No 6368
Thursday 4 December 2014
Vol cxlv No 12
pp. 224–284
The Council begs leave to report to the University as follows:
Lord Sainsbury of Turville has visited the University frequently over the year, including visits to Colleges and academic Departments, among them the Institute for Manufacturing, the Judge Business School, and Language Sciences (English Faculty) as well as the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology. In addition to presiding at the Honorary Degrees Congregation and the Guild of Benefactors Ceremony, he awarded Chancellor’s Medals for Outstanding Philanthropy at the Campaign Medallists’ dinner. He opened the new Materials Science and Metallurgy Building and the Battcock Centre for Experimental Astrophysics. He attended the launch of the Enterprise Tuesday lecture series (organized by the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning) and a Gates Cambridge symposium. He visited an exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and Lucy Cavendish and St John’s Colleges. He attended a briefing and tour at the Centre for Research in Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities and visited the Science Festival.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz FRS, addressed the University on 1 October 2013 on Choices and Responsibility, noting the freedom which the University enjoys over its own destiny but also the responsibility which comes with that freedom. He drew attention to the choices before the University, including: the size and shape of its growth; the development of its education and research; and how it built partnerships with benefactors. In a keynote speech at the Institute for Public Policy Research European Jobs and Skills Summit in London in April 2014, he also emphasized the importance of Europe to the University and the UK. The Vice-Chancellor has undertaken many national and overseas engagements on the University’s behalf, travelling to various European countries, India, China, Singapore, and the United States.
After consultation with the General Board, and on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for the appointment and reappointment of Pro-Vice-Chancellors, the Council appointed Professor Graham Virgo, DOW, as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) for three years from 1 October 2014 and reappointed Professor Jeremy Sanders, SE, as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Affairs) for one year from 1 October 2014.
The Council is grateful to Professor Steve Young, EM, Professor Lynn Gladden, T, Professor John Rallison, T, Professor Jeremy Sanders, SE, and Dr Jennifer Barnes, MUR, for their service as Pro-Vice-Chancellor through the academical year.
The Council is defined by Statute A as the principal executive and policy-making body of the University, having general responsibility for the administration of the University, for the planning of its work, and for the management of its resources. It is declared to have power to take such action as is necessary for it to discharge these responsibilities. It also performs such other executive and administrative duties as may be delegated to it by the Regent House or assigned to it by Statute, Special Ordinance, or Ordinance.
The Council’s Statement of Primary Responsibilities (annexed to this Report) is reviewed annually together with its Standing Orders, the Code of Practice for members of the Council, and the Statement of Corporate Governance.
The Council continues to discharge its responsibilities through ordinary regular meetings (eleven each year) and, as necessary, special meetings (of which there were none in 2013–14); scrutiny of business through the Business Committee, the Advisory Committee on Benefactions, External, and Legal Affairs (ACBELA), and other committees, notably the Finance Committee and the Audit Committee; and through receipt and approval of routine business by circulation. Business is monitored and managed through the regular consideration of work plans. The Council has continued to hold two strategic meetings a year, one in September and one in the spring. Most material considered by the Council is available to members and staff of the University on its recently launched website at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/.
The Nominating Committee for members of the Council in class (e), chaired by Professor Dame Shirley Pearce, met on five occasions during the spring and summer of 2014 and brought forward recommendations to the Council. Mr John Shakeshaft and Mr Mark Lewisohn were reappointed by Grace1 to membership in class (e) with effect from 1 January 2015 and Ms Sara Weller was appointed for two years from the same date.2 Dame Mavis McDonald announced her intention to step down as Deputy Chair of the Council with effect from 31 December 2014; a recommendation concerning the appointment of a new Deputy Chair of the Council will be considered by the Council during the Michaelmas Term 2014. The Council wishes to acknowledge with gratitude Dame Mavis’s distinguished service as a member of the Council.
A bye-election in class (b) also took place, resulting in the election of Professor Anne Davis with effect from 1 October 2014. The membership until 31 December 2013 and from 1 January 2014 is attached as Annex A.
During 2013–14, the Council received a progress report on the North West Cambridge Project at every meeting. Cambridge University Press and the Local Examinations Syndicate (Cambridge Assessment) report annually to the Council; the respective Chief Executive Officers and the Chairs of the Syndicates attend to present their reports and to answer questions. The Director of External Affairs and Communications and the Executive Director of University Development and Alumni Relations also report annually or more regularly as necessary on the work of their teams.
The Council, at its meeting on 21 October 2013, established a working group to undertake a review of the University’s governance arrangements as agreed with the HEFCE following the assurance arrangements put in place following the HEFCE’s Quinquennial Assurance visit to the University in 2008. The working group’s report was approved by the Council on 17 February and published in March 2014.3 The HEFCE subsequently confirmed that the review provided reassurance about the accountability, transparency, and robustness of the University’s governance arrangements.
The working group had also, at the request of the Council, considered whether there were matters beyond the scope of the review on which further work might be undertaken; action is being taken in a number of areas to implement their recommendations, as endorsed by the Council. One such action is the approval by the Council in March 2014 of a protocol setting out how the responsibilities of ACBELA interact with those of other bodies. This protocol has been circulated to the Council, to Heads of Institutions, and to the Colleges’ Committee.
In 2012–13, the Council established a review committee to consider the governance, management, and funding of sport in the University. Following consultation on the review committee’s report of its proposals, a Report was published in March 2014.4 A ballot has been called on the Grace putting forward the recommendations of the Report for approval and will be held in the Michaelmas Term 2014.
A committee was established by the Council in 2012–13 to undertake a review of the statutory provisions and regulations for nominations and election to the Chancellorship. A Report proposing amendments to the nomination and election arrangements was published in May 2014.5 Following representation from a member of the Senate, the Graces were withdrawn in July 2014.6 The Council, at its meeting on 22 September 2014, agreed to publish a Notice putting forward a Grace of the Regent House in respect of the proposed change to the Statute but noting that the proposed changes to the Ordinances should be held back until such time as a ballot of the Senate could (if required) be held economically.7
At its meeting on 20 January 2014, the Council received information on suggested revisions to the committee arrangements for estates strategy and buildings. Following further consultation, a Report proposing the establishment of an Estates Strategy Committee, the merger of the Minor Works Sub-Committee and Space Management Advisory Group, and amendments to the membership of the Buildings Committee was approved for publication by the Council on 14 April and its recommendations approved by Grace 5 of 21 May 2014.8
In its Report for 2012–13, the Council reported on the approval, by ballot, of the recommendations in the final Report of the review of IT infrastructure and support in the University. The UIS was established as an institution under the supervision of the Council on 31 March 2014 with Mr Martin Bellamy as its Director. The Information Services Committee was constituted from the same date. Work is ongoing on the process of integration and the evolution of a strategy. Mr Bellamy attended the Council’s strategic meeting on 22 September 2014 to report on progress and consult on strategy.
The new Statutes were approved by Her Majesty in Council on 11 February 2014 and came into effect on that date, together with Special Ordinances and consequential amendments to Ordinance approved by Grace 2 of 3 July 2013 and Grace 1 of 27 November 2013.9
A Report recommending the introduction of electronic voting in ballots of the Regent House using an in-house system was approved by Grace 1 of 6 March 2013. However, in February 2014, shortly before the first ballot in which votes would be cast online, it became apparent that the system was not ready for use. A further Report proposing, inter alia, that Electoral Reform Services be the provider of online voting services in ballots of the Regent House, instead of an in-house system, was published in July 2014.10 The Report’s recommendations for the implementation of online voting with effect from 1 January 2015 were approved by Grace 3 of 22 October 2014.11
The Council approved for publication on 14 April 2014 a Report, which recommended that a person be able to hold the office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor in exceptional circumstances for a total period of eight years, and that the title of Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor be conferred upon one of the Pro-Vice-Chancellors by the Vice-Chancellor following consultation with the Pro-Vice-Chancellors then in office. The two recommendations were approved by the Regent House by Grace 1 of 4 June 2014.12 The Council, at its meeting on 30 June 2014, authorized pensionable payments additional to stipend to, and agreed the formula for setting the total remuneration of, the holder of the title of Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor.13 The amendment to Statute concerning the period of office has been submitted to the Privy Council for approval.
The Council, at its meeting on 14 April 2014, agreed to establish a review committee of the Council and the General Board to review the University’s student disciplinary processes, with a particular focus on the management of cases which invoked both the disciplinary and complaints procedures. A scoping paper with recommendations was circulated for discussion by the General Board’s Education Committee and other responsible bodies in the Michaelmas Term 2014.
Following receipt of a letter from Professor Sir John Baker, who was Chair of the Septemviri during a recent case, the General Board and the Council agreed to initiate a limited review on the operation of the Septemviri. The recommendations of the review committee were reported to the General Board and the Council in the Michaelmas Term 2014.
The Committee consists of nine members, the majority of whom are external. It is chaired by Mr John Shakeshaft, an external member of Council (in class (a)). There are two members of Council (in class (b)), four external members (in class (c)), and two co-opted members (in class (d)). In attendance at the meeting are the Chairs of the Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment Audit Committees, senior University officers including the Registrary, the Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor and the Director of Finance, and the University’s Internal Auditors and, where relevant to agenda items, the External Auditors.
There was just one change to Audit Committee membership during 2013–14. Ms Caroline Stockmann, Chief Financial Officer at the British Council, joined the Committee from 8 May 2014 as an external class (c) member, replacing Mr Andrew Cates who left at the end of the 2012–13 year. The Council is grateful to all current and former members who give their time and expertise in support of the Audit Committee’s work.
As part of the overall process of seeking assurance on the Colleges’ use of HEFCE funds, an annual meeting is held with representatives from the Colleges. As a result of the last meeting, a workshop was held in September 2013 between senior officers of the University and representatives from the Bursars’ Business Committee and General Purchasing Subcommittee. The workshop focused on finding opportunities for greater collaboration between the University and Colleges to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness.
The Committee received an annual review of the University’s policy against bribery and corruption. The review summarized the actions that have or will be taken to implement the policy across the University, for example an annual memorandum to Heads of Institutions and Departmental Administrators to remind them of the policy, where to find it, and any updates to highlight. The review noted the internal audit report on Fraud Risk Assessment submitted to the Audit Committee in May 2014. The report highlighted the highest potential risks and future areas to focus on such as the development of HR systems.
An online training module has been launched and brought to the attention of all staff. Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment have separately provided assurance that their own policies against bribery and corruption are compliant with the University’s policy.
Risk management is a standing item on the Audit Committee’s agenda. The University’s Key Risk Register is updated and reviewed by the Risk Steering Committee which meets twice a year. The Risk Steering Committee is chaired by the Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor. Its other members are the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research), three members of Council (including the Chair of the Audit Committee), and a Head of School. The Finance Director also attends.
New emergency action plans were approved in late 2012. Work on rolling out these plans across all Faculties and Departments continued through 2013 and 2014. An internal audit report on emergency and continuity management gave further impetus to this and coincided with the launch of an online repository for the plans. Work is progressing on the uploading of documents into this repository by every Department and the use of test exercises. In support of this, a new course on emergency and continuity planning is planned for next year. The University Silver Team had a test exercise in June 2014.
In late Michaelmas Term 2013 a market testing exercise of the internal audit function commenced, in accordance with HEFCE requirements. This enabled the services of the current auditors, Deloitte, to be tested against other providers. The Audit Committee held a workshop in February 2014 to consider the internal audit function and how the Committee viewed its development. The workshop informed the consideration of tender submissions. Following interview, it was agreed to reappoint Deloitte with effect from 1 August 2014 subject to the refreshed approach to their service which they had outlined at interview.
The draft internal audit plan for 2014–15 was submitted to the Committee at its July meeting and highlighted three key features: an increased focus on priority risk areas as aligned with the University’s Key Risk Register; a broader insight from specialist and senior input; and greater self-assessment by Schools, Faculties, and Departments. Alongside the new approach a stronger engagement with Schools, Faculties, and Departments on internal audit matters is planned, for example through improved dissemination of audit findings and easily accessible supporting guidance.
The Council oversees planning and resource allocation matters through its Planning and Resources Committee (PRC), a joint Committee of the Council and the General Board. A significant proportion of the PRC’s work during the course of the year is the preparation of the University Budget and five-year financial forecasts, which are reported in detail in the Report on the Financial Position of the University.14 Although the forecasts for the coming five years show a small surplus planned on the Chest each year, this remains well below the level needed for long-term sustainability; accordingly the University’s finances remain, as reported last year, finely balanced.
There are a number of financial risks on the planning horizon, including the triennial valuation of the Universities Superannuation Scheme, the impact of the reform of state pensions, the outcome of the Research Excellence Framework, and possible levels of inflation on items such as pay, energy, and construction costs. The PRC has issued guidance for the next Planning Round which again allows for a prudent 1% increase in allocations to institutions.
An issue of concern in the broader financial context is the extent to which reserves of unspent general income, particularly in the Schools, continue to rise. The Planning Round in 2013–14 focused on this issue, and good progress has been made in understanding the reasons for holding reserves, where reserves are appropriate, and where it is right to begin to use reserves to make strategic investments in academic activity. The Council expects that the accounts for 2013–14 will show that the accumulation of reserves derived from Chest allocations has ceased; and that this trend will continue in 2014–15. The 2014–15 Planning Round will include an investigation of sources of departmental income other than for teaching and research, and the extent to which proceeds from ‘other’ activities are being used to support the core purposes of the University.
The PRC is also responsible for managing the University’s capital planning, and for making allocations from the Capital Fund. The need for investment in buildings remains, with major academic developments planned at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, the New Museums site, the Old Addenbrooke’s site, and at West Cambridge – the last now including both the re-provision of the Cavendish Laboratory and the phased relocation of the Department of Engineering.
The ten-year (to 2020–21) cumulative cost of projects currently in the Green Zone (that is, projects which have the highest level of approval that the PRC is able to give before authorization is given to proceed) is £626m of which £245m is projected to be met from the Capital Fund. A further £150m has been allocated from Chest reserves to meet the costs of renewing the University’s biofacilities. Substantial projects in the Amber Zone, to which no allocation has yet been approved, include Engineering and the Cavendish Laboratory. The Capital Fund must also be managed in such a way that the University is able to respond to opportunities which arise, e.g. through philanthropy or government initiatives. Accordingly, the PRC will scrutinize closely the academic and business case for new buildings, and will continue to review all projects currently in the Green Zone to ensure that opportunities for securing external funding have been fully explored. Since the Council’s last Annual Report, a further £25m has been secured from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund for a Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease.
Through the PRC, the cost of providing an undergraduate education at Cambridge, using a model for understanding the University’s costs, is reviewed annually by a working group which includes student representation. Work to improve the understanding of College costs in the model has made good progress during the year.
In May 2014, the Council approved for its part an agreement for a scheme, subsequently approved by the PRC and the Colleges after further refinement, under which from 2014–15 the University and College fees will be consolidated within the University Composition Fee, the income from which will be shared, the Colleges collectively receiving a proportion of each fee up to a defined maximum level.15 The agreement will provide greater clarity on the cost of graduate study for prospective students, foster closer co-operation between the Colleges and the University, and provide a better foundation from which to fundraise for graduate student provision.
To assist in longer term strategic planning, a set of sustainability metrics has been developed covering the full range of the University’s operations. These will allow the Council to track performance over time and make comparisons with peer institutions where comparable data are available. The metrics are consistent with the proposals for a new annual sustainability assurance report (ASSUR) to HEFCE and are being further developed in that context.
Long-term investments are held in the Cambridge University Endowment Fund (CUEF) managed by the Investment Office with oversight by the Council’s Investment Board. Certain entities linked with the University (notably the Gates Cambridge Trust and the Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust) as well as a number of Colleges are invested in the CUEF alongside the University.
The investments held in the CUEF are intended to support the University’s current and future expenditure for the very long term out of the monthly distributions. The asset allocation and investment selection in the Fund is aimed at optimizing the expected future long run total return bearing in mind the expected future volatility of the return.
The Council receives an annual report about the performance of the CUEF through the Finance Committee. The investment return of the CUEF in the year to 30 June 2014 was 10.4% and the Fund had returned an annualized 13.1% return over a rolling five-year period.
These figures were favourable both to national and international benchmarks and to the Fund’s own investment objective (a long-term total return of RPI + 5.25%). The distribution rate over the year as a percentage of the opening fund unit value was 3.9%. The Council is pleased to note that these returns are being achieved within the parameters of acceptable risk.
There has been an increased engagement over the past year with political parties on all sides. The University is fortunate to be in a leadership position in discussions about the future of Higher Education and more widely. It is important, however, that such discussions are carefully managed and that they balance the best interests of the University with those of the sector as a whole. This engagement is likely further to intensify during the run-up to the General Election in 2015.
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills released its annual grant letter to the HEFCE in February 2014. It set out cuts for Higher Education which will put significant pressure on the sector as a whole. There remains considerable uncertainty around mechanisms for the distribution of funding, including for research and capital infrastructure. The Council, through the Vice-Chancellor, will continue to engage fully with these various debates and to monitor the implications of the new funding regime.
The Council is aware that the future of the Universities Superannuation Scheme and of the funding of tuition fees for UK/EU undergraduate students are likely to be the subject of significant debate during the forthcoming year.
The University, represented by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Affairs), was involved during the course of the year in negotiations with local and national government in a bid for support under the City Deal scheme. City Deals are agreements between government and a city which give the city powers in respect of: decisions which affect their local area; the growth of local businesses; the creation of economic growth; and the expenditure of public monies. The success of Cambridge’s bid was announced by the Chancellor in his Budget speech on 19 March 2014. For five years from 2015, £20m per annum will be available to the city region to be invested in transport infrastructure with the provision for borrowing ahead. Up to a further £400m will be made available over 10–15 years if this initial investment generates significant additional growth and housing, including affordable housing. From the University’s perspective, the infrastructure improvements are necessary to the University in order to facilitate the development of West Cambridge and to provide housing for staff.
The CUC conducted a review of its Governance Code of Practice in the course of the year. This included a consultation with the sector to which the Council submitted a brief, high-level response. It is likely that the revised Code of Practice will be issued during the forthcoming academical year.
Teaching and research are the responsibilities of the General Board and of the Schools, Faculties, and Departments. The General Board report annually to the Council. Their Report for 2013–14, annexed to this Report, comments in greater detail.
Amongst the developments described more fully in the General Board’s Report, attention is drawn to measures to enhance the quality of the University’s Master’s Degree provision. The Board have been pleased to secure the support of the Schools in monitoring provision in this area across their constituent institutions. The Board have approved, with effect from October 2014, an amended Code of Practice for postgraduate research students which clearly sets out what is expected of such students and what, in turn, those students may expect from their Supervisors, their Degree Committees, and their Faculties and Departments.
Attention is drawn to two external consultations. Firstly a draft Good Practice Framework for the Handling of Student Complaints and Appeals was issued by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, which could have very significant implications for the way the University handles student complaints and examination appeals. Secondly, the Board responded to consultations by the (former) Office of Fair Trading (OFT) concerning the issue of academic sanctions applied for ‘non-academic’ offences undertaken in the context of the OFT’s call for evidence in relation to the student as ‘consumer’. The OFT’s successor body, the Competition and Markets Authority, is undertaking a compliance review to consider, inter alia, how consumer protection legislation operates within the sector.
The Council is pleased to note further strong growth in sponsored research income despite the funding constraints on a number of the University’s key funding agencies. Research income in 2013–14 was approximately £370m, an increase of c. 12% on 2012–13, with performance particularly strong in the Schools of Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Clinical Medicine. It is important to note, however, that the research income from two MRC Units (Cancer and Epidemiology) which came into the University during the reporting period is included for the first time. It was also the first full year during which the Cancer Research Institute was a part of the University, further increasing the total. Together, these units account for approximately half of the increase.
The University’s return to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework* was successfully completed with submissions under 32 Units of Assessment including a total of 2,200 staff. The Council acknowledges the substantial contribution of staff from across the University in the preparation of the REF exercise and in particular the contributions of the Unit of Assessment Chairs and the REF Project Board.
The University’s international engagement delivered significant achievements building on the co-ordinated system between the Schools, the International Strategy Office, and other central offices.
The University took a leading role, through the Vice-Chancellor, in influencing the political negotiations surrounding the Horizon 2020 agreement, arguing strongly for ‘excellence’ as the primary criterion for determining the distribution of EU research funds. Researchers in the School of the Biological Sciences, working with colleagues at the University of Warsaw, will be at the core of one of the first applications to be assessed for the new EU ‘Teaming’ instrument (eligible for funding of €15–20m at Stage 2). Further afield, the University‘s institutional collaborations with India were further strengthened by an agreement for post-doctoral early career fellowships, co-funded by the University and the Government of India Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Plans are also well advanced to register a corporate entity in India to manage the University’s growing interests in the country.
Following the review of aspects of Senior Pay and Reward and in accordance with the Joint Report of the Council and the General Board on amendments to the pay and grading scheme for non-clinical staff,16 the following proposals were implemented with effect from 1 January 2014:
(a)The scale of stipends for the University Senior Lectureship was extended by two contribution points;
(b)Point 68 of the Single Salary Spine was included in Band 1 of Grade 12 and the scale of stipends within each band of Grade 12 was extended to create an overlap between bands and to increase the number of points in the top band up to 100;
(c)The Advanced Contribution Supplement (ACS) was introduced for academic staff;
(d)Market Pay was introduced for all staff; and
(e)A review of existing Market Supplements to absorb them within the extended Single Salary Spine.
The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) agreed with the trade unions the terms of the pay settlement effective from 1 August 2014. The settlement provided for a 2% increase in the salaries of non-clinical academic, academic-related staff, and assistant staff, together with an additional £60 on point 1 on the national single spine. The offer was made and accepted on the basis that it settled the 2014–15 pay negotiations and drew a line under the 2013–14 pay dispute.
During Lent Term 2014 the HR Committee considered a paper setting out options available to the University should it wish to adopt rates of pay in line with the ‘Living Wage’17 as the minimum rate of pay for its employees. The General Board and Council subsequently agreed that employees of the University appointed to Grade 1 on the Single Salary Spine would not be paid below spine point 16 with effect from 1 August 2014. Spine point 16 is the first spine point that is equivalent to the current Living Wage rate.
Following a procurement exercise for the CAMbens car scheme and the CAMbens discount scheme, suppliers have been appointed to continue these schemes providing valuable benefits to employees.
This year saw substantial activity to progress gender equality. The University published a book and website examining the experiences of women in HE, entitled The Meaning of Success: Insights from Women at Cambridge. The book was launched at the University’s annual International Women’s Day Lecture. A partnership with Southbank, London, has enabled the University to develop WOW Women of the World Cambridge programmes for the Festival of Ideas in October 2014 and International Women’s Day, March 2015. These programmes will enable the work of ‘The Meaning of Success’ to continue at a national level; this is reflected by the recent invitation to the University to join the 30% Club and publicly puts its name to the call for increased representation of women at senior levels and in decision-making across many different sectors.
The Senior Gender Equality Group appointed Professor Anne Davis and Professor Judith Lieu to represent Schools and Non-School Institutions formally as members of the University’s Gender Equality Group from October 2014.
Professor Roel Sterckx became the University’s Race Equality Champion, leading the new initiative InterConnect, aimed at ensuring fully inclusive practice for staff and students, as appropriate for a global institution with a diverse and multi-national community.
Dr Nick Bampos is the Disability Equality Champion and also has responsibility for the Disabled and LGBT networks.
The University received funding from Elsevier to progress initiatives focused on improving the retention of women in STEM subjects. It was announced, on 25 September 2014, that the University had achieved an institutional Athena SWAN Silver Award. The Department of Physics was awarded Cambridge’s first Athena SWAN Gold Award and the first Gold Award for any Physics Department. The Departments of Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Psychology, Pharmacology, Zoology, and Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, the Faculty of Mathematics, the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research, and the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute gained Bronze Awards. The Faculty of Philosophy took part in the national pilot of a new scheme equivalent to Athena SWAN, the Gender Equality Charter Mark (GEM) for the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
The PPD leadership development programme was extended in 2013–14 through the introduction of the Aspiring Leaders Programme, Management Essentials, and the Emerging Research Leaders’ Development Programme. The Aspiring Leaders Programme complements the existing development opportunities for leaders in the University.
The Secondment Development Initiative has continued to have a positive impact in supporting career development across the University. A number of secondments have taken place this year, giving opportunities for staff to develop their skills in different roles.
New online courses have been launched during 2013–14 including Staff Review and Development, Communications Essentials, and Speed Reading.
The Council annually receives a report from Cambridge Assessment. The Chair of the Local Examinations Syndicate and the Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment attended the Council’s meeting on 16 June 2014. They reported that the educational and technological landscape continued to change rapidly. The market environment remained competitive. OCR had experienced particularly turbulent conditions, dealing with both changes to the curriculum and the increasing demands of regulatory compliance.
Developments in the reporting period included the appointment of a new Chief Executive for Cambridge English; the acquisition of Occupational English Test (OET), a new medical English test; and the establishment of a presence in the USA for Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), where CIE could capitalize on its curriculum expertise in response to the introduction in the United States of the national Common Core Standards. New offices had opened in Indonesia, Brazil, India, and South America. CA continued to collaborate with Cambridge University Press (CUP) on the joint Cambridge Exams Publishing initiative; this was showing positive results. There had been continued investment in technology which had supported ongoing volume growth. There had been a great number of digital developments in the classroom.
There had been significant capital expenditure in the course of the past year. This is likely to increase further during 2014–15 with investment in a new warehouse at Papworth; the development of the Triangle site adjacent to CUP; and CA’s contribution to the Data Centre on the West Cambridge site.
The Council was pleased to note that CA’s performance had been on a steady upward trajectory and that the future growth forecast remained strong. Thirty per cent of the annual operating surplus is transferred to the University and applied for capital purposes.
The Council annually receives a report from Cambridge University Press. The Chair of the Press Syndicate and the Chief Executive of CUP attended the Council’s meeting on 16 June 2014. They reported that there had been pleasing progress across a whole range of the Press’s activities. The new Board and the revised audit arrangements under the oversight of the Audit Committee were working well. There had been significant improvements in CUP’s financial management processes. The publishing groups were taking a significantly more strategic view in determining the focus of their operations. The Graduate Training Programme had been particularly successful, with this year’s recruitment concentrating on the digital revolution. There had been productive ongoing collaboration with Cambridge Assessment and new joint developments such as the MOOC for GCSE Computing. Internationally, work was ongoing to integrate local operations with global products and marketing in Asia and to shift resources to countries which provided more opportunity for growth and lower costs for the same level of quality.
However, there continued to be rapid and radical changes in the publishing market and a highly competitive environment. Building on its achievements and investments of the past year, CUP’s priorities are now: accelerating the introduction of new digital products and services; building on the deepening relationships across the University to mutual advantage; streamlining further its business processes to become more efficient and more responsive to evolving customer needs; and completing the next phases of its back office transformation.
Despite a challenging environment and significant strengthening of the pound, the Council notes that in the financial year to 30 April 2014, CUP’s sales increased to £263.4m, its operating surplus was on budget at £8.0m, and its underlying growth in constant currency was 5%, reflecting major expansion in ELT and Education offset by slower growth in Academic. As with CA, 30% of CUP’s annual operating surplus is transferred to the University.
There has been considerable progress on design, planning, and infrastructure development on the North West Cambridge development in the last year. Planning permission has now been obtained for the majority of the buildings in Phase 1 and tenders for the construction work are now being issued with contracts expected to be agreed from August 2014 onwards. Planning approval for the rest of the Lot designs will be sought over the coming months.
Key construction contracts have been negotiated and exchanged, including the site-wide infrastructure contract worth £50m with Skanska UK, and the agreement for lease with Sainsbury’s to operate the supermarket has been secured. Contracts with private residential developers to build the market housing on the development are close to finalization and work has been initiated to seek developers and operators for a hotel and a senior care facility.
Subsidiary companies have been created to operate the estate management company, key worker housing, and the new primary school. The Secretary of State for Education has agreed to enter into a funding agreement with the UTS Cambridge Trust in relation to the University of Cambridge Primary School. The University and Cambridge City Council have formed a joint venture to operate the new community centre.
In July 2014 the Council accepted a recommendation made by the Finance Committee to extend Phase 1 by including a further 164 key worker units and an increase to the borrowing limit to facilitate the market housing development. The University approved these proposals by Grace 1 of 29 October 2014.18
Following approval by Planning and Resources Committee, a team has been established to undertake a masterplan review, leading to a new planning application, for the West Cambridge development. The review will focus on improving the quality of environment at West Cambridge through the provision of additional social amenity spaces and shared facilities, increasing the density of development to create more activity and liveliness on site, and the promotion of knowledge transfer through commercial development. The outcomes of the masterplan review are regularly reported to the West Cambridge Project Board and the West and North West Cambridge Estates Syndicate, and will be put forward for approval in 2015 prior to the submission of a new planning application.
In August 2013 the new structure of University Development and Alumni Relations (CUDAR) came into effect. Overall staff numbers have grown from 59 to a current total of over 100 as at 31 July 2014.
New funds raised for the University during 2013–14 totalled £50m as at 31 July 2014. This figure includes only new cash and pledges secured in this financial year. The number of gifts over £1m was 11, against 14 in 2012–13. These included two gifts in this period of over £5m. There were ten front-line fundraisers in post by 31 July 2014 with dedicated support largely in place for each of the six Schools and, increasingly, Non-School Institutions. Fundraising support roles have been recruited and a training programme for major gifts officers put in place.
A five-year plan of events aimed at reaching the global alumni community was put in place, working collaboratively with the Colleges. Global Cambridge events took place in Toronto (December 2013) and New Delhi (19 September). The UK flagship Alumni Festival in September attracted more than 1,000 alumni back to Cambridge.
Following a review in spring 2014 an updated structure for the Alumni Advisory Board was implemented, with a Steering Committee established to provide alumni views and strategic guidance between main Alumni Advisory Board meetings.
A joint CUDAR, Cambridge Colleges Development Group (CCDG), and Cambridge in America intranet was launched in March 2014 to facilitate sharing of key information and transparency across the Collegiate University advancement community.
Planning for the next campaign has continued, with agreement on a case for support framework and work on the identification of needs with the Heads of Schools and representatives from the Non-School Institutions. The Academic Fundraising Priorities Working Group met throughout Lent and Easter Terms 2014 to agree campaign needs. A Campaign Advisory Group was established with University and College representation, to review key components of the campaign plan and case for support.
The Campaign Chairs have been enlisted and recruitment of the Campaign Board is underway.
An internal announcement of the campaign to the Collegiate University took place on 1 October 2014, looking towards a public launch in autumn 2015. The working target for the campaign has been set at £2bn.
Key appointments continue to be made across all functional teams within CUDAR, with the Director of Principal Gifts in post in September 2014.
A Programme Manager has been recruited to oversee the discovery and implementation phase for the planned upgrade of the University’s current fundraising database. This project is overseen by a formal Project Board chaired by the Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, with members drawn from the Schools, Colleges, University Information Services, Cambridge in America, and CUDAR.
Work to increase collaboration across CUDAR and the Colleges on a basis that is consistent with the agreed Code of Practice has seen the completion of a first round of top prospect management meetings between CUDAR, Cambridge in America, and each College. This activity is supported by the launch in August of PRISM, a new mechanism to allow the sharing of information about prospects between CUDAR and individual Colleges securely on the intranet.
The CCDG and CUDAR held two joint induction sessions in 2013–14 for all new alumni and development officers in Colleges and the University. Regular information-sharing meetings have been implemented between the CCDG Executive and the CUDAR senior management team, between the Directors of Development of the Colleges and the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of CUDAR, and between functional teams within University and College development and alumni relations offices.
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24 November 2014 |
L. K. Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor |
Richard Jones |
Rachael Padman |
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N. Bampos |
Fiona Karet |
Shirley Pearce |
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Jeremy Caddick |
F. P. Kelly |
John Shakeshaft |
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Stephen J. Cowley |
Mark Lewisohn |
Jean Thomas |
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Anne Davis |
Rebecca Lingwood |
Evianne van Gijn |
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David Good |
Mavis Mcdonald |
I. H. White |
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Helen Hoogewerf-McComb |
Susan Oosthuizen |
A. D. Yates |
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Andy Hopper |
8Reporter, 2013–14, 6344, p. 467 and 6348, p. 577. Consequential amendments to the Sites and Buildings regulations were subsequently approved by the Council, General Board, and the Finance Committee and published on 30 July 2014, Reporter, 6356, 2013–14, p. 761.
12Reporter, 2013–14, 6344, p. 465 and 6350, p. 613.
15The terms of the agreement are available online at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/Documents/GraduateFeeAgreement.pdf.
17The Living Wage is an hourly rate calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK, which is set independently and updated annually.
* The date of the Research Excellence Framework was originally incorrectly stated as 2013. This was amended to the correct date of 2014 in January 2015.
The Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor |
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To 31 December 2014 |
To 31 December 2016 |
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Elected as Heads of Colleges |
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Prof. Francis Patrick Kelly, CHR Prof. Dame Jean Thomas, CTH (from 8 November 2013) |
Prof. Ian Hugh White, JE Prof. Anthony David Yates, R |
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Elected as Professors or Readers |
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Prof. Nicholas John Gay, CHR Prof. Andrew Hopper, TH |
Prof. Dame Athene Margaret Donald, R Prof. Fiona Eve Karet, DAR |
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Elected as members of the Regent House |
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Dr Nick Bampos, TH Dr Stephen John Cowley, SE Mr Ian Mark Le Mercier Du Quesnay, N Dr Susan Marian Oosthuizen, W |
The Reverend Jeremy Lloyd Caddick, EM Dr David Arthur Good, K Dr Rebecca Julie Lingwood, HO Dr Rachael Padman, N |
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External members |
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Mr Mark Lewisohn, CHR Mr John Shakeshaft, T |
Dame Mavis McDonald Prof. Shirley Pearce CBE |
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Student members (to 30 June 2014) |
Student members (from 1 July 2014) |
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Mr Richard Jones, JN Ms Rosalyn Old, R Ms Felicity Osborn, JN |
Ms Evianne van Gijn, CLH Ms Helen Hoogewerf-McComb, N Mr Richard Jones, JN |
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Secretary: The Registrary |
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The Council has adopted this Statement of Primary Responsibilities.
The principal responsibilities of the Council are defined by University Statute A IV 1 which reads:
(a) The Council shall be the principal executive and policy-making body of the University. The Council shall have general responsibility for the administration of the University, for the planning of its work, and for the management of its resources; it shall have power to take such action as is necessary for it to discharge these responsibilities. It shall also perform such other executive and administrative duties as may be delegated to it by the Regent House or assigned to it by Statute or Ordinance.
(b) The Council shall have the right of reporting to the University. It shall advise the Regent House on matters of general concern to the University.
(c) The Council shall perform such duties in connection with financial matters as are assigned to it by Statute F I.
(d) The Council shall make an Annual Report to the University, and shall initiate and submit a Grace for the approval of the Report by the Regent House.
(e) The Council shall have the power of submitting Graces to the Regent House and to the Senate. The procedure for the submission of Graces shall be prescribed by Ordinance.
(f) The Council shall oversee the work of all those institutions in the University which are placed under its supervision, and shall ensure that the University officers assigned to those institutions are satisfactorily performing the duties and fulfilling the conditions of tenure of their offices.
Pursuant to these responsibilities the Council:
•through its Finance Committee, its Audit Committee and the Planning and Resources Committee ensures the University’s accountability for the proper use of public funds;
•supervises the financial position of the University through its statutory Finance Committee;
•arranges audit through its statutory Audit Committee;
•conducts legal business and ethical scrutiny, especially in respect of the acceptance of benefactions and investment responsibility, through its Advisory Committee on Benefactions and External and Legal Affairs;
•discharges its responsibilities in relation to the University as an employer through the Human Resources Committee (HRC), a joint Committee with the General Board;
•develops University policy on the advice of the General Board and that of specialist advisory bodies;
•conducts planning and resource allocation through the Planning and Resources Committee (PRC) and the Resource Management Committee (RMC), both joint Committees with the General Board;
•deals with business about buildings and the University estate with the advice of the Buildings Committee (a joint Committee which reports through the PRC), and on the advice of the Finance Committee;
•informs and advises the Regent House through Reports, Notices, and Graces, and through considering remarks made at Discussions;
•conducts the University’s relations with Government, HEFCE, other national bodies, and local and regional bodies;
•supports and advises the Vice-Chancellor and, either through him or her or directly, the Pro-Vice-Chancellors;
•supervises University institutions placed under its supervision, particularly through receiving reports, and also through the PRC and the HRC ;
•through the Finance Committee exercises financial and some other supervision of Cambridge University Press, the Local Examinations Syndicate (Cambridge Assessment), University-owned companies and some free-standing bodies such as the Cambridge scholarship trusts;
•pursuant to Act of Parliament, discharges responsibilities for the University Student Unions through its Council Committee for the Supervision of the Student Unions;
•makes (or recommends) senior appointments (including the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, the Registrary and, through its Standing Appointments Committee established by Ordinance, Directors and other senior staff in the Unified Administrative Service;
•monitors risk management, emergency management, and value for money surveillance;
•monitors the implementation of major projects, through special groups and the Information Strategy and Services Syndicate, and the Syndicate for the West and North West Cambridge Estates;
•through the work of the Information Services Committee, monitors the provision of IT infrastructure and support;
•keeps University governance and similar matters under review;
•makes a statutory annual report to the University;
•monitors its own performance and effectiveness.
The Council has published the following statement (Statutes and Ordinances, 2014, p. 118):
Statement of intention
In carrying out their functions as the principal executive and policy-making body of the University the Council will consult the Regent House on questions of policy which in the Council’s judgement are likely to prove controversial. They will do this by submitting a Grace to the Regent House for the approval of a provisional decision or statement of intention; where appropriate, such a Grace will allow for the expression of a preference between alternative options. The Council will give consideration to remarks made at any Discussion of such matters and to the outcome of any vote on them.