The importance of the Statute for the UNTL
The Timor Lorosa’e National University is, above all, a State Public Service and, the people that teach and works there are, as a rule, public servants.
As a State Service, more specifically an Indirect State Administration and financed by it, it is necessary to have a legal capacity as a collective person of public Law. In other words, similar to all State Services, UNTL also needs to have a legal base and a structure compatible with that nature, as is demanded by the Decree-Law n.o 2/2008, of 16th of January (n.o 1, article 6.o). If that wasn’t the case, the National University couldn’t have an attributed budget, nor would its pedagogic and scientific structure be recognized. The same goes for the inherent constraints of having its own rights and obligations, as well as its own human resource management and patrimonial rules.
The Minister of Education also presents two motives that explain the importance of the Government’s participation in the drafting of the UNTL (Portuguese acronym for Timor Lorosa’e National University) Statute: “First, as a Public University, the State has conferred to UNTL the social mission of contributing to the process of human resources development in all levels and all sectors. Secondly, taking into account that the State finances more than 90 per cent of the National University’s activities, it may interfere in the management issue. We don’t want to interfere in academic issues, research or scientific investigation. But we have the right and the duty to participate in the institution’s management, because this is a state institution”.
The Government’s objective is to ensure the existence of the necessary requirements for the University so it can fulfil its main mission, that is developing and transmitting knowledge. It is also important, through the State, to ensure the existence of activities such as teaching, learning and scientific research and investigation.
“I also think, that it’s time for the National University to have its own recognized Statute. A Statute that is approved and recognized, whether at State level, of the ASEAN regional Universities, or at an international level” the Minister of Education adds.
It is worth highlighting that the process of drafting the UNTL Statute follows the international accreditation done to the Timor-Leste universities and institutes, which began in 2008. A team of international experts investigated the institutions that intended to be accredited and attributed them a classification. The Timor Lorosa’e National University obtained 77%. “It was enough to pass but it wasn’t ideal, something we were already expecting. I repeat, as the largest financier to UNTL, the State must make available the means so that the University may have the minimum conditions to fulfil its mission’ underlines João Câncio Freitas.
The Government also intends to contribute to the development of all the accredited universities, ‘’since all are part of the offered educative network, in terms of higher education, and are educating young Timorese persons, not young persons from another country” adds the Minister, also advancing that the Government is thinking in which way it may extend this investment.
