Ordinance 13: Academic Organisation

Senate

13.2 The University’s academic organisation shall comprise a number of Faculties. Each Faculty shall include one or more Departments, Schools, Institutes and Centres, in cognate academic disciplines. Each Faculty shall comprise at least two such constituent units.

13.3 A Faculty shall be responsible for the academic work undertaken in and through that Faculty’s constituent units, and for supporting and promoting effective academic working across the University’s Faculties. It shall also be responsible for the management of resources assigned to the Faculty.

13.4 The University Executive Board shall be responsible for approving the creation, amendment and disestablishment of Faculties.

Departments and Schools

13.5 A Department or School is a unit in an academic subject or combination of academic subjects. Typically Departments are responsible for academic work in one or a small number of academic subjects; typically Schools are responsible for academic work in multiple, linked academic subjects. All Departments and Schools must be part of one of the University’s Faculties.

13.6 Each Department/School shall be responsible to their Faculty for the academic work undertaken in their academic subject(s), and the management of resources assigned to support that work.

13.7 The University Executive Board shall be responsible for approving the creation, amendment and disestablishment of Departments and Schools.

Institutes and Centres

13.8 An Institute or Centre is a unit created to facilitate, undertake and promote achievement of one or more elements of the University’s mission and strategy. They are normally education- or research-based, or bring together capacity across departments and schools in a thematic field.

13.9 Each Institute and Centre must report to one of the University’s Faculties, either in its own right or through a lead Department/School.

13.10 The establishment, activity, monitoring and disestablishment of Research Institutes and Centres takes place in accordance with policies and procedures approved by University Research Committee. The establishment, activity, monitoring and disestablishment of Education Institutes and Centres takes place in accordance with policies and procedures approved by University Teaching Committee. For other types of Institute and Centre (i.e., those which might be based around enterprise, outreach or a specific corporate or charitable partnership which are not teaching or research-led), the University Executive Board shall be responsible for approving their creation, amendment and disestablishment.

13.11 University Executive Board, on the advice of other bodies or individuals, may establish other Institutes and Centres including, but not exclusively for the purpose of teaching, learning, research, community outreach or enterprise purposes, wholly within the University's name and authority, or in partnership with other bodies. The governance and reporting of such Centres will vary according to the nature of the activity being operated.

Colleges

13.12 A College is a formally established community of students and staff. Colleges shall facilitate and promote college life and student engagement with services and activities that support students, and the development of students, during their time at the University. Colleges have no direct role in the academic work of the University.

13.13 Each College shall have a College Council, chaired by a College Fellow or nominee. Each College shall have a College Manager.

13.14 Each student of the University shall be a member of one of the Colleges.

13.15 University Executive Board shall be responsible for approving the creation, amendment and disestablishment of Colleges.
Campuses

13.16 A campus is a designated, integrated physical location where the University undertakes significant academic work in pursuit of its mission and strategy.

13.17 Senate shall be responsible for approving the designation and de-designation of physical locations as campuses of the University.

13.18 Partner institutions can be granted campus status in accordance with the International Campus Policy (PDF , 46kb).