DOG do 20 de Xaneiro de 2009

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.-Bodies included in the Consortium.

1. With the name of the Agency for Quality Assurance in the Galician University System (ACSUG), a Consortium is hereby constituted with the participation of the Xunta de Galicia, through the department responsible for university administration and the department responsible for Research, Development and Innovation, the University of Santiago de Compostela, the University of A Coruña and the University of Vigo.

2. The number of members of the Consortium may be extended through the admission of public or private non-profit making bodies who wish to collaborate with the aims of the Consortium and to make contributions or provide the services included in its objectives. Any agreement for the admission of new members shall require the vote in favour of the majority specified in Article 27 of these Statutes.

Article 2.-Legal nature.

ACSUG is a public body with full legal status independent from that of its members, with full legal capacity as required in order to comply with its objectives.

Article 3.-Head Office.

The head office of ACSUG will be in Santiago de Compostela.

Article 4.-Purpose.

The promotion and guaranteeing of the quality of the Galician university system is the fundamental priority of ACSUG, adopting for this purpose in the autonomous region the objectives stipulated in Article 31.1 of Fundamental Law 6/2001, of 21 December on the University System.

Article 5.-Sphere of intervention.

The sphere of intervention of ACSUG includes all of the universities included in the Galician university system, as well as all other centres in Galicia offering university education in accordance with foreign educational systems, under the terms of Article 86 of Fundamental Law 6/2001, of 21 December on the University System.

Article 6.-Collaboration.

1. ACSUG shall establish mechanisms of mutual cooperation and recognition in accordance with the criteria approved by the Board of Directors, according to international quality criteria and directives, and within its budgetary scope, with any evaluation and quality programmes and actions of a regional, national and international nature implemented in this area. It shall also coordinate and exchange data and information with other agencies and evaluation bodies at regional, national and international level who operate in this same sphere. For this purpose it may establish agreements for coordination and the exchange of experiences.

2. ACSUG may propose actions aimed at fostering collaboration between the universities and companies, their centres and research units, and other public and private institutions.

Article 7.- Functions.

1. In accordance with Additional Provision Twenty-Seven of the Law of the Galician Parliament 3/2002 of 29 April on Financial and Administrative Measures, within the autonomous region perform the functions of issuing reports, evaluations, certification and accreditation as defined in Fundamental Law 6/2001 on the University System, as re-defined in Fundamental Law 4/2007 modifying the former law, as well as any other similar function appropriate to the purposes of guaranteeing the quality of the university system that may be attributed to it as a result of the applicable regulations.

2. Notwithstanding the functions described in the previous paragraph, ACSUG shall also be responsible for:

a) Evaluating the teaching standards on courses leading to the awarding of official and internal titles given by the universities and higher education establishments.

b) Certifying the quality of teaching, management and activities of the universities.

c) Evaluation for the approval and implantation of study plans.

d) Accrediting teaching within the framework of the European quality space.

e) Evaluating teaching centres in Galicia offering courses in accordance with foreign educational systems leading to obtaining university qualifications.

f) The evaluation, certification and accreditation of internal quality assurance systems of the universities, including those that refer to the teaching functions of faculty members.

g) Issuing evaluations and reports regarding the contracting, promotion or continuity of university professors in the universities included in the Galician university system in the performance of their functions.

h) Evaluating the individual merits and activities carried out by teaching and research personnel, either as full time or contracted members of staff, of the universities included in the Galician university system for the purposes of granting them bonuses or any other incentives that may be established.

i) Evaluating the quality of the research carried out by the Galician university system; analysing demands for research, development and innovation of Galician's different socio-economic agents; studying emerging demands and evaluating their effect on the development of the country's scientific and technological system.

j) Evaluating the activities, programmes, services and management of the universities and higher education centres.

k) Promoting the evaluation and comparison of quality criteria within a European and International framework.

l) Producing studies for the advancement and innovation of models of evaluation, certification and accreditation.

m) Issuing evaluation reports aimed at the universities, the educational administration, social agents and society in general.

n) Providing consultancy services for the educational authorities, the universities and other institutions within the sphere of their functions.

o) Establishing links for cooperation and collaboration with other agencies at regional, national and international level responsible for evaluation, accreditation and certification.

p) Any duties that may be requested by departments responsible for the university system and in the areas of research, development and innovation, and by the universities.

q) Carrying out analyses or evaluations of the needs or demands of specific business or production sectors, paid for by the public or private bodies requesting their services, providing the evaluations requested are of interest within the objectives and sphere of operation of ACSUG.

Article 8.-Information and Confidentiality.

1. In the performance of its functions, ACSUG may request from the universities and from the heads of the departments responsible for higher education, research, development and innovation, any information that may be required and have access to any existing documentation, without prejudice to the confidentiality of personal data. Similarly, the database of ACSUG may be consulted by these institutions and external bodies, under the terms defined by the Board of Directors of ACSUG, and in accordance with applicable legislation on the protection of personal data.

2. In the performance of its functions as attributed by these statutes, the departments of ACSUG, its different committees, specialists and in general any other person participating in the corresponding evaluation processes shall be obliged to maintain the confidentiality of the data, information and documentation they use, as well as the results of the evaluations.

Article 9.-Programme of activities.

ACSUG shall implement the programme of activities approved by its Board of Directors. Its operating principles shall comply with its ethical code as approved by its Board of Directors, and with international quality criteria and directives.

Article 10.-Report.

ACSUG shall produce a yearly report of its activities which, once approved by the Board of Directors, will be made public.

CHAPTER II

STRUCTURE

Article 11.-Structure.

1. The structure of ACSUG will comprise governing and directive bodies, advisory bodies and evaluation bodies.

2. The Direction and Govern organs of ACSUG are its chairman or chairwoman, the Board of Directors, and the Director.

3. The Galician Commission for Reports, Evaluation, Certification and Accreditation (CGIACA), as a superior body for evaluation, and the Advisory Board as a consultative body, are permanent bodies of ACSUG, which are responsible for carrying out the functions described in Section one of Article 7 of these statutes, as indicated in the second section of this heading.

 

 

SECTION ONE

Governing and Directive Bodies

Article 12.-The Chairman or Chairwoman of ACSUG.

The chairman or chairwoman of ACSUG will be appointed by the Council of the Xunta de Galicia, on the proposal of the head of the department responsible for university administration, on the advice of the Vice-Chancellors and chairmen of the Social Councils of the universities of the Galician university system, from amongst persons of recognised prestige in the university sphere, for a period of four years that may be extended for equal periods of time.

Article 13.-Functions.

The chairman or chairwoman of ACSUG shall have the following functions:

a) To represent ACSUG at institutional level.

b) To convoke, chair, suspend and terminate sessions of the Board of Directors and its Permanent Committee and to establish the Agenda, as well as to direct any debates and resolve any ties with their casting vote.

c) To ensure that the objectives of ACSUG are met and the compliance of its statutes.

d) To supervise the activities of ACSUG and to present the Board of Directors with the documentation and reports they consider appropriate.

e) Any other functions relevant to the chairmanship of organisations of this kind, as well as those attributed or delegated by the Board of Directors.

Article 14.-Replacement.

In the event of vacancy, absence, illness or any other legal cause, the chairman or chairwoman of ACSUG shall be replaced by the oldest member of the Board of Directors with voting rights.

Article 15.-The Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors is the supreme govern body for the direction and management of ACSUG. It will operate in full meeting or as a permanent committee. Its functions will be those defined in these statutes. In any event, any function that is not expressly attributed to the other bodies of ACSUG shall be considered as being attributed to the Board of Directors.

Article 16.-Composition of the Board of Directors.

1. The Board of Directors of ACSUG shall be comprised of the following members:

a) The chairman or chairwoman of ACSUG, who will also be the chairman or chairwoman of the Board of Directors.

b) The head of the department responsible for university administration.

c) The heads of each of the departments responsible for the areas of Higher Education and Research, Development and Innovation.

d) The Vice-Chancellors of the universities that belong to the Galician university system.

e) The chairmen or chairwoman of the Social Councils of the universities that belong to the Galician university system.

f) Two people appointed by the head of the department responsible for university administration from amongst important members of the academic and scientific community.

g) Two people appointed by the head of the department responsible for research, development and innovation, from amongst important members of the scientific or business community.

h) The chairman or chairwoman of the CGIACA.

i) Two students from the Galician university system, appointed by the Youth Council of Galicia.

j) The director of ACSUG who will attend the meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote.

k) The head of the department responsible for quality for each of the universities in the Galician university system, who will attend the meeting with the right to speak but without the right to vote.

2. The Board of Directors will appoint a secretary on the proposal of the chairman or chairwoman of ACSUG, who will carry out on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Permanent Committee all of the functions of a secretary for associate bodies, as well as any other functions delegated or requested by the Board of Directors. When appointed from amongst the members of this body, they will attend the meeting with their corresponding rights, and shall otherwise attend the meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote.

Article 17.-Functions of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors has the following functions:

a) To approve the yearly programme of activities.

b) To approve the budget of ACSUG and its accounts.

c) To approve the code of ethics that establishes the operating principles of ACSUG.

d) To approve the annual report on the activities of ACSUG.

e) To approve agreements with any public or private institutions and bodies that are considered necessary.

f) To produce and approve the regulations for the internal organisation and functioning of its permanent committee.

g) To approve projects for works, installations and services.

h) To agree on any credit and treasury operations.

i) To approve any variations in the budget, on the provision and additional requirement for credit during the financial year, depending on the rights granted in favour of ACSUG. Otherwise, the authorisation of the members of the consortium will be required.

j) To establish the funding for costs from the members of the bodies of ACSUG and the payments made to the members of its committees, in accordance with applicable regulations.

k) To implement any type of actions, claims and lawsuits in defence of the rights and interests of ACSUG.

l) To adopt the appropriate measures for the correct organisation and functioning of ACSUG.

m) To approve the admission of new members of the Consortium and the modification of its Statutes, in accordance with the stipulations of these Statutes.

n) To agree upon the dissolution and liquidation of the Consortium, in accordance with the stipulations of these Statutes.

o) To propose, to the department responsible for university administration, the public prices for the provision of the services offered by ACSUG which must be paid for. The proposal for prices will be approved in accordance with the procedure detailed in the applicable regulations on public fees and prices from the Xunta de Galicia.

p) Any other function attributed to it in these Statutes, in any other applicable regulations or any others that are not expressly attributed to the other bodies of ACSUG.

Article 18-Sessions.

The Board of Directors shall meet:

a) In ordinary session, once every four months.

b) In extraordinary session whenever duly called by its chairman or chairwoman on their own request or on the request of one half of the members of the Board of Directors.

Article 19.-Permanent Committee of the Board of Directors.

1. The Permanent Committee of the Board of Directors shall comprise the following members of this body:

a) The chairman or chairwoman.

b) A representative of the department responsible for university administration.

c) The heads of each of the departments responsible for Higher Education and Research, Development and Innovation.

d) One representative from each of the universities belonging to the Galician university system.

e) One representative of the members of the Board of Directors resulting from letters f and g in section one of Article 16 of these Statutes.

f) One students' representative.

g) The director of ACSUG.

Specialists in the subject may also form a part of the Permanent Committee of the Board of Directors, providing their collaboration is of interest to it, who shall attend the meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote.

2. The permanent committee of the Board of Directors shall have the following functions:

a) To create the annual evaluation programme in accordance with the proposals of the educational authorities and the respective universities.

b) To collaborate in the production of the annual report on the activities of ACSUG.

c) To propose the activities and programmes that will be implemented by ACSUG.

d) To produce the code of ethics that will be applied to the work of ACSUG.

e) To propose suitable measures for the correct organisation and functioning of ACSUG.

f) Any other function that may be expressly delegated to or requested of it by the Board of Directors.

Article 20.-The director of ACSUG.

The director of ACSUG will be appointed by the head of the department responsible for university administration, on the proposal of the Board of Directors of ACSUG, based on criteria of competence, professionalism and experience, for a period of four years, which may be extended for equal periods of time.

Article 21.-Functions of the director of ACSUG.

The functions of the director are:

a) To act as the executive body of ACSUG. To execute and ensure compliance with the agreements of the Board of Directors.

b) To direct, organise, manage and inspect the activities of ACSUG, in accordance with the directives of the Board of Directors.

c) To present in the Board of Directors the proposals for organisation and functioning of the different activities and programmes promoted by ACSUG.

d) To inform the Board of Directors on the development of the activities and programmes of ACSUG and exercise any functions it may request or delegate.

e) To produce and formalise the project for the annual budget and any modifications, for its examination and subsequent approval by the Board of Directors.

f) To carry out the economic management of ACSUG, authorise expenditure within the limits established by the Board of Directors and issue orders for payment.

g) Exercise the responsibilities of a contracting body, within the limits established by the Board of Directors.

h) Administer the assets of ACSUG in accordance with the directives of the Board of Directors.

i) Supervise the conservation and maintenance of the installations and equipment of ACSUG.

j) Produce the proposal for personnel and exercise the functions of contracting, direction and management of its own or external personnel in ACSUG.

k) To supervise the improvement and quality of working methods, for the introduction of technological innovations.

l) To inform the chairman or chairwoman of ACSUG as fully as possible for the correct performance of their functions, and to put forward proposals it considers suitable for the correct functioning of ACSUG.

m) To accept the full representation of the Board of Directors of ACSUG in relation to the formalisation and notification of agreements or contracts adopted or implemented by this body.

n) Any other function that may be expressly requested from or delegated to it by the Board of Directors.

SECTION TWO

Advisory and Evaluation Organs

Article 22.- The Galician Commission for Reports, Evaluation, Certification and Accreditation (CGIACA).

1. The CGIACA, as the higher evaluation body of ACSUG, shall perform, will full independence, the functions of issuing reports, evaluation, certification and accreditation attributed to ACSUG as referred to in section one of Article 7 of these Statutes, together with other similar functions aimed at guaranteeing the quality of the university system, which may be requested by the Board of Directors of ACSUG, or as a result of any applicable regulations.

The CGIACA shall produce and approve the reports regarding the results of the evaluations carried out, which shall be presented to the Board of Directors for information purposes.

2. The composition of the CGIACA must be published in the Official Bulletin of Galicia, and shall comprise the following members:

a).- The chairman or chairwoman, who will be appointed by the head of the department responsible for university administration, from amongst persons of recognised prestige in the Galician university system, on the proposal of the Board of Directors of ACSUG. The post of chairman or chairwoman of the CGIACA shall be held for four years, which may be extended for equal periods of time, without limit.

b).- Six board members elected by the Board of Directors of ACSUG, appointed through its chairman or chairwoman, from amongst outstanding members of the academic and scientific community.

c).- The director of ACSUG with the right to speak but without the right to vote, who will act as Secretary.

3. The board members of the CGIACA will be appointed for a term of four years. Every two years, half of these members will be renewed. No board member may be proposed for another immediate term, unless they have occupied the post for a period of less than two years.

Within the four months prior to the expiry of the appointments, the Board of Directors of ACSUG meeting in full must appoint the new board members. The existing board members will continue in their posts until their successors take possession.

In the event of any resignation or absence of any of the board members of the CGIACA, a replacement will be appointed who will take over the post for the remaining part of the period.

4. The members of the CGIACA, in the performance of their functions, shall act on their own behalf and with full independence, guaranteeing at all times that no conflicts of interest occur and being subject to applicable regulations regarding incompatibility.

Article 23- Functioning of the CGIACA.

1. The CGIACA shall act independently and adopt its final decisions with regard to the functions attributed to it, and be fully responsible for the same.

2. The Commission will approve its own internal regulations, as well as the procedures and protocols for evaluation, reporting, certification and accreditation attributed to it in the performance of its functions, in accordance with the stipulations of these Statutes and any other applicable regulations.

3. In the performance of its duties, the Commission may make use of any Expert Committees it may constitute, defining their composition, internal regulations, requirements and procedures.

4. The internal regulations affecting the different procedures and protocols of evaluation, reporting and certification approved and the regulations regarding the composition, functioning, requirements and procedures for the appointment of the Expert Committees approved by the CGIACA must be made public.

Article 24- The Advisory Board

1. The Advisory Board will depend on the director of ACSUG, and as an advisory body, its functions as referred to in section one of Article 7 of these Statutes shall be the following:

a) On the request of the director of ACSUG, to provide information on the procedures and actions performed by ACSUG.

b) On the request of the director of ACSUG, to resolve any controversies that may arise with respect to compliance with the standards or codes regarding ethics and good working practices in relation to the procedures and actions of ACSUG.

c) To analyse the methodology and strategies for evaluation that may be applied, and propose measures for advancing the quality of working methods and introducing new technologies.

d) Analysing the functioning of ACSUG and issuing an annual report for the Board of Directors.

e) Maintaining any necessary relationships of collaboration and cooperation with the committees that carry out similar functions within existing or future external evaluation bodies at national and international level.

f) Receiving and analysing any suggestions, proposals and opinions regarding the functions and actions of ACSUG issued by the public authorities, external evaluation bodies at national and international level, Spanish universities and any other public or private institution working in the area of guaranteeing the quality of the university system.

g) Presenting proposals and suggestions for the improvement of its actions to the management of ACSUG.

h) Any other function that may be expressly requested of or delegated to it by the director of ACSUG.

2. The Advisory Board shall have the following composition.

a) The chairman or chairwoman, who will be the director of ACSUG.

b) Between six and ten members, appointed by the Board of Directors of ACSUG, from amongst persons of recognised prestige in the scientific, academic or professional world, at national or international level, who are external to the university system of Galicia . Its composition shall guarantee the presence of representatives from the business sector and university students, who may be from the Autonomous Region of Galicia.

c) The Advisory Board shall appoint a secretary on the proposal of its chairman or chairwoman, who shall perform the appropriate functions of a secretary of an associate body, as well as any other functions that may be attributed to them. In the event of appointing a person other than the members of the Advisory Board, they shall attend the meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote.

 

  SECTION THREE

Operating regime for associate bodies and commissions

Article 25.-Constitution of the body for the purpose of holding sessions.

In order for the body to be validly constituted for the purpose of holding sessions, at least one half of its members with the right to vote must be present. In any event the chairman or chairwoman must be present, or the person replacing them, and its secretary.

Article 26.-Delegation and replacement.

1. The members of the associate bodies of ACSUG, as duly appointed to the post, may delegate their position in accordance with the terms of Article 13 of Law 30/92 of 26 November, on the legal status of public authorities and common administrative procedures.

2. In the event of any vacancy, absence, illness or other similar legal cause, the chairman or chairwoman of the CGIACA and the Advisory Board shall be replaced by the longest serving member of the respective body with the right to vote. In the event of the presence of more than one member who has served for the same period, the oldest shall be appointed.

3. The associate bodies of ACSUG shall appoint a replacement secretary, or otherwise establish regulations governing their replacement in the event of any vacancy, illness or other similar legal cause affecting the holder of this post. When the secretary is appointed from amongst the members of the body, they shall attend the meetings with their corresponding rights. Otherwise they shall attend the meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote.

Article 27.-Adoption of Agreements.

1. Unless expressly stated in these statues, any agreements resulting from the bodies and associate commissions of ACSUG shall be adopted by virtue of the majority vote of the members present at the moment of taking the vote.

2. In the event of a tied vote, the chairman or chairwoman shall have the casting vote.

3. No valid agreements may be adopted regarding matters that are not included in the agenda of the meeting, unless all of the members of the body in question are present and give their full assent, or if the matter is considered as urgent and passed with the vote in favour of the majority.

4. In order for any agreements regarding the admission of new members of the Consortium, the modification of its Statutes or the dissolution and liquidation of the Consortium to be valid, these shall require the vote in favour of three-fifths of the members with full voting rights on the Board of Directors.

 

 

CHAPTER III

LEGAL, ECONOMIC AND ASSETS REGIME

Article 28.-Legal Regime of ACSUG.

1. ACSUG shall be governed in accordance with the stipulations of these Statutes and any other applicable regulations. In general, its activity shall be governed in accordance with public law. In any event, any orders produced by its bodies in relation to the functions of reporting, evaluation, certification and accreditation attributed to ACSUG as referred to in section one of Article 7 of these Statutes, as well as any other similar functions relating to guaranteeing the quality of the university system that may be attributed to it through any applicable regulations, shall be considered as administrative regulations and shall be governed by public law.

2. Its activities of administrative contracting shall be governed in accordance with public law.

Article 29.- Rights to Redress.

The administrative acts issued by the Board of Directors, formalised through the corresponding agreements, shall be subject to all administrative remedies, and may be duly challenged for reconsideration, or directly subject to judicial review.

Any administrative acts issued by the chairman or chairwoman and the director of ACSUG may be the object of appeal before the Board of Directors of ACSUG. Any resolution passed to resolve the appeal shall be subject to all administrative remedies.

The administrative acts issued by the CGIACA in the performance of its duties, formalised through the corresponding agreements, shall be subject to all administrative remedies, and may be duly challenged for reconsideration, or directly subject to judicial review.

Article 30.-Deadlines.

The maximum period for the resolution of procedures expressly submitted to judicial review for which ACSUG is responsible shall be six months.

Article 31.-Personnel structure.

1. In order to comply with the functions attributed to it, ACSUG shall have the personnel structure defined by the Board of Directors.

2. The personnel structure of ACSUG shall comprise:

a) Its own personnel, legally contracted in accordance with the principles of equality, merit and ability.

b) Personnel that may be assigned to it in accordance with applicable regulations, by the Xunta de Galicia and the universities belonging to the Galician university system.

3. ACSUG may also contract researchers, consultants, external collaborators and interns as deemed fit by the governing body, and in accordance with applicable regulations.

Article 32.-Assets.

1. ACSUG shall have its own assets in order to comply with its functions.

2. The assets of ACSUG shall comprise all property and rights provided by the members of the consortium, and any property or rights of any kind it may acquire or receive by any means, which shall be recorded in the corresponding inventory.

3. The assets of ACSUG with regard to the performance of its functions shall be considered as belonging to the public domain, and shall be adapted to the law affecting property of this kind.

4. ACSUG shall create and maintain an inventory of its property and rights, with the exception of those of a consumable nature. The inventory shall be carried out annually, referring to 31 December, and shall be presented to the Board of Directors for its approval.

Article 33.-Financing.

In order to achieve its objectives, ACSUG shall have the following resources:

a) The contributions made by the members of the consortium.

b) Any funding, subventions and donations it receives.

c) Income of any kind resulting from the provision of services, and in particular any public prices that may be established.

d) Any credit obtained and the products of its assets.

e) Any other legally applicable financing that may correspond to it.

Article 34.-Budget.

The annual income and expenditure budget must be approved by the Board of Directors before 31 December each year, in order to be applied in the following financial year, and with the possibility of extension.

Article 35.-Accountancy and economic controls.

All internal economic controls and accountancy measures of ACSUG, without prejudice to the responsibilities of the Budgetary Council of Galicia, or otherwise the Accounts Tribunal, shall be subject to the corresponding regulations affecting financial and budgetary status for Galicia .

Article 36.-Dissolution.

The Consortium shall be dissolved on the express agreement of its component members, with the quorum indicated in section four of Article 27 of these Statutes, as a result of the legal or material impossibility of complying with its objectives.

Article 37.-Liquidation of assets.

Any agreement for the dissolution of the Consortium shall lead to the corresponding liquidation of its property and the return of any installations and materials provided by the members of the Consortium, subject to the following conditions:

a) The Xunta de Galicia shall appoint, through its department responsible for the university system, a liquidation committee, comprised of specialists of recognised professional ability, who have not had any link with the Consortium in the five year period prior to their appointment, who shall present the Xunta de Galicia with a proposal for the procedure to formalise the dissolution.

b) The constitution of the liquidation committee shall not imply any alteration to the functioning of the bodies of the Consortium.

Article 38.-Separation of the members of the Consortium.

1. The separation of any of the members of the Consortium may be made with six months' prior notification, providing this does not prejudice the objectives of the Consortium, in which case the commitments and date of separation of the Consortium member must be established.

2. The body leaving the Consortium must be up to date with its previous commitments and guarantee the liquidation of any obligations it may have accepted up to the moment of separation.

3. In the event of any such separation being agreed, any partial liquidation to be made on the request of the body leaving the Consortium shall be made based according to the same regulations as those established in the previous Article.

Additional Provisions

First.- Subsidiary Status.

The actions of the bodies, committees and associated committees of ACSUG shall be subject to the stipulations of these Statutes, and where appropriate, to the specific regulations contained herein. In addition, they shall also be subject to the stipulations of Law 30/1992 of 26 November on the legal status of public administrations and common administrative procedures, and any other generally applicable administrative regulations.

Second.- Gender equality.

In the development and application of the terms of Chapter II of these Statutes on the Fundamental Status of ACSUG, full consideration shall be given to the stipulations of specific legislation on gender equality between men and women.

Third.- Reports and evaluations by external evaluation bodies.

The equal standing of any evaluations, reports, certifications and verifications with respect to the functions attributed to ACSUG, issued by other external evaluation bodies, shall require the previous signing of the corresponding agreement between these and the Xunta de Galicia.

Fourth.- Regulations affecting the functioning of the CGIACA

The CGIACA must approve, in the first quarterly period from the date of its constitution in accordance with the terms of these Statutes, the regulations affecting its functioning referred to in Section four of Article 23 of these Statutes.

Transitory Provisions

First- Reports on the contracting and progress of collaborating professors.

ACSUG is responsible for issuing reports and evaluations prior to the extension of contracts for collaborating professors for four years, as well as issuing an evaluation prior to granting professors permanent tenure, as referred to in Article 6.2 of Autonomous Decree 266/2002.

Second- Reports on the exceptional contracting of collaborating professors.

ACSUG is responsible for issuing reports prior to the exceptional contracting of collaborating professors, according to the conditions and periods established by the Government, as referred to in Additional Provision Two of Fundamental Law 4/2007, modifying Fundamental Law 6/2001 on the university system.

Third- Procedures and protocols for evaluation, reports, certification, accreditation and verification.

While the CGIACA does not adopt the procedures and protocols for evaluation, reporting, certification, accreditation and verification referred to in Article 23 of these Statutes, those established by current regulations shall continue to be applied, providing they do not contradict the stipulations of Fundamental Law 6/2001 of 12 April, modifying the previous.

Fourth- First renewal of board members of the CGIACA.

In accordance with Section 3 of Article 22 of these Statutes, the first renewal of one half of the board members of the CGIACA shall be made two years from the date of their appointment.