diff --git a/application/config/form_validation.php b/application/config/form_validation.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..550e298
--- /dev/null
+++ b/application/config/form_validation.php
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+<?php defined('BASEPATH') || exit("No direct script access allowed");
+
+$config = array(
+	'users' => array(
+		array(
+				'field' => 'username',
+				'label' => _('Username'),
+				'rules' => 'trim|required|min_length[4]|max_length[20]|unique[users.username]',
+		),
+		array(
+				'field' => 'password',
+				'label' => _('Password'),
+				'rules' => 'required|min_length[6]|matches[password_confirm]',
+		),
+		array(
+				'field' => 'password_confirm',
+				'label' => _('Confirm password'),
+		),
+		array(
+				'field' => 'firstname',
+				'label' => _('First name'),
+				'rules' => 'trim|required|max_length[50]',
+		),
+		array(
+				'field' => 'lastname',
+				'label' => _('Last name'),
+				'rules' => 'trim|required|max_length[50]',
+		),
+		array(
+				'field' => 'email',
+				'label' => _('Email address'),
+				'rules' => 'trim|required|valid_email',
+		),
+		array(
+				'field' => 'institution',
+				'label' => _('Institution'),
+				'rules' => 'trim|max_length[100]',
+		),
+		array(
+				'field' => 'phone',
+				'label' => _('Phone number'),
+				'rules' => 'trim|regex_match[/^\+\d{2,4}\s\d{2,4}\s\d{3,10}+$/i]',
+		)
+	)
+);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/application/libraries/MY_Form_validation.php b/application/libraries/MY_Form_validation.php
index 6840882..f0f0643 100644
--- a/application/libraries/MY_Form_validation.php
+++ b/application/libraries/MY_Form_validation.php
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ class MY_Form_validation extends CI_Form_validation {
     /**
      * Calls the parent constructor.
      */
-    public function __construct() {
-        parent::__construct();
+    public function __construct($rules = array()) {
+        parent::__construct($rules);
 
         // overwrite default error delimiters
         $this->set_error_delimiters('<p class="error">', '</p>');