Purpose of the committee
Academic Coordination Board provides a senior forum for the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, together with Faculty/School and thematic portfolio leadership (e.g., Deans and Pro-Vice-Chancellors) to coordinate the institutional delivery of the University’s academic activity (i.e., education, research and innovation).
The Board focuses on the operation of academic business at institutional level, ensuring that academic priorities are translated into coherent and deliverable approaches across Faculties and the School and portfolios. It supports effective and timely institutional decision-making by agreeing shared positions on academic direction and implementation.
Responsibilities
The Board supports the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to :
- Agree institutional approaches to academic activity across Faculties / the School and portfolios;
- Translate University strategic priorities into a coherent and coordinated academic direction;
- Determine how academic priorities and initiatives will be implemented across the institution;
- Provide a forum to resolve dependencies across Faculties / the School and portfolios, and delivery challenges;
- Consider emerging opportunities and proposals, and shape these prior to formal consideration through the University’s governance structures;
- Consider how the conduct of its business could affect compliance with the University’s free speech duties;
- Identify where matters require formal approval or assurance and ensure that proposals are referred to:
- UEB for institutional strategy and executive decision-making
- Planning Board for resource and investment decisions
- Senate for academic strategy, policy, standards and quality
- Council where institutional approval and assurance are required
- Oversee risk by:
- Maintaining a risk register and ensuring that key risks specific to the Board’s remit are identified and assessed
- Allocating appropriate ownership for managing each risk down to an appropriate and acceptable level
- Regularly monitoring and reviewing the implementation and effectiveness of mitigation actions and controls
- If appropriate, escalating significant or emerging risks in a timely manner for consideration at an institutional level by UEB.
Reporting Relationships
Academic Coordination Board reports as follows:
- Quarterly reports are circulated to UEB for noting or discussion as required;
- Minutes are made available to UEB;
- Cross-institutional matters, exceptions and material risks are reported as they arise.
The Board maintains a structured relationship with Senate and its sub-committees in order to support alignment between academic governance and institutional direction.
Senate sub-committees may contribute to the work of the Board through the escalation or sharing of relevant matters, particularly where these have implications for institutional coordination or implementation. Such matters may be considered by the Board in forming a coordinated institutional position ahead of progression to UEB for executive decision-making where required.
This relationship does not constitute a formal reporting or assurance line. Senate sub-committees remain accountable to Senate in accordance with its powers and responsibilities as outlined in the University’s Statutes and Ordinances.
Procedural Rules
Meeting Frequency
Academic Coordination Board meets up to 6 times per year, aligned to the institutional planning cycle, with additional meetings scheduled as required.
Quorum
The quorum for meetings shall be one third of the membership, including the Chair or Deputy Chair.
Decision Process
Primary: in-meeting by general agreement. Secondary: email outside meetings; requires 75% of membership to agree. Tertiary: by Chair’s action, to be reported to next meeting.
Any decisions taken outside a meeting will be reported to the next meeting. The Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that decisions made are reported to the next meeting and for retaining an appropriate record.
Membership
Ex-officio Members
- Professor Marcus Munafo,Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Provost (Chair)
- Dr Jon Hunt, Executive Director of Innovation & Enterprise (Deputy Chair)
- Professor Manuel Barcia, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement)
- Professor Momna Hejmadi, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)
- Professor Jianzhong Wu, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)
- Professor Cassie Wilson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience & Sport
- Professor Ian Craddock, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering & Design
- Professor Deborah Wilson, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Science
- Professor Duncan Craig, Dean of the Faculty of Science
- Professor Steve Brammer, Dean of the School of Management
In Attendance (as required)
- Martin Williams, Director of Finance
- Richard Brooks, Director of Human Resources
- Gavin Edwards, Chief Digital Officer
- Ian Blenkharn, University Secretary & Registrar
- Kirsty Shaw, Chief Operating Officer
- Bridget Conneally, Programme and Projects Manager (DVC & Provost)
- Helena Barrell, Governance Partner
The Deputy Chair will be appointed annually on a rotational basis from among the Pro-Vice-Chancellors and the Executive Director of Innovation & Enterprise.
Other members may be co-opted or invited to attend for specific meetings at the discretion of the Board.
Where any ex-officio member is unable to attend any meeting, they may nominate an alternate to attend in their place.
Meeting dates and paper deadlines
A full schedule of meeting dates for all committees can be accessed here
The following timescales normally apply:
- Paper submission deadline: Two weeks before the scheduled meeting date
- Circulation of agenda and papers: One week before the scheduled meeting date
Version Information
These Terms of Reference are reviewed by the Committee annually or more frequently as needed.
- Owner: Academic Coordination Board
- Approver: University Executive Board
- Date of last approval: 20 October 2026