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İHSAN DOĞRAMACI BILKENT UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES AND RESEARCH REGULATION

PART ONE

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Establishment

Article 1: A center under the name of “İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University Center for Human Rights Studies and Research” is established under the Rectorate of İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University.

Scope

Article 2: This Regulation includes provisions regarding the fields of activity, the organs and the duties and functioning of the organs of the Center.

Legal Basis

Article 3: This Regulation is based on Article 7(1)(d)(2) and Article 14 of the Higher Education Law No. 2547 of 04/11/1981.

Basic Principles

Article 4: The Center is committed to ensuring gender quality in all aspects of its work and activities, including the election and functioning of its organs. The Center operates in compliance with the Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive, which entered into force by the Council of Higher Education, General Assembly Decision No. 2016.23.497 of 10.11.2016, and Bilkent University Ethics Committee Principles for Human Participants.

Definitions

Article 5: For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:

  1. “Center” means the İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University Center for Human Rights Studies and Research;
  2. “Director” means the Director of the Center;
  3. “Assistant Director” means the Assistant Director of the Center;
  4. “Rector” means the Rector of İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University;
  5. “University” means İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University;
  6. “Faculty of Law” means the Faculty of Law of İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University;
  7. “Executive Board” means the Executive Board of the Center;
  8. “Advisory Board” means the Advisory Board of the Center;
  9. “CoHE” means the Council of Higher Education.

PART TWO

THE PURPOSE AND FIELDS OF ACTIVITY OF THE CENTER

The Purpose of the Center

Article 6: The purpose of the Center is to conduct theoretical and practical research, organize training programs and carry out relevant studies and projects with a view to contributing to the granting, protection, implementation and development of human rights. For this purpose, the Center will follow an interdisciplinary approach and employ scientific methods in accordance with the national, regional and international legal framework.

Fields of Activity of the Center

Article 7: The Center operates in the following fields of activity:

  1. To conduct, take part in and/or contribute to interdisciplinary studies in the field of human rights; to publish and/or contribute to publication of such studies in Turkish, English and other languages,
  2. To draft, submit for consideration to the relevant authorities and publish reports, research, legal opinion, expert opinion, amicus curiae and other legal documents in accordance with Law No. 2547 and the applicable legislation,
  3. To organize national and international seminars, conferences, meetings, academic and social panels and similar activities related to its fields of activity,
  4. To organize training and certificate programmes related to its fields of activity,
  5. To carry out monitoring and reporting activities in the field of human rights,
  6. To cooperate with national and international organizations, non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions and organizations and to engage in joint activities, including projects, internship programs in line with the intended purpose of the Center,
  7. To organize panel sessions, open courses and similar educational activities at the University by inviting expert speakers,
  8. To create a website of the Center to share details about the Center’s research work and developments in the field of human rights,
  9. To perform other activities relevant to the intended purpose of the Center.

PART THREE

ORGANS OF THE CENTER AND THEIR DUTIES AND POWERS

Organs of the Center

Article 8: The organs of the Center are the Director, the Assistant Director, the Executive Board and the Advisory Board.

Director and Assistant Director

Article 9 (1): The Director of the Center is appointed by the Rector among the full-time members of the Faculty of Law on the basis of merit and experience in the field of human rights for a period of three (3) years. The Director is the Chair of the Executive Board. The Director may be reappointed at the end of his/her term of office.

(2) The Assistant Director of the Center is selected among the members of the Executive Board by the Executive Board based on the same criteria for the same term of office. The Assistant Director of the Center acts in place of the Director who is unable to perform his/her function due to health or other reasons, and exercises the powers listed in Article 10.

Duties and Powers of the Director

Article 10: The duties and powers of the Director are as follows:

  1. To represent the Center,
  2. To convene meetings of the Executive Board and the Advisory Board, to set the agenda of meetings and chair the Executive Board,
  3. To submit the names of the Advisory Board members designated at the Executive Board meeting to the Rector,
  4. To submit the annual activity report approved by the Executive Board, which include the Center’s recent year’s activities and summary of financial status, to the Rector and the Office of Vice Rector for Academic Affairs each year in July,
  5. To draft the work plan of the Center jointly with the Executive Board, to distribute tasks among the Center staff, to take any measures necessary to ensure regular and efficient functioning of the Center,
  6. To prepare the budget of the Center together with the Executive Board and to submit the budget for the Rector’s approval,
  7. To carry out the necessary procedures for the appointment of scientific, technical and research staff and administrative and to support personnel to the Center pursuant to Article 15,
  8. To perform other tasks assigned by the Executive Board.

Executive Board

Article 11: The Executive Board of the Center is composed of the Director and four (4) other members appointed on the basis of merit, and in so far as possible their experience in the field of human rights and relevant studies in the fields of activity of the Center. Members of the Executive Board are appointed by the Rector for a period of three (3) years at the recommendation of the Director. An Assistant Director is selected from among the Executive Board members during its first meeting. The members may be reappointed at the end of their term of office. In order to carry the accumulated experience and studies of the Center into the future, two (2) members are maintained from the previous terms of office in each election period. New members can be appointed for a period of three (3) years in place of members who resign before the end of their term, fail to fulfil their duties due to health or other valid reasons or are given an assignment outside the University for more than six (6) months.

Meeting and Agenda

Article 12: TheExecutive Board convenes at least two (2) times a year with the absolute majority of its members under the chair of the Director or Assistant Director in the absence of the Director. The Director sets the agenda of the meeting by taking requests of the members into account. Executive Board decisions are taken by a majority vote.

Duties and Powers of the Executive Board

Article 13: Duties and powers of the Executive Board are as follows:

  1. To take and implement the necessary decisions to achieve the purposes set out in Article 6 of this Regulation,
  2. In case of need, to set up special commissions and working groups and to establish their operating principles according to the activities of the Center,
  3. To identify and organize all national and international scientific and educational meetings and other related activities,
  4. To identify research and project subjects jointly with the Director,
  5. To review and approve the annual activity report of the Center,
  6. To prepare the annual budget with the Director and to approve the budget,
  7. To evaluate and approve the appointment of Center staff at the recommendation of the Director,
  8. To finalize other issues to be decided by the Executive Board.

Advisory Board

Article 14: Advisory Board members are appointed by the Rector for a period of three (3) years on the basis of merit and experience in the field of human rights at the recommendation of the Director. Advisory Board members may be reappointed at the end of their term of office. New members can be appointed in place of members who resign before the end of their term, fail to fulfil their duties due to health or other valid reasons or is given an assignment outside the University for more than six (6) months. The Advisory Board convenes at least once a year, upon the call of the Director, with the absolute majority of its members. Advisory Board decisions are taken by a majority vote.

(2) The duties of the Advisory Board are as follows:

a) To give opinion on subjects communicated by the Executive Board,

b) To make suggestions to accomplish the intended purpose of the Center,

c) To support the studies of the Center at the national and international level.

PART FOUR

MISCELLANEOUS AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Staff Requirements

Article 15: The academic, technical, and administrative staff requirements of the Center are met by the staff assigned upon the Rector’s approval in accordance with the recommendation of the Director and the Executive Board’s decision pursuant to Article 13 of the Law No. 2547.

Authorising Officer

Article 16: The Rector is the Authorising Officer of the Center. The Rector may fully or partially delegate this authority to the Director or Assistant Director of the Center.

Equipment and Inventory Stock

Article 17: All equipment and inventory stock purchased under the research and other projects of the Center are allocated to the Center for use as deemed necessary by the Center in compliance with the provisions of the applicable legislation.

Entry into Force

Article 18: This Regulation enters into force on the date of its publication.

Execution

Article 19: The provisions of this Regulation are executed by the Rector of İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University.

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