Regulations on the Academic Council of the International University1. General Provisions
1.1. The Academic Council is a collegial governing body of the International University (hereinafter – the University) and is established for a term of five years. Its composition is approved by order of the Head of the University within five working days from the date of expiration of the powers of the previous Academic Council.1.2. The Academic Council is one of the key components in the University’s system of activities. Through collective discussion, it makes decisions on current and strategic issues of the University’s operations, ensuring the functioning of the University as an integrated, multifunctional, and multidisciplinary educational system.1.3. In its activities, the Academic Council of the University is guided by the Constitution of Ukraine, the Laws of Ukraine “On Education”, “On Higher Education”, “On Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activities”, regulatory acts of the Cabinet of Ministers, international legal instruments and obligations of Ukraine, other legal acts in the field of higher education and science, the University Charter, and these Regulations.
2. Main Functions of the Academic Council of the University
2.1. The Academic Council of the University:
determines the strategy and prospective directions of educational, scientific, and innovative activities of the higher education institution;
develops and submits to the highest collegial self-governing body a draft of the University Charter, as well as proposals on amendments and supplements;
approves the financial plan and the annual financial report of the University;
defines the system and approves procedures for internal quality assurance of higher education;
adopts decisions on the placement of own revenues in banking institutions;
approves, upon submission of the Head of the University, decisions on the establishment, reorganization, and liquidation of structural subdivisions;
elects, through competitive selection and secret ballot, deans, heads of departments, professors and associate professors, the library director, and heads of branches;
approves educational programs and curricula for each level of higher education and specialty;
makes decisions on the organization of the educational process, determining the duration of studies at respective levels;
approves the sample and procedures for issuing its own higher education documents, the regulations on their issuance to graduates, as well as samples and procedures for issuing joint and double diplomas;
approves the main directions of scientific research and innovation activities;
evaluates the scientific and pedagogical performance of structural subdivisions;
confers academic titles of professor and associate professor and submits respective decisions for approval to the attestation board of the central executive body in education and science; approves the decisions of the attestation commission;
makes final decisions on the recognition of foreign higher education documents, academic degrees, and academic titles during the hiring of teaching, scientific, and other staff, as well as during student admission;
has the right to submit a proposal for the dismissal of the University Head on grounds provided by law, the University Charter, or contract; such proposals are considered by the highest collegial self-governing body of the University;
decides on the opening of postgraduate and doctoral studies; admission and dismissal of postgraduate and doctoral students;
approves dissertation topics and individual plans of postgraduate and doctoral students;
makes decisions on the establishment of specialized councils for the defense of dissertations for the Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science degrees;
approves the main regulations governing the operation of the University;
creates commissions to study and prepare individual issues for consideration by the Academic Council;
approves the University’s symbols;
elects, in accordance with the established procedure, honorary professors, honorary doctors, teachers, and employees of the University;
considers other issues of University activities in accordance with higher education legislation and the University Charter.
3. Structure and Procedure for Forming the Academic Council of the University
3.1. Formation of a new Academic Council begins no later than 30 days before the expiration of the powers of the previous Council.3.2. The Academic Council is headed by its Chairperson, elected by secret ballot taking into account the proposals of the Founders, from among members of the Council who hold an academic degree and/or academic (honorary) title, for the duration of the Council’s term.3.3. The Academic Council includes:
Ex officio members: the Head of the University, deputies of the Head, academic secretary, library director, chief accountant, heads of self-governing bodies, and elected representatives of primary trade union organizations;
Elected representatives: representing academic and research staff (selected from department heads, professors, PhD holders, Doctors of Science); other full-time staff; postgraduate students, doctoral candidates, trainees, assistants; and student self-government leaders.
Elected representatives are nominated and elected according to the procedure and quotas defined by the University Charter.
3.4. The number of members of the Academic Council depends on the number of staff and must be no less than 10% of the University’s full-time employees.3.5. By decision of the Council, representatives of employers’ organizations and University alumni may also be included. At least 75% of the Council must be composed of academic and teaching staff, and at least 10% – elected student representatives.3.6. Elected representatives from staff are chosen by the highest collegial self-governing body upon nomination by structural subdivisions; elected student representatives are chosen by direct secret ballot.3.7. Elections to the Academic Council begin 30 calendar days before the expiration of the powers of the previous Council.
4. Organization of the Academic Council’s Work
4.1. Meetings of the Academic Council are held according to the approved Annual Work Plan. The plan is based on proposals from Council members, adopted at a Council meeting, and approved by the Chairperson. Extraordinary meetings may be convened to address urgent matters.4.2. A meeting is considered valid if at least two-thirds of members are present. Decisions are adopted by a majority vote, except for item 13, paragraph 2.1 of these Regulations, which requires approval by at least three-fourths of those present.4.3. Meetings are recorded in minutes signed by the Chairperson and the academic secretary.4.4. Decisions of the Academic Council are enacted through orders of the University Head.4.5. Implementation of Council decisions is assigned to heads of University subdivisions, unless otherwise stipulated by the Council.4.6. Oversight of Council decision implementation is generally entrusted to the University Head or their deputies in accordance with functional responsibilities.
5. Final Provisions
5.1. These Regulations enter into force upon approval by the University’s Academic Council.