In recent years, the authority invested in governing bodies has been enlarged and formalised by the Office for Students. As well as providing oversight and guidance, and holding leadership teams to account where necessary, governing bodies are now responsible for ensuring that a range of financial, legal, and other regulatory requirements are met.
But despite the centrality of the governing body within their institution, most university staff would struggle to name any individual members. Indeed, few in the sector have a firm grasp of how governance works, and critical research remains relatively scarce. This is partly explained by the sheer complexity of the field: there are multiple governance models in the English sector alone, many determined by institutional statutes and ordinances, and each seemingly accompanied by its own terminology. But it is also partly because governing bodies tend to stay in the shadows, with openness rarely extending much beyond the periodic release of minutes somewhere on the university website.
Last year, I led a project that sought to lift the lid on governing bodies in English universities. The focus was on cultures and discourses, and how they interfaced with rules and regulations. Between us, my co-investigator Diane Harris and I interviewed current or former governors at over forty higher education institutions. The report, published today by the Council for the Defence of British Universities, confirms that members of the governing body make vital contributions to the running of their universities.
