Statute
Info Legal status: the CMU is a consortium of Mediterranean Universities founded in 1983 according to article 91 of the DPR 382/1980.
It is registered at the Chamber of Commerce in Bari (Italy). VAT code: 05048350721. (Allegato “Lettera Ministero degli Affari Esteri”)
ART. 1
The “Community of Mediterranean Universities” (acronym CMU) is established. The CMU, upholding the freedom of science and in order to contribute to peace, has the following aims:
- to reaffirm and develop the role and function of culture and technological and scientific research in order to contribute to the solution of difficult and complex problems created by the development of the countries of the Mediterranean Area;
- to promote scientific cooperation among the Mediterranean Universities, using the experience and resources of each University, while respecting the differences and the features of the several nationalities;
- to set up peflnanent links arnong the above mentioned universities through the reciprocal exchange of scientific and cultural experience and information of teaching staff and students;
- to set up links among CMU and economic, industrial and local Institutions in the countries where at least one univefsity is adhering.
aRT. 2
The CMU has Italian and lnternational legal status and is represented, in all cases, by the President or the General Secretary. The CMU’S site is at the University Aldo Moro” of Bari (taly). The CMU’s scientific activities can take place in any university belonging to the Community
Art. 3
The CMU’s Organs are the following:
- the Honorary President;
- the President;
- the General Secretary;
- the General Assembly of Member Universities;
- the Council;
- the College of Auditors;
- the Committee of the representatives of economic, industrial and local Institutions adhering to CMU.
ART. 4
The President of the CMU is elected by the Council, holds office for four years and may be re-elected. The President, as the CMU legal representative, convenes the General Assembly and the Council; he/she chairs the meeting of the Council and he/she manages that the decisions of the Council are properly carried out. The President, in particular circumstances, could, if he/she deems necessary, delegate some of his/her prerogatives to the General Secretary.
aRT. 5
ART. 6
The General Assembly of the Community is composed of Rectors, or their delegates, from all the member universities.
The Assembly meets when convened by the President of the Community, at least once every two years.
At its meetings the Assembly appoints a Head Office composed of President and Secretary;
The Assembly’s duty is:
- to indicate the general policy and future progrms ofthe CMU’s activities;
- to inform of the election of the members ofthe Council;
- to approve, by a majority of two thirds (on his/her own or by delegation), the proposals for integration and modification of the Statute presented by the Council, and by a full majoity those regarding the Regulations put forward by the Council. The Assembly is effectively set up, in first convocation, with the presence (on his/her own or by delegation) of the CMU’s members’ absolute majority and, in a second convocation, whatever the number is reached.
art. 7
The Council is composed by the Rectors or their delegates from one university of each Mediterranean country; in consideration of the fact that the CMU registered office is located at the University Aldo Moro of Bari, the Rector of this University, or one delegate of his/Her, is eatitled to serve as a full-fledged Councillor in the CMU’s Council.
Furthermore, each representative of the CMU-adhering networks participates as full-fledged Counsellor in the Council.
The representatives of the Mediterranean Universities in the Council are elected every four years by each single national goup of the adhering universities and may be re-elected. The duties of the Council, which is convened at least once a yedt, are:
– to elect the Honorary President;
– to elect the President, two vice-presidents and the General Secretary;
– to approve the moral report presented by the President and the provisional and final budget arranged by the Executive Committee (see later);
– to discuss progrurms of activity presented by the persons in charge of it;
– to appoint the members of the Executive Committee ;
– to appoint the Chairrren of the Permanent Work Commissions elected by the Assembly;
– to establish the membership fee for the adhering universities, networks (Art.13) and associate members (Art. 12);
– to receive and put forward to the Assembly proposals for modification of the Statute; .
– to propose to the Assembly the College of Auditors.
The decisions of the Council are taken on a simple majority and in the case of parity the President’s vote is final.
ART. 8
The General Secretary shall be appointed by the Council:
-is responsible for the operational and administrative offrce of CMU;
-provides and implements the resolutions of the Council;
-performs the functions related to fiscal and financial issues including the legal rcpresentation of the CMU for same issues as well. Underwrites research projects and co-operation at regional, national and international level; he/she underwrites also the related progress, interim and final reports; projects higher education courses and study visits, its interim and final reports and certificates, and certificates of attendance and the final outcome of tlese taining courses with the approval of the President.
art. 9
Within the Council it can be established an Executive Committee composed by the President one of the vice-Presidents and the CMU’s General Secretary.
The members of the Committee hold office until the expiration date of the Council’s mandate.
The Executive Committee meets at least twice a year and is convened by the President.
The Executive Committee is legally viable when at least two of its members, including the President, are present.
The decisions of the Executive Committee are adopted when there is a simple majority of those present. In the case of parity the vote of the President is final.
The duties ofthe Executive Committee are:
- to draw up a moral report, the provisional and final budgets;
- to carry out the programmes decided by the Council and to prepare the prograrnmes to be zubmitted to the Council.
ART. 10
The College of Auditors is composed of three members:
- the Director of the Ministy of Education and of Italian Scientific and Technological Research;
- a professor of a CMU Member University;
- an officer of the University *Aldo Moto” of Bari. The task of the College of Auditors is:
– to keep a regular check on accounts; – to prepare an annual budget;
– to control the balance of funds, stocks and bonds and carry out inspection and verification at any time, even by only one member of the College.
art. 11
In each country of the Mediterranean area, of which at least one university is adhering to the CMU, a Secretariat can be established that reports to the Council.
Each Secretariat will have to:
– release and illustrate to public authorities and economic instihrtions the CMU’s activities in its own territory;
– establish a database for the Universities and Research Institutes of its own country;
– keep in contact with the Presidency;
– supply the universities of its own country with information or CMU;
– keep, available for the Universities, infonnation, forms and publications of CMU.
The expenses of the Secretariats are charged to the University of the country where they are operating and are not pertinent to the CMU budget. The Council may, exceptionally, make special contibutions to single Secretariats.
ART. 12
The economic, industrial and local Institutions adhere to CMU as Associate Members and a coordination committee can be elected, of which are members the CMU’s President and the Secretary General.
CMU’s President convenes and chairs the meetings of this committee.
The tasks of these Institutions, in close collaboration with the Mediterranean Universities, are:
- to present programmes and proposals, endorsed by the CMU’s President and approved by the couns representative, to the various national an international bodies, in collaboration with the Universities;
- to manage the contracts obtained through the above-mentioned bodies under the supervision of the counuy representative and the responsibility of the CMU’s President, who undersigns to the contracts;
- . to promote and carry out, periodically, taining courses, with the collaboration of the teaching staff also coming from Mediterranean countries other than
art. 13
Multinational Mediterranean scientific networks, set up either on a regional or on a disciplinary basis may apply for CMU adhesion in view of preparing and implementing together education and/or research programs.
The CMU’s Council may assess and eventually approve any adhesion application.
Each Network is entitled to have one representative, as a full-fledged member, in the CMU’s Council.
art. 14
The patrimony of the CMU is composed of:
- membership fee of the adhering member universities, networks and Associate Members;
- contibutious from Ministries, lnstitutions and scientific organizations, national as well as international;
- legacies and donations from private persons which have duty been accepted by the Council.
The CMU’s budget is annual and runs from 1st January to 31st December of each year. The University “Aldo Moro” of Bari attends the administrative and financial management of the CMU.
art. 15
The regulations of the Italian Civil Code are applicable for any item not included in the present statute.
art. 16
Disputes which may arise as a result of the application of this Statute will be referred to the exclusive, Italian judicial authority and its territorial competence.
art. 17
The CMU can establish relationships with the intemational and national organizations specialized in areas of interstto the CMU, in particular UNESCO.
The Organizations that establish relationships with the CMU will be represented by a delegate actiag as observer in the General Assembly and in Council meetings.
art. 18
The proposals for modification of the Statute have to be put forward to the Council that, after approving them, will present them to the General Assembly.
They will become operative after app,roval by the Assembly according to Art. 6.
