific Council members.
Article 20

(Implementation)

The present Regulation enters into force after its approval, being published on the institutional page of ELACH.