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Governance

Our governance structure and the roles and responsibilities of the Council, Senate and associated statutory bodies.

Factsheet

The governance structure of the University is overseen by Council and Senate.

Find details of our Statutory Bodies and Committees.

Council

The Council is the governing body of the University and is responsible for approving its mission and strategy. It also monitors institutional performance and oversees the University’s finances, estates and buildings.

Council is subject to the statutory powers of Senate on academic matters, and has a general responsibility for the conduct of all the University’s affairs.

The majority of Council members are not staff or students of the University. The membership and functions of the University Council are laid down in Sections 16 and 17 of the Statutes.

Pamela Chesters CBE is responsible for leadership of the Council as the governing body of the institution and ultimately to its stakeholders for its effectiveness. Pamela was appointed Chair of the University’s governing body from 8 April 2019 for an initial term of three years.

Senate

The Senate is responsible for regulating and directing the academic work of the University and is regarded as the supreme academic authority of the University.

The membership and functions of Senate are laid down in Sections 18 and 19 of the Statutes.

Court

The Court is the statutory body representing the interests of the University’s internal and external constituencies. It does not take part in the day-to-day oversight of the University’s affairs or the process of taking decisions. It provides a public forum where members of Court can raise any matters about the University.

The Court is required to meet at least once a year.

Associated statutory boards and committees

The Council and the Senate are supported by a number of associated boards and committees.

  • Academic Assembly is the statutory body representing academic staff in the governance structure of the University.

  • The Convocation is the statutory body representing the interests of the University's graduates.

  • The Boards of Studies are responsible to Senate for all matters relating to the organisation of education, teaching and research in each Faculty/School, including all examination matters.

Each committee is responsible for a specific function on behalf of Council/Senate (for example, the Courses and Partnerships Approval Committee is responsible to Senate for detailed scrutiny of full proposals for new programmes).

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