Course in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings
Online 300-hour course in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings. 6 modules covering Law 7/1985 on the Bases of the Local Government Regime, Law 39/2015 on the Common Administrative Procedure and Decidim. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings — studying from Malta
Malta's civil engineering sector is active, driven by ongoing construction, infrastructure upgrades, coastal works and urban regeneration projects across the islands. Demand for civil engineers is closely linked to public works, land development and the modernisation of transport networks. Smart city initiatives, including digital mapping, traffic management and sustainable urban planning, are increasingly relevant. Engineers typically find employment with contractors, consultancies, government departments and utility providers managing infrastructure in a densely populated environment.
Fees for Malta: €448 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which Maltese bodies regulate civil engineering and related professional practice?
The Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' in Malta under the Engineering Profession Act. Planning and development matters fall under the Planning Authority, and public works and transport infrastructure involve government agencies including Transport Malta. A SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition is decided by employers or the relevant body.
What employers in Malta would value civil, rail or smart city engineering skills?
Malta's construction, infrastructure, consultancy and public sector firms are the main employers, along with transport and utilities bodies. Smart city and digital infrastructure work is growing in some areas. Employers typically look for chartered-level experience and licensing, so a private qualification should be seen as supporting your professional development rather than a substitute for those requirements.
How can I study this while working on site, and what support is there?
The programme is delivered entirely online in English, so you can study from anywhere in Malta without a student visa. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, and the course ends with a final project. Time commitment depends on the programme length, from 300 to 1,900 hours. Ask about instalment payments and employer sponsorship to help manage costs.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Master legislative drafting technique applied to municipal ordinances.
Apply laboratory methodologies to the development of regulations.
Identify new subjects that require urban regulation.
Design deliberative processes for rule-making.
Evaluate the effectiveness of existing local regulations.
Draft clear and legally sound articles.
Propose legislative innovations with a review plan.
Who it's for
- Regulatory quality officer who wishes to specialise in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings.
- Local government secretary who wishes to specialise in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings.
- Municipal legal adviser who wishes to specialise in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings.
- Citizen participation officer who wishes to specialise in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings.
- Public innovation consultant who wishes to specialise in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings.
- Public policy analyst who wishes to specialise in Legislative Innovation in Urban Settings.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter local government.
What you'll work with
- Law 7/1985 on the Bases of the Local Government Regime
- Law 39/2015 on the Common Administrative Procedure
- Law 19/2013 on transparency, access to public information and good governance
- Resolution of 28 July 2005 approving the Guidelines on legislative drafting technique
- Royal Decree 931/2017
- European Charter of Local Self-Government (1985)
- Law 50/1997 on the Government
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Regulatory power of local authorities1.2Ordinances, regulations and municipal edicts1.3Approval procedure under Article 49 LBRL1.4Legislative drafting guidelines of 20051.5Structure, plain language and cross-references1.6Hierarchy and relationship with regional legislation1.7Challenge and judicial review of ordinances1.8Publication and entry into force1.9Codification and consolidated texts1.10Workshop: drafting an article set in plain language
2.1Public policy laboratories2.2Human-centred design applied to regulations2.3Participatory legislation and crowdlaw2.4Prototyping regulatory solutions2.5Controlled experiments and randomised evaluation2.6Sunset clauses and temporary regulations2.7Pilot regulations and transitional regimes2.8Regulatory foresight2.9Cases from Nesta, MindLab and GovLab2.10Case study: prototype ordinance developed with users
3.1Personal mobility and e-scooters3.2Noise and night-time leisure3.3Temporary uses of public space3.4Urban agriculture and allotments3.5Extreme heat and climate refuges3.6Tree planting and renaturalisation3.7Outdoor digital advertising3.8Community energy and shared self-consumption3.9Public road charging installations3.10Case study: personal mobility ordinance
4.1Prior public consultation under Article 1334.2Citizens' assemblies selected by lottery4.3Participatory budgeting and regulations4.4Digital participation platforms4.5Local citizen initiative4.6Interest groups and transparency register4.7Feedback from participation4.8Regulatory footprint4.9Evaluation of participatory processes4.10Workshop: designing a citizens' assembly
5.1Indicators of regulatory effectiveness5.2Collection of implementation data5.3Ex post evaluation of ordinances5.4Inspection and effective compliance5.5Litigation as an indicator5.6Periodic review of the regulatory stock5.7Repeal of obsolete regulations5.8Lessons from the European Commission's Better Regulation agenda5.9Annual regulatory evaluation reports5.10Practice: ex post evaluation of an ordinance in force
6.1Identifying the regulatory need6.2Proposed co-creation process6.3Draft articles6.4Impact statement6.5Evaluation and review plan6.6Communication strategy6.7Legal analysis of competences6.8Design of the prior public consultation6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment period, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original legislation and applied exercises. The working software is Decidim, CONSUL Democracy, Miro, Akoma Ntoso, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assignments are based on real procedures: drafting an ordinance through citizen co-creation, ex post evaluation of a local regulation, and design of a prior public consultation. Assessment is continuous across modules, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Master legislative drafting technique applied to municipal ordinances.
Apply laboratory methodologies to the development of regulations.
Identify new subjects that require urban regulation.
Design deliberative processes for rule-making.
Evaluate the effectiveness of existing local regulations.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient command of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme consists of 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses Decidim, CONSUL Democracy, Miro, Akoma Ntoso. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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