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Senate has delegated authority from the Council for the enhancement of the University’s academic quality and assurance of academic standards across the University. It is chaired by the President.

Senate’s existence is laid out in the University’s Charter and Statutes. Its composition, powers and functions have been conferred in the Ordinances.

Senate and its sub-committees (academic committees) are the key mechanisms of academic governance at City.

Senate is chaired by the President and has delegated authority from the Council for the enhancement of City’s academic quality and assurance of academic standards across City. Its sub-committees are responsible for key areas of strategy and policy.

Function and responsibilities

Senate is the academic authority responsible for the maintenance of academic quality and standards. According to the City's Royal Charter, Senate has delegated authority from the Council to provide guidance and advice on academic matters as required. Among its many duties are:

  • regulate the approval of all educational programmes as well as develop and approve related policies and procedures
  • approve the academic calendar and regulations for student discipline
  • regulate validation and other academic partnerships with other third parties for example, the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

It has overall a vital role in ensuring that the City's academic reputation is maintained and that the institution continuously seeks to improve the quality of its education and research by reviewing best practice and innovation.

The structure of Senate and its sub-committees can be found in Ordinance K.1.

The powers and composition of Senate are set out in the Ordinances, and if you would like a more detailed explanation of what Senate does, please see Regulation 30, The Way Senate Operates.

Finally, Senate has the authority to approve the appointment of Honorary Visiting Professorships (HVPs). HVPs are unpaid appointments that need to be approved by Board of Studies before they come to Senate for final approval. Please contact the Governance Team if you require the HVP form.

Equality and Diversity statement

Diverse membership of all committees is expected. Wherever possible membership will consist of at least 30% women and 30% men and representation of other protected groups will be actively considered. Where this has not been met committees should be able to demonstrate what action has been taken to achieve this target.

Senate comprises 36 members and its diverse composition is intended to ensure that a wide range of views are represented in a forum for healthy debate.

Just over the half membership is elected by the academic staff and at least two members will be elected from each of the Board of Studies areas. The balance comprises ex-officio members, Chairs of Senate Committees, Academic members of the Executive and up to five student members.

The student members include the President of the Students' Union, the Vice-President Education, the Vice-President Activities and Development. The other two students are nominated by the Trustee Board ensuring that the student members include at least one undergraduate, one postgraduate taught and one postgraduate research student.

Senate draws its membership from the City's staff and students, which means there are no independent members. There is however an open invitation for independent members of Council to attend Senate meetings.

The Chair and delegation of Powers

The President chairs Senate as the City's senior academic officer in order to ensure academic quality and standards. The College Secretary acts as Committee Secretary. In addition, Senate delegates some decisions and monitoring to sub-committees, especially Boards of Studies, and to the President who in turn can delegate to senior staff.

The approvals required for each of Senate's decision-making powers is set out in Regulation 27.

Staff and students are encouraged to get involved with Senate by standing for election or becoming involved in Senate's sub-committees especially Boards of Studies. Student representatives actively help to improve the student experience.

Anyone in the City community who has a concern in respect of academic quality and standards may wish to discuss it with their line manager, staff/student representative or a member of Senate who can advise on the best way of progressing the matter.

Current membership of Senate

Ex-officio members

  • President (Chair): (Prof.) Sir Anthony Finkelstein CBE FREng
  • Chair of Academic Governance Committee: Professor Andrew Jones (Deputy Chair)
  • Chair of Collaborative Provision Committee: Professor Laurence Solkin
  • Chair of Educational Quality Committee: Professor Susannah Quinsee (interim)
  • Chair of Research Ethics Committee: Professor Richard Ashcroft
  • Chair of Research & Enterprise Committee: Professor Miguel Mera
  • Director of Student and Academic Services: Mr James Birkett (interim)
  • Chair of Board of Studies in Arts and Social Sciences: Professor Juliet John
  • Chair of Board of Studies in Business Studies: Professor Paolo Volpin
  • Chair of Board of Studies in Doctoral College: Professor Stephen Cottrell
  • Chair of Board of Studies in Health Sciences: Professor Debra Salmon
  • Chair of Board of Studies in Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering: Professor Rajkumar Roy
  • Chair of Board of Studies in Law: Professor Andrew Stockley
  • Chair of Board of Studies in Learning Development: Professor Pam Parker (interim)

Non ex-officio members

Arts and Social Sciences

  • Dr Beatriz Calvo-Merino
  • Dr Rachel Cohen (Senior Elected Senator)
  • Dr Carrie-Anne Myers
  • Dr Deborah Rafalin

Business

  • Professor Charles Baden-Fuller
  • Professor Hans Frankort

Health Sciences

  • Ms Alison Coutts
  • Professor Rachael-Anne Knight

Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering

  • Dr Anton Cox
  • Dr Laure Daviaud
  • Dr Oliver Kerr

Law

  • Professor Susan Blake
  • Dr Mazen Masri
  • Mr Keith Simpson

Visiting Academic Staff

  • vacancy

Student members

  • President of the Students' Union: Ms Shaima Dallali
  • Vice-President, Education, of the Students' Union: Ms Ruqaiyah Javaid
  • Vice-President, Community and Wellbeing of the Students' Union: Ms Shahd Haj Khalil
  • Postgraduate Taught Student Representative: vacancy
  • Research Student Representative: vacancy

Senate's sub-committees are as follows

Senate papers