Regulations for Centre for Mobilities and Urban Studies (C-MUS), Aalborg University
§ 1. Purpose
§ 1.1. Centre for Mobilities and Urban Studies (C-MUS) is for researchers employed at Aalborg University (The Faculty of Humanities, The Faculty of Social Sciences, The Faculty of Engineering and Science, The Faculty of Medicine) and with research interests in mobilities.
§ 1.2. The centre has the following purpose:
The centre aims to contribute to mobilities research at the highest international level. C-MUS contributes to the development of theories, concepts and analytical frameworks of mobility studies as well as working with empirical studies embracing disciplinary approaches from urban studies, urban ethnography, urban geography, urban sociology, urban design, urban planning, city politics, urban management, traffic planning and engineering.
The concept of ‘mobilities’ focuses on how diverse forms of physical and virtual mobilities are produced and which possibilities and limitations such different forms of mobilities create. Mobilities are partly seen as constitutive for the structures, which frame the social life in the society, and it is within these mobilities that cultural patterns, actions, and identities are produced and reproduced. But at the same time social structures of different kinds (e.g. economic, political and spatial) are seen as constitutive for the ways in which mobilities develop. The aim of C-MUS is therefore to uncover the social basis for mobilities, not only focusing on the actual mobility in itself, but also on the potential mobility, and explore how potential mobility is transformed into different forms of physical, virtual, and social mobilities.
§ 2. Activities and funding
§ 2.1.The activities of the centre include:
A website which presents mobility research at Aalborg University
Bringing mobility researchers from various faculties at Aalborg University together
Planning of seminars, conferences and workshops
Development of new and interdisciplinary mobility research projects
Courses for master students and Ph.d.-students in relation to mobility theory, methods and analysis
Support for the Master’s Programme in Mobilities and Urban Studies at Aalborg University
Making mobility research at Aalborg University more visible in the public debate
§ 2.2. To carry out the activities of the centre both internal and external funding is applied for.
§ 3. Organisation and management
§ 3.1. Organisationally the centre is hosted at Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology.
§ 3.2. The management of the centre consists of a management group and a centre board.
§ 3.3. The management group consists of a centre director, a deputy director, a research director and a teaching director. The management group is appointed by the board and is led by the centre director. The management group and the centre director take care of the cash flow.
§ 3.4. The centre director is appointed for two years at a time and takes care of the daily management of the centre, including calls for meetings, chairing meetings and external representations.
§ 3.5. The deputy director is also appointed for two years at a time and takes part in the daily management.
§ 3.6. The research director is appointed for two years at a time and takes care of developing and coordinating research initiatives and projects and takes part in the daily management.
§ 3.7. The teaching director is appointed for two years at a time and takes care of developing and coordinating the teaching obligations which the centre are responsible for and takes part in the daily management.
§ 3.8. The members of the management group must be academic members of staff at Aalborg University.
§ 3.9. The centre board consists of 9 persons and the founders of the centre are automatically members of the board. Members of the board must be academic members of staff at Aalborg University.
§ 3.10. One board member must be a younger researcher at Aalborg University. Election period and selection proceedings are decided by the board.
§ 3.11. If a member of the board withdraws, a new member is appointed by the board.
§ 3.12. Unanimity in the board is required in appointing new members.
§ 3.13. The board lays down rules of procedure and all important issues are decided by the board. Everyday decisions and management are governed by the director and the management group. The centre board functions as an advisory board for the management group and supports the development of the centre at the strategical level and the centre activities.
§ 3.14. The centre director has the full responsibility and the full disposal of the finances of the centre.
§ 3.15. The management group must approve of costs of more than 10,000 kr.
§ 3.16. In relation to all board issues (stated in the regulations) a simple majority is required to make a decision. When decisions need to be made between meetings, the procedure is that the centre director will notify all board members by email of the need to make a decision, and each member should reply within 7 days if they wish their views to be taken into account. If there is a majority among those who reply then the decision is carried out. If not, the director must canvass opinion once again, or postpone a decision until a meeting can be held.
§ 3.17. Each year the management group has to give an account for previous and future activities.
§ 3.18. The board meets 1-4 times each year.
§ 3.19. The centre director, management group and centre board are supported by a centre secretariat. The employees at the secretariat are engaged by the management group and the physical placement of the centre secretariat is decided by the management group.
§ 3.20. Besides board members C-MUS operates with two other types of membership: members and associates. Members and associates have no rights in relation to the decision-making of the centre.
§ 3.21. Members are employees at Aalborg University. A member will get his/her name on the website, be invited to all arrangements and will receive relevant information about the activities of the centre.
§ 3.22. Associates are people outside Aalborg University. Associates will receive information on events and activities, which are open for everyone.
§ 3.23.The board can, if they consider it necessary, choose to exclude a member or an associate from membership of the centre.
Aalborg University, December 2007
Revised December 2009
Revised June 2013