Regulation for the Health Science Institute | The Icelandic Health Science Institute

Article 1. In general

The University of Iceland Health Science Institute is a scientific research and study institute operating under the auspices of the University of Iceland in an international scientific context. The Institute is part of the School of Health Sciences. It is a setting for research and development work in the subjects studied at the School. Faculties and research units at the School of Health Sciences are members of the Institute.

Article 2. Role

The role of the University of Iceland Health Science Institute is to:
a. Support health science research at the School of Health Sciences and the research units that are members of the Institute, with shared infrastructure for all research teams at the School.
b. Promote interdisciplinary connections and research collaboration across faculties and research units.
c. Work with universities in Iceland and abroad, healthcare institutions, research institutes and companies with the mutual exchange of knowledge in mind, and in order to gather knowledge for Icelandic society.
d. Provide students in research-based study programmes at the School of Health Sciences with facilities and access to research equipment appropriate to their needs.
e. Enhance studies through developing a fertile research environment for students and training them in scientific thinking and working practices in the health sciences, thereby giving them the competence to pursue a range of related careers.
f. Disseminate knowledge by publishing and publicising research findings in the field of health sciences.
g. Conduct contract research as appropriate and provide advice related to the health sciences.

Article 3. Facilities

The Health Science Institute shall provide its staff, cf. Articles 1 and 8, with facilities and necessary research equipment as far as possible. Research laboratories and offices, and the equipment therein, are considered to fall under ‘facilities’, along with storage space for appliances and equipment. The Health Science Institute will support the development of shared infrastructure for wet labs and dry labs, the latter consisting of facilities for processing clinical research and facilities for secondary research, statistical work and social research.

Article 4. Structure

The Health Science Institute houses research centres, research laboratories and the research projects of tenured teaching staff at the faculties and units that are members of the Institute. Faculties are financially responsible to the Health Science Institute for the work of these parties and may set requirements pertaining to this responsibility. It is possible to establish tariffs for certain services, if deemed necessary by the board. Administration for the Health Science Institute comes under the responsibilities of the School of Health Sciences Office, under the authority of the School dean.

Article 5. Board

The dean of the School of Health Sciences shall appoint a chair and five members to the board of the Health Science Institute for a three-year term. Board members shall be selected from among the members of the School of Health Sciences doctoral studies committee and science committee, if possible. An external advisory group for the Health Science Institute may be appointed if the School board considers this to be advantageous. Both women and men shall sit on the board, and care shall be taken to ensure that representation of either sex is not lower than 40%, cf. Article 15 of the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men no. 10/2008. The board of the Health Science Institute shall determine the division of responsibilities between its members.

Article 6. Board meetings

The chair of the board, or a staff member under the authority of the chair, shall call board meetings, at least five days in advance. A meeting notice shall outline the agenda of a meeting. The chair shall preside over board meetings. A board meeting must be called if one or more board members so request. The same applies if the head or director of a member faculty or unit, cf. Article 1, the dean of the School of Health Sciences or the rector so request, in which case this party shall have the right to speak and make proposals at the meeting. In the case of a tie vote at a board meeting, the chair, or whoever is acting as chair, shall cast the deciding vote. A register of board meeting minutes shall be maintained, and attested minutes shall be entered into the register. A research director shall attend board meetings and take minutes. A transcript of meeting minutes shall be sent to the dean of the School of Health Sciences. Meeting minutes shall be saved in the University of Iceland Archives. The board shall meet at least once per semester.

Article 7. Responsibilities of the board

The board shall address all matters affecting the Institute as a whole, set policy and establish operational rules as appropriate. The board shall resolve any uncertainties that may arise concerning the internal operations of the Institute. The board shall hold an annual general meeting with staff at which the annual report is presented and other matters discussed, as provided for by the Regulation for the University of Iceland.

Article 8. Members

The members of the Health Science Institute are faculties and units comprising professors, senior lecturers, lecturers, including visiting lecturers and adjunct lecturers at the School of Health Sciences, as well as research specialists and postdoctoral researchers with facilities at the Health Science Institute, and PhD students registered at the School of Health Sciences. It is also possible to admit academic staff and postdoctoral researchers from other UI schools as members of the Institute. External parties may also be members, in accordance with a contract specifically made for this purpose.

Article 9. Finances

The income of the Health Science Institute is as follows:
a. grants for individual projects,
b. operating expenses and overhead charges,
c. other income, e.g. Centennial Fund, donations and any contributions from the Treasury which may be stipulated in the national budget,
d. contributions from the School of Health Sciences taken from the School’s research funding,
e. payments for services rendered in accordance with a tariff, cf. Article 4 of this Regulation and Chapter VII of the Regulation for the University of Iceland no. 569/2009. Accounting for the Institute shall be part of accounting for the University of Iceland and the School of Health Sciences and is the sole responsibility of the School board. Budgets shall be submitted to the School dean and managing director. In the case of services rendered, provided in competition with private parties, such activity shall be financially separate from other Institute operations and care shall be taken to ensure that this activity is not subsidised by other income, in accordance with the provisions of the Competition Law. The provisions of the Regulation for the University of Iceland shall apply to overhead charges on non-governmental income.

Article 10. Entry into force

This Regulation, established by the University Council on the basis of the authority of paragraph 3, Article 11 of the Act on Public Higher Institutions no. 85/2008, following a proposal from the board of the School of Health Sciences, enters into force immediately.

University of Iceland, 12 February 2019.

Jón Atli Benediktsson.