| CODE | PBL5052 | ||||||
| TITLE | Ombudsman Law, Procedure and Implementation | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Public Law | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will assist students in obtaining a deeper knowledge on ombudsman legislation whether national (e.g. the New Zealand Model) and supranational (e.g. the EU Ombudsman). The study-unit will also seek to deepen their appreciation for the ombudsman system and reason for existence, and for the benefits this system offers to society; thirdly the study-unit will help students to improve their investigatory and complaints handling skills while offering the view point from the recipient's side i.e. from the perspective of public sector under investigation. It will also provide students with opportunity to exchange personal experiences. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to teach students about Ombudsman legislation and the underlying philosophy of ombudsmanship. The unit is also intended to help students learn more about complaints handling, both from the ombudsman's perspective and also from that of the public sector employee who is under investigation and is expected to implement recommendations. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) identify the sequence of steps to be followed in an investigation; (b) outline the pitfalls of how not to conduct an investigation into a complaint lodged with the Ombudsman; (c) discuss which steps ought to be followed and which not, in an investigation, depending on the circumstances of each investigation into a complaint lodged with an Ombudsman; (d) write upon the legislation and the underlying philosophy of ombudsmanship including why the public sector should cooperate with the Ombudsman and seek to implement recommendations of the Ombudsman. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) write a report about the conclusions of an investigation into a complaint lodged with an Ombudsman; (b) investigate thoroughly a complaint lodged by a complainant with an Ombudsman; (c) conclude an investigation following a complaint lodged by a complainant with an Ombudsman. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Text: - Larry Guillot, 鈥淭he Ombudsmen Investigative Procedures: A General Guide Adaptable for Use by Individual Officers鈥�, available at http://www.theioi.org/publications/occasional-papers-1979-2008 - Matthew Groves; Anita Stuhmcke (editors) 鈥淭he Ombudsman in the Modern State鈥�, Hart Publishing, Bloomsbury UK, Oxford, 2022. - Marc Hertogh, Richard Kirkham, 鈥淩esearch Handbook on the Ombudsman鈥�, Edward Elgar Publishing, UK, 2018. Supplementary Readings: - Andrew So, 鈥淎dministrative Ethics Checklist鈥�, 1997, available online at http://www.theioi.org/publications/occasional-papers-1979-2008 - Andrew So, 鈥淎dministrative Fairness List鈥�, 1997, available online http://www.theioi.org/publications/occasional-papers-1979-2008 |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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