Corporate governance
Our governance structure
We are regulated by the Office for Students, an organisation independent of Government and higher education establishments. Its objectives are for all students from all backgrounds who have the ability and desire to undertake higher education and:
- Are supported to access, succeed in, and progress from,
- higher education
- Receive a high-quality academic experience
- Can progress into employment or further study
- Receive value for money
Status as an Exempt Charity
The College is an exempt charity under the laws of England and Wales, by virtue of the Exempt Charities Order 1962 and the Third Schedule to the Charities Act 2011. Each of the College’s purposes must be for the public benefit. The Office for Students regulates universities as charities on behalf of the Charity Commission. The Council, as the College’s Trustee, sets and reviews its objects and activities. The Charity Commission’s guidance on the reporting of public benefit is used as a framework, particularly in relation to the advancement of education and fee charging.
Our Governance Structure
The College’s Council is responsible for overseeing Imperial College London’s strategic direction, functions, and activities. They are supported in this by the President and by the Provost, who have direct responsibility for the delivery of the College’s core mission in education and research.
Principles
The College is committed to exhibiting best practice in all aspects of corporate governance. It conducts its business in accordance with the seven principles identified by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership). It also follows the guidance to universities from the Committee of University Chairmen in its Higher Education Code of Governance published in September 2020.
Legal Status
The College is an independent institution whose legal status derives from a Royal Charter granted under Letters Patent in 1907. Its objects, powers and framework of governance are set out in its Charter and Statutes, which were granted by Her Majesty the Queen in 1998. On 4 April 2007 a Supplemental Charter and Statutes were granted by Her Majesty. This Supplemental Charter, which came into force on the date of the College’s Centenary, 8 July 2007, established the College as a university with the name and style of “The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine”.
Governance
The Charter and Statutes require the College to have three separate bodies, each with clearly defined functions and responsibilities, to oversee and manage its activities as follows:
The Council is the governing and executive body of the College, and is responsible for managing the finance, property, investments, general business, and for setting College’s general strategic direction. There are up to 23 members of the Council, the majority of which are external members, including the Chair and Deputy Chair. Also included in its membership are representatives of the staff of the College and of the student body. None of the external members receive any payment, apart from the reimbursement of expenses, for the work they do for the College. The Council meets at least four times a year.
The Court brings together alumni and neighbourhood organisations as key stakeholders, to help the College further the implementation of its strategy. Alumni members are drawn from those who are actively engaged with the College. Local members come from those organisations with a close link to College life. Its membership also includes representatives from the Council and from the College’s senior management. The Court currently has 29 members. Changes to the College’s Charter require the approval of the Court before they can be submitted to the Privy Council. The Court normally meets once a year.
The Senate is the academic authority of the College and its membership is entirely comprised of staff and students. Its role is to direct and regulate the teaching work of the College. The Senate meets five times during the academic year.
The principal academic and administrative officer of the College is the President, who has responsibility to the Council for maintaining and promoting the efficiency and good order of the College. Under the terms of the Office for Students’ Regulatory Framework for Higher Education in England, the President is the designated ‘accountable officer’ as Head of the Institution. In that capacity she can be summoned to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons. The financial management of the College is prescribed in the Financial Ordinance approved by the Council and conducted in accordance with the terms of registration with the Office for Students, as set out in the Regulatory Framework for Higher Education in England.
The President has ultimate responsibility for all College functions and activities, with greatest emphasis on overseeing Imperial’s external relationships, development and fundraising. The President is supported in this by the Provost, who has direct responsibility for the delivery of the College’s core academic mission. The Provost reports directly to the President and together they have responsibility for the strategic direction of the College.