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Statute on the Methodical Commissions of the MSU Nanotechnology Education and Research Center

  1. General
    1. The Methodical Commissions of the MSU Nanotechnology Education and Research Center (ERC) are set up according to all the research specializations of ERC.
    2. The Methodical Commissions of ERC are collegial bodies that prepare education programs of ERC and programs for developing courseware and training materials.
    3. The Methodical Commissions follow the principles: (a) compliance of programs with advanced level of studies and developments; (b) balance between disciplines and research topics with due consideration of all the relevant research area of a specialization; (c) immediate adjustment of programs to curricula of MSU faculties — ERC participants.
  2. Members, structure and work organization of a methodical commission:
    1. Members of a methodical commission are scientists and educators who are acknowledged experts in core disciplines according to a specialization. It is desirable to involve representatives of research and education institutions, large science-based innovative companies, MSU units — ERC participants which provide training programs according to a specialiazation.
    2. The Board of Directors participate in the work of a methodical commission and investigate promptly organizational aspects of all suggestions offered by commissions before making final decisions by commissions.
    3. Members of methodical commissions are approved by the Board of Directors. The Chairperson of a commission is approved by Director of ERC as agreed upon with the commission members. The duration of a methodical commission is 2 years.
    4. Activities of methodical commissions are held according to semester plans developed by the Chairperson of a commission and approved by the Board of Directors. Any changes to plans of activities are also approved by the Board of Directors. During the first three months since the establishment of a methodical commission, it works according to the initial statement of work proposed by the Board of Directors.
    5. Methodical commissions may establish working groups in order to solve specific questions, involve experts of MSU and other institutions in participating in meetings and consultations and reviewing at their discretion. Issues concerning the academic activity of MSU faculties – ERC participants may be mutually agreed with members of methodical commissions representing relevant faculties and chairs.
    6. Decisions of methodical commissions connected with ERC activities are submitted to the Board of Directors for implementation. In case of motivated impossibility of complete or partial implementation of a decision, the Board of Directors has the right to ask a methodical commission for an alternative decision.
    7. Activities of methodical commissions are supervised by Director of ERC.
  3. Main tasks and functions of methodical commissions:
    1. To define the general structure of educational programs of ERC according to specializations, composition, contents and volume of their compulsory courses and practical classes; to define composition, contents and volume of elective courses; to make schedule for preparing, reviewing and approving curricula of courses and practical classes.
    2. To make reasoned recommendations for involving teaching staff for educational programs of ERC, including guest lecturers.
    3. To analyze interrelation of different components of ERC educational programs and prepare recommendations and statements of work for lecturers and instructors.
    4. To organize internal and external reviewing of prepared curricula of courses and practical classes; to make decisions concerning their relevance to a specialization.
    5. To analyze interrelation between ERC educational programs and curricula of MSU faculties – ERC participants; to draw up and discuss proposals that may promote closer integration of ERC educational programs and MSU units.
    6. To make recommendations for assessing students and their appraisal; establish assessment criteria for qualifying papers.
    7. To prepare packages of academic and methodical documents, to organize expert evaluation of coursebooks and manuals with the assistance of external reviewers; to make recommendations for preparation, translation and publication of academic and methodical materials.
    8. To maintain quality control of ERC educational programs, to promote their ongoing improvement and implementation of the latest achievements of the world science into the academic process.
    9. To organize general meetings of professors and instructors to ensure coherence of programs and maintain interrelation of individual courses once or twice a semester.
    10. To prepare documents to approve ERC educational programs.
  4. Rights and duties of members of methodical commissions
    1. The Chairperson of a methodical commission shall
      • organize the work of a commission according to the plan,
      • monitor documentation maintenance,
      • co-ordinate the work of a commission with the Board of Directors.
    2. The Chairperson of a methodical commission has the right to
      • allocate responsibilities and assignments among commission members and exact accounts from them,
      • make preliminary plans of activities of a commission and propose adjustments, if necessary,
      • inquire information and documents necessary for the work of a commission of the Board of Directors,
      • organize working groups, invite experts for reviewing and participating in meetings,
      • be present at extended meetings of the Board of Directors,
      • inquire information on implementation of decisions of a methodical commission of the Board of Directors,
      • submit proposals for extra pay for teaching staff and members of a methodical commission.
    3. Members of a methodical commission shall
      • participate in the work of a methodical commission in all its forms,
      • carry out assignments of the Chairperson of a methodical commission,
      • inform the Chairperson of a methodical commission of their temporary inability to participate in the work of a commission or meetings.
    4. Members of a methodical commission have the right to
      • submit any proposals within the competence of a methodical commission,
      • obtain all information available to the Chairperson and inquire through him/her additional information,
      • put on record of meetings of a methodical commission any remarks and proposals concerning questions under discussion and revealing their personal opinions,
      • ask the Chairperson of a methodical commission for releasing them from work if there exist valid reasons.