Committees

The Academic Board shall be responsible for the academic work of the University in teaching, examining and research, and any major issues of general policy affecting the academic life of the University and its development. The Academic Board is responsible for monitoring and upholding the academic standards of the University. The Academic Board will provide assurance to the Board of Trustees, via Collegiate Council, that the arrangements for the management of academic quality assurance and the quality of the student experience are robust and appropriate, and that the University’s academic strategic objectives are being met.

The Terms of Reference

The powers and duties of the Academic Board are:

1. to consider, approve and keep under review the University’s academic strategy, aligned with the University’s Strategic Plan, and monitor progress against academic strategic objectives.
2. to hold strategic oversight of academic and student related policy and procedures (including portfolio reviews).
3. to oversee the University’s responses to external regulatory bodies, quality assurance and professional bodies.
4. to approve, regulate and periodically review the scope and content of taught and research degree programmes, all diploma and certificate programmes and component courses, and to guide future curriculum development.
5. to authorise the award of degrees (apart from honorary degrees and fellowships, and emeritus positions), diplomas, certificates and other awards to persons who have fulfilled the conditions of award.
6. to determine the regulations relating to the definition of the University of London awards and the implementation thereof.
7. to determine policies to regulate the admission of persons to programmes of study, and to prescribe the circumstances in which a student may be required or permitted to withdraw temporarily or permanently and either conditionally or unconditionally from all or any part of his or her programme of study.
8. to monitor appointment, removal and suspension of all University of London examiners and to maintain an overview of the quality of University of London programmes.
9. to assure, maintain and enhance the quality of the University’s academic provision in teaching and research.
10. to monitor and promote research (including monitoring research grants and activities of the University’s Centres of Excellence), and to require reports on research from time to time.
11. to monitor the University’s approach to securing and promoting freedom of speech and academic freedom, and to regularly review the University’s Code of Practice setting out the University’s values relating to freedom of speech.
12. to establish and delegate responsibilities to standing committees of the Academic Board where appropriate, to receive reports from the Academic Board’s standing committees; and to determine the constitution, terms of reference and standing orders of the standing committees.
13. to endorse for onward transmission to Collegiate Council as appropriate matters affecting academic governance, organisation of academic units, and academic strategy.
14. to report to the Collegiate Council on matters concerning academic collaborations, joint degrees and research partnerships.

Quorum of the Academic Board

The quorum of the Academic Board is as follows:

The quorum of the Academic Board will be six members, including at least one Ex officio member and one member who is also a member of the Board of Trustees.

The Academic Promotions and Titles Committee is responsible for the promotion and conferment of academic titles in the University. Generally, the Committee meets once during the academic year and it reports on its work annually to the Board of Trustees. 

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Committee provides advice to the Collegiate Council on issues related to the quality and standards of University of London awards. The Committee meets twice each academic year.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The AQAC is a Standing Committee of the University of London’s Academic Board and shall be responsible for advising the Academic Board on academic matters including the maintenance of standards of awards, quality assurance policies and procedures and academic regulations.

The AQAC shall also be responsible for the oversight of matters relating to the student experience.

Terms of Reference

The powers and duties of the AQAC are as follows:

1. to advise on the University’s responses to requirements of external quality assurance bodies and professional bodies.
2. to maintain operational oversight of academic and student-related policy.
3. to maintain operational oversight of key student procedures.
4. to monitor academic performance, including student outcomes, and to ensure that appropriate action is taken in response to identified quality matters at the relevant level.
5. to receive summary reports from monitoring activities, including academic programme and portfolio reviews, to assure the quality and enhancement of the student experience.
6. to confirm approval of new programmes leading to a University award, and to provide assurance to the Academic Board that due process has been followed
7. to review summary reports on External Examiners’ reports on taught programmes.
8. to oversee procedures for the monitoring and measurement of student satisfaction, including review of student feedback to ensure that appropriate action is taken.
9. to oversee the University’s approach to assuring the completeness, accuracy, reliability and fitness for purpose of information provided for applicants, students and stakeholders.
10. to establish sub-committees tasked with overseeing specific academic activities, and assisting the AQAC in advising the Academic Board on the maintenance of the University’s awards standards, and alignment with agreed quality assurance policies and procedures.

The Audit and Risk Assurance Committee keeps under review the effectiveness of the risk management, control and corporate governance arrangements and monitors the work of the University's internal and external audit auditors. The committee meets four times during the academic year.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Equality and Inclusion Committee oversees equality and diversity issues at the University. It makes recommendations for changes in our policy and reports to the Board of Trustees. The Committee meets three times during the academic year.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Estates Committee is responsible for a range of matters relating to the University's estate, its strategy and development, major estate projects and environmental policy. The committee meets five times during the academic year.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Finance Committee assists the Board of Trustees in monitoring the University’s financial strategy and ensuring that it is in alignment with the University’s long term strategic direction.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Health and Safety Committee reports to the Board of Trustees and is established to advise, keep under review, and, take action as appropriate, on the general safety policy, organisation and arrangements to secure the health and safety of employees, students, visitors and others who may be affected by the university's activities. The committee meets three times during the academic year.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Honorary Degrees and Fellowships Committee makes recommendations to the Collegiate Council for the award of Honorary Degrees and honorary fellowships.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Investments Committee is responsible for the management of the University's investments on behalf of the Board of Trustees. These include the portfolio of the Unified Trust Fund, as well as the University's cash placements. The Committee meets twice during the academic year. 

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Nominations Committee considers and makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees on the appointment and reappointment of independent Trustees. It also considers appointments to other committees of the Board of Trustees.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 2: Appointments to the Board of Trustees

The Remuneration Committee determines the salaries and other financial benefits of the Vice-Chancellor and other senior officers of the University. The Committee meets once during the academic year.

Terms of Reference: Can be found in Ordinance 6: Delegation of Functions Annex 1

The Research Committee reports to the Academic Board. It meets four times per year. It receives reports on research and research-related activities from the Research Ethics Committee, the School of Advanced Study, the Senate House

Library, the University of London Institute in Paris, the University of London Worldwide, and the Centres of Excellence.

Terms of Reference

The powers and duties of the Research Committee are as follows:

1. to advise the Academic Board on the development of strategy, policy and procedures affecting research, research promotion and facilitation, and research-related engagement, including Public Engagement and Knowledge Exchange.
2. to advise the Academic Board on quality assurance, regulatory and ethical issues, and on the sharing of good practice in research.
3. to ensure that the University has appropriate procedures for addressing ethical, integrity and governance issues raised by the research of staff and students, and to provide an annual (publicly available) report on any formal investigations of research misconduct to comply with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity (https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/topics/research-and-innovation/concordat-support-research-integrity ).
4. to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the University’s strategy and policies on research, including its research grant and contract performance.
5. to promote, support and monitor strategic links between the University and research funders, research users, and research partners.
6. to consider the implications for the University of emerging national and international initiatives and develop appropriate responses.
7. to identify and facilitate opportunities for cross-institution and cross-Federation research collaboration.
8. to support and promote a world-class research culture at the University and embedding equality and diversity at the heart of all research activities.

The Research Ethics Committee is a sub-committee of the Research Committee. The purpose of the Research Ethics Committee is to consider ethical issues arising from research. This includes research that involves human participants and personal data. It reports to the Research Committee, which, in turn, reports to the Academic Board.

Terms of Reference

The powers and duties of the Research Ethics Committee have been formally approved by the Board of Trustees at its July 2021 meeting, and are as follows:

1. to advise on and devise appropriate University guidance and policies (for approval by the Academic Board) to ensure that high ethical standards
2. govern all research and engagement activities undertaken by and on behalf of the University.
3. to monitor the implementation of the relevant guidance and policies, establish associated procedures, and recommend to the Academic Board any changes considered necessary in the light of experience or developments in the research landscape.
4. to have overall responsibility for the ethical review process and granting approval for individual research and engagement projects, including research conducted by postgraduate students, to monitor the ethical implications of this research as it progresses, and to approve access to sensitive library collections and materials.
5. to review University of London research activities in the context of the PREVENT duty.
6. to consider and advise on training provision to support the implementation of the University research ethics policies.
7. to advise the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Engagement) on the development and implementation of policy and procedures related to research integrity.
8. to report annually to the Academic Board (via Research Committee) on matters within its remit.