Regulations
RESEARCH CENTRE FOR REAL-TIME AND EMBEDDED COMPUTING SYSTEMS (CISTER)

Chapter I
Nature, mission, vision, values and purposes

1. Nature

1 – The Research Centre for Real-Time and Embedded Computing Systems (CISTER), is a research unit whose main management and hosting institution is the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP).

2 – CISTER can integrate, as associate, other bodies, public or private, national or foreign.

2. Mission

1 – CISTER's mission is the promotion and development of research in the fields of computer science, electrical and computer engineering, with a focus on methodologies and applications related to real-time and embedded computing systems. Its mission is also the promotion and dissemination of research results to the society, with particular emphasis in the corporate sector of surrounding organizations including participation on joint research, development or innovation projects.

2 – Where appropriate, the scope of research may cover other scientific domains.

3 – Complementing Point 1 of this article, CISTER also promotes advanced training and courses especially within doctoral and postdoctoral programs, the participation in national and international research networks, the development of life-long learning activities, and the promotion and diffusion of scientific culture.

3. Vision and values

1 – CISTER’s vision is to achieve and maintain a high national and international recognition in its field of activities, aiming at significantly impacting on the scientific and surrounding communities.

2 – CISTER practices a policy of equality of opportunity without discrimination of gender, age, nationality or other.

3 – CISTER’s values embody integrity, impartiality and scientific rigor.

4. Purposes

1 – As part of its mission, CISTER pursues the following purposes:

1. Perform research activities;
2. Perform and execute scientific research projects;
3. Participate in the development of advanced training initiatives, including doctoral and post-doctoral programmes;
4. Publish and disseminate the results of the research carried out;
5. Promote and undertake the externalization and exploitation of research results;
6. Promote discussion and dissemination of the activities;
7. Promote inter-institutional cooperation at national and international levels;
8. Conduct studies, perform assessments and provide technical advice;
9. Conduct outreach activities;
10. Encourage participation of students in scientific research activities;
11. Promote and develop vocational training and academic actions;
12. Grant scholarships and awards to support the actions related to education, research and innovation;
13. Conduct any other activities as part of its mission.

Chapter II
Members

5. Membership type

1 – Institutional Members of CISTER are:

1. The management and hosting institutions;
2. The institutions with which CISTER’s Full PhD Researchers have open-ended contracts;
3. Other institutions that might contribute to the purposes of CISTER.

2 – PhD Researchers are those researchers or professors holding a PhD degree that continuously carry out their research activities within CISTER.

3 – Full PhD Researchers arethose PhD researchers that have an open-ended contract to member institutions.

4 – External Researchers are:

1. Researchers, professors from other research centres or institutions that are not institutional members but collaborate on research developed within CISTER;
2. Personalities, of recognized scientific merit, that maintain a regular research collaboration with CISTER members.

5 – Assistant Researchers are researchers, not included in the previous types, who develop continuous activities, in research projects or other research activities developed within CISTER.

6 – Management Support Members are persons who hold a non-scientific collaboration to support the execution of CISTER’s Mission.

6. Acquisition of membership

1 – The quality of Institutional membership in the case referred to in Point 1 (c) of Article 5, can be proposed by any Member, and acquired after a favourable opinion by two-thirds majority in the Scientific Council and after consultation with the Institutional Board;

2 – PhD Researcher membership is acquired either upon:

1. Proposal of any Member, after a favourable opinion of the Scientific Council, and approval by the Board of Directors;
2. The start of an individual contract with an Institutional Member, in articulation with CISTER management bodies.

3 – The quality of External Researcher referred to in Points 4 (a) and 4 (b) of Article 5 is acquired upon proposal of any Member and approval by simple majority in the Scientific Council.

4 – Assistant Researcher membership is acquired for researchers that will perform continuous activities in full or part-time, in research projects or other research activities developed within CISTER, upon approval by the Board of Directors in result of either:

1. Proposal of any Member that will supervise those activities;
2. Celebration of contract or grant within a project in CISTER for those activities.

5 – The quality of Management Support Member is acquired for persons that will perform continuous CISTER management support activities full or part-time, in result of either:

1. Assignment of an Institutional Member employee, at request of the Board of Directors;
2. Celebration of contract or grant within CISTER, after approval by the Board of Directors.

7. Rights of the members

1 – Members have the right to:

1. Participate in CISTER activities;
2. Elect and be elected to the bodies of CISTER;
3. Have preference over external members in the use of CISTER infrastructures and services;
4. Receive the support from CISTER management and services, in particular in the preparation of research proposals and grants and in hosting and managing ongoing initiatives;
5. Be informed about the activities of CISTER and its management bodies;
6. Propose the admission of new members.

8. Obligations of the members

1 – Members have the duty to:

1. Participate in the activities of CISTER, contributing to the achievement of its mission and its purpose;
2. Ensure the image, interests, tangible and intangible assets allocated to CISTER;
3. Comply with the statutory and regulatory obligations, as well as the decisions and resolutions of the management bodies;
4. Perform activities with zeal, dedication, ethics, and in articulation with other members of CISTER, specially with those responsible for coordinating these activities;
5. Perform the tasks for which they are elected, accept being designated to, or defined by regulations;
6. Participate in meetings to which they are summoned, unless duly justified;
7. Carry out the activities within CISTER’s premises when not on a mission or when the contract type does not imply otherwise;
8. Abide to the work schedule, even if flexible, as appropriate for the position and as defined by the CISTER regulations;
9. State CISTER membership in publications, events, and all other research activities.

2 – PhD Researcher members have the following additional duties:

1. Produce continuous scientific activity properly disseminated in relevant forums in the respective area;
2. Contribute to the definition of advanced training programs;
3. Participate in the development of proposals and implementation of research projects;
4. Advise or co-advise master or doctoral works.

3 – Members that propose or are responsible for research activities within CISTER (research projects - funded or not -, or doctoral plans) have additional duties to:

1. Co-ordinate with the Board of Directors the definition of the proposal implementation plan and financial plan, before submission to external entities;
2. Ensure the scientific and technical progress of the activity;
3. Define, and ensure compliance with, the implementation plan, the financial plan and the human resource plan (if existing) of the activity, in cooperation with the Board of Directors and Management Services of CISTER;
4. Prepare periodic reports, in cooperation with the Board of Directors and Management Services of CISTER;
5. Ensure the collection and storage of artefacts produced by the project in accordance with the standards and mechanisms in place at CISTER;
6. Identify and promote the externalization and exploitation of results in cooperation with the Board of Directors and Management Services of CISTER.

9. Loss of membership

1 – Loss of membership occurs when a member:

1. Requests to terminate the relation with CISTER;
2. Does not comply with the provisions of Article 8 (Obligations of the members);
3. The contractual link that conferred membership ceases to exist.

2 – The loss of membership under Point 1 (b) of Article 9 is decided by the Board of Directors, after hearing the Scientific Council and the Institutional Board.

3 – The quality of External Researcher or Assistant Researcher shall also automatically terminate when the conditions that led to the acquisition of this type of membership cease.

Chapter III
Management bodies

10. Management bodies

1 – CISTER’s management bodies are:

1. The Institutional Board;
2. The Director;
3. The Board of Directors;
4. The Scientific Council.

Section I
Institutional Board

11. Composition

1 – The Institutional Board is composed by representatives of the Institutional Members.

12.  Jurisdiction

1 – The Institutional Board is an advisory body of CISTER, which can comment on everything that relates to the life of the Research Unit, without prejudice to the powers of the other management bodies themselves.

2 – It is competence of the Institutional Board to comment on the following:

1. Changes to the Regulations of CISTER;
2. Admission of new Institutional members;
3. Loss of membership, under Point 1 (b) of Article 9;
4. Dismissal of the Director;
5. Strategic Plan;
6. Plan of activities and the activity report;
7. Financial report;
8. Extinction, merger or division of CISTER.

3 – It is the right of the Institutional Board to be informed on the following items:

1. Changes in the Board of Directors and President and Vice-President of the Scientific Council.

13. Operational aspects

1 – The Institutional Board works in a non-face-to-face model, despite being able to meet in person if necessary.

2 – Procedure:

1. Requests for opinion shall be sent by the Director in writing by electronic means;
2. The opinions of the members of the Institutional Board shall be sent in writing by electronic means.              

3 – In the case of face-to-face meetings:

1. It is the responsibility of the Director to coordinate with the agendas of the several representatives in order to maximize participation;
2. It is the responsibility of the Director to attend to logistical needs;
3. At the end of the meeting, every board member shall give his/her opinion regarding the object of the meeting;
4. Members who cannot be present may express their opinions in writing using electronic means before the date and time of the meeting.

4 – Each Member is entitled to express an individual opinion; however, the Board may emit a collective opinion.

5 – For the situations in paragraph 2 of Article 12, the Board of Directors and/or the Scientific Council shall not take any action or decision dependent on the opinions of the members of the Institutional Board before all the members opinions are received or before 30 consecutive days after the request of a consultation is triggered, whichever happens sooner.

6 – In the case of dismissal of Director, the Director roles in this Article are fulfilled by the President of the Scientific Council.

Section II
Director

14. Election, term of Office and filling seats in case of vacancy or resignation

1 – The Director is elected from among the members with a doctoral degree, by secret ballot, on the Scientific Council, for a term of three years, with possible re-election.

2 – In case of impediment or incapacity exceeding six months, resignation or dismissal, the Scientific Council should convene for election of the Director.

3 – The Scientific Council, convened by the President of the Scientific Council, or one-third of the members, may, after hearing the Institutional Board, decide the dismissal of the Director, upon decision adopted by a two-thirds majority of the members present.

4 – The deliberations provided for in Point 3 of this article must be voted in sessions convened specifically for that purpose.

15. Jurisdiction

1 – The Director drives and represents CISTER, competing to her/him:

1. Appointing the Board of Directors;
2. Ensure representation of CISTER outside the unit;
3. Guarantee the quality of research, training and other activities of scientific nature;
4. Ensure compliance with laws, statutes and regulations;
5. Propose to the Scientific Council membership external entities like federations of research units;
6. Carry out the other functions entrusted to her/him by other governing bodies.

2 – The Director appoints the other Board of Directors Members, from among the members, to assist in the performance of his/her duties.

Section III
Board of Directors

16. Composition and mandate

1 – The Board of Directors is made by the Director, a Vice-director, one or more Adjunct Directors, and other members.

2 – The Board of Directors takes office after notification of its composition to the Scientific Council.

3 – The Director can delegate in the other Board of Director Members the powers which are necessary for efficient management, when considered appropriate. The representation of the Research Centre can be delegated in the Vice-director and Adjunct Directors, or to any other member on particular occasions/events.

17. Jurisdiction

1 – The Board of Directors of CISTER coordinates the research activities, administrative and financial services in order to achieve its purposes.

2 – It is up to the Board of Directors to:

1. Develop and propose the strategic plan;
2. Prepare and propose the plan of activities, and the report of activities;
3. Fulfil the approved plan of activities and strategic plan;
4. Consider the resolutions passed by the Scientific Council;
5. Ensure administrative and financial services or other suitable services for the efficient management of the research centre;
6. Create mission units for operational support to management;
7. Administer facilities assigned to CISTER and ensure its maintenance;
8. Manage the recruitment policy required for the continuation of the activities of CISTER;
9. Validate contracts which involve CISTER, when required;
10. Monitor the implementation of the budget and material execution of the research projects;
11. Ensure correct budgetary exercise;
12. Provide the necessary resources, in conjunction with the respective responsible(s), for the execution of CISTER activities.

18. Operational aspects

1 – The Board of Directors shall meet ordinarily, typically, once every 2 weeks and, extraordinarily, at any time upon call of the Director or of other Board members.

2 – The resolutions of the Board are always taken by a majority of its members, with the Director casting vote in the event of a tie.

Section IV
Scientific Council

19. Composition and mandate

1 – The Scientific Council works in plenary and is composed by:

1. All Researchers with a doctoral degree;
2. 1 representative of the Management Support Members;
3. 1 representative of the Assistant Researchers.

2 – The representatives in points b) and c) of paragraph 1 are elected by their peers and by secret ballot for a term equivalent to the President of the Scientific Council.

3 – The members of the Scientific Council shall elect by simple majority the President, among its members with a doctoral degree, who shall be responsible for convening and directing the meetings, for a term of 3 years.

4 – The President nominates a Vice-President, among the Scientific Council’s members with a doctoral degree, before the next Scientific Council meeting is convened.

5 – In case of impediment or incapacity exceeding six months, resignation or dismissal, the Scientific Council should be convened by the Vice-President, for election of a new President.

6 – The Scientific Council, convened for that purpose by one-third of the members, may decide the dismissal of the President of the Scientific Council, upon decision adopted by a two-thirds majority of the members present.

7 – The deliberations provided for in Point 6 of this article must be voted in sessions convened specifically for that purpose.

20.  Jurisdiction

1 – Operating competences of the Scientific Council are:

1. Approve the strategic plan and monitor its implementation;
2. Approve the activity report and the plan of activities;
3. Approve the financial report;
4. Create consultation, evaluation or information units, permanent or not, within the framework of the activities of CISTER, establishing their terms of operation and appreciate and approve their reports;
5. Approve and evaluate training activities;
6. Set the procedures for research performance assessment;
7. Vote on resolutions, related with CISTER, proposed by any of its members.

2 – Strategic competences of the Scientific Council are:

1. Elect the Director;
2. Approve and/or amend the regulations of CISTER;
3. Approve CISTER membership to associations, or other bodies;
4. Adopt the necessary procedures for the implementation of the regulations;
5. Decide on the loss of membership, in accordance with Article 9, Point 1 (b);
6. Decide on the admission of new Institutional members, new Research members and new Assistant Members;
7. Decide on the dismissal of the Director;
8. Determine the dissolution, merger or division of CISTER.

21. Operational aspects

1 – The Scientific Council shall meet ordinarily once a month upon call by the President.

2 – The Scientific Council shall meet extraordinarily on the initiative of the President or at the request of at least one-third of its members.

3 – The Scientific Council meetings are chaired by the President or in his/her absence by the Vice-President.

4 – The deliberations of the Scientific Council related to the competencies expressed in paragraph 1 of article 20, shall be taken by a majority of its members, having the President a casting vote in the event of a tie.

5 – In the case of resolutions with strategic responsibilities listed in Point 2 of Article 20, the voting rights are only available for either:

1. Full PhD Researchers;
2. Researchers with more than three years of connection with CISTER and three years of doctoral degree.

6 – The deliberations on changing this regulations require the favourable vote of three-quarters of the members present entitled to vote.

8 – The deliberations about the admission of a member or on the loss of this quality require the favourable vote of two-thirds of the members present entitled to vote.

9 – Election-related polls, impediment and dismissal of the governing bodies, as well as the admission and exclusion of members, shall be expressed through secret ballot, among the present.

10 – Each member has one vote.

11 – In each meeting the President will nominate a Secretary of the meeting, which will write the minutes, which are to be approved in a subsequent meeting.

Chapter IV
External Advisory Board

22. Purpose and constitution

1 – The Scientific Council must create an External Advisory Board with the purpose of providing guidance and advice on the strategic and the scientific direction of CISTER.

2 – The External Advisory Board is composed of a minimum of 6 and maximum of 10 personalities of recognized merit, external to CISTER, with the following requirements:

1. At least 50% of the members shall develop their activities in non-national institutions;
2. At least 33% of the members shall develop their activities in the industry;
3. At least 33% of the members shall develop their activities in academic or research institutions.

3 – The members of the External Advisory Board are appointed by the Scientific Council, acting on a proposal from the President, voted with a simple majority, for terms of three years, renewable.

23. Operational aspects

1 – The External Advisory Board will provide an annual report pointing out areas of improvement and new strategic directions to follow.

2 – The External Advisory Board will provide, whenever considered necessary by CISTER management bodies, advice on specific issues.

3 – Each member of the External Advisory Board shall emit its personal advice. However, the board may decide to emit a joint advice.

4 – The requests for advice will be issued in written form using electronic means.

5 – The advices will be received by electronic means.

Chapter V
Final Provisions

24. Omissions

1 – All the issues omitted in these regulations will be addressed by the general law and other special applicable legislation.

25. Entry into force

1 – The present Regulations shall enter into force on July 1, 2016, without prejudice of previous deliberations and decisions.

2 – These regulations can be reviewed at any time, by resolution of the Scientific Council, approved by a two-thirds majority.

3 – These regulations must be reviewed, at most, 6 months after entering into force.

Approved in Scientific Council held on June 8, 2016.