Explore how Swansea University is governed.
Swansea University is a registered charity (No. 1138342) and an independent corporation established by Royal Charter in 1920 and is thus accountable to the Charity Commission and must comply with its guidance. The University operates within a constitutional framework established by its Charter and Statutes, which are supported by detailed Ordinances.
COUNCIL
Council is the governing body and thus supreme authority of the University, which has ultimate accountability for the conduct and activity of the University and its representatives. Full details of the current membership are available to view on the Council Membership page. It is responsible for determining the strategic direction of the University and for its finance, property, investments and general business. It is also responsible for assuring the quality and standards of the University's academic provision and in discharging its duties in accordance with the Welsh Quality Assessment Framework. The main committees of Council are the Audit, Assurance and Risk Committee, Finance and Strategy Committee, Governance and Nominations Committee, and the Remuneration Committee. Council has also established a Council Joint Engagement Forum to enable lay members of the Council to engage with the Campus Trade Unions on all aspects of the Council's remit and responsibilities.
The Secretary to Council is Ms Louise Woollard who can be contacted via email (L.A.Woollard@swansea.ac.uk). The role of the Secretary to Council is detailed in Ordinance 21.
SENATE
Senate is the University's senior academic body, responsible for academic policy, standards, and strategy. It is established by the University's Charter which states that "subject to the control and approval of the Council, [Senate] shall regulate and superintend the education and discipline of the University". The powers, duties and membership of the Senate are set out in Ordinance 4. Senate is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and its membership is made up of ex-officio, and elected members, which align with the faculty structure, and reflects Senate's role as the academic voice of the University.
Senate is supported by a number of sub-committees that oversee specific areas of academic governance. These include the University Education Committee, Recruitment and Admissions Committee, Research Integrity, Ethics and Governance Committee, and the Research, Innovation and Impact Committee.
Any queries, or requests for further information can be sent to the Secretary to Senate (s.t.gavey@swansea.ac.uk).
UNIVERSITY COURT
The Court, chaired by the Chancellor, is a large statutory body established under the University's Charter. It provides an important public forum through which the University engages with its external stakeholders. Court meets annually to receive key reports on the University's achievements, performance, finances and broader activities, and offers feedback, advice and commentary on matters affecting the University's work. While its role is advisory, the Court plays a valuable part in strengthening accountability, openness and engagement across the University community.
Further details of the Court's constitution and powers are set out in the Ordinances, under Ordinance 6.
UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR
The Chancellor, Professor Dame Jean Thomas FRS FMedSci FLSW, presides over meetings of the Court, as set out in Ordinance 6, and confers degrees and other awards at graduation ceremonies.
A quote from the Chancellor: "I feel extremely honoured to have been reappointed as Chancellor from 1 January 2022. I value greatly my connection with the University, and it was with considerable pride that I recently attended the Awards Ceremony for the Queen's Anniversary Prize awarded to the University for 'transformational work in finding new applications across the world for solar technology'. The good news of this award marked an excellent start to 2022, and I look forward to celebrating more successes across the breadth of the University's work in the future. It has great strengths in very many areas".
Information about the Chancellor's Award is available to view.