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University Council

A message from the President of the Council


Helen Gordon profile pictureWelcome to the our Council webpage. Our aim is to make Council more transparent and relevant to the wider University community. And so, here is a brief summary of what Council does.

Council is responsible and accountable for all institutional activities. Our role is to ensure that the University is properly governed and meets all of its legal and regulatory requirements. Together with the Executive, we set the mission, strategic direction, overall aims and the values of the University. I chair the meetings of Council and many of its Committees so I am concerned, both formally and informally, with the major financial and policy making decisions of the University. I also work closely with the Vice-Chancellor on broad issues of strategy and development.

I started my role as President of Council on 1 August 2022, but have served on Council for five years, two of those being a Vice President. I have enjoyed a relationship with the University for much longer, through my involvement with Henley Business School as Chair of its Alumni and Development Advisory Board.  It has been a privilege to be part of the University at such an important time in its development and which will be a time of both challenge and ambition ahead.

Council aims to support the Executive, offering additional independent skills that can be drawn upon if required and also provide critical challenge to ensure that decision making is robust and well thought through. In so doing we can provide the best possible experience for our current students, academic and professional staff and also provide a sustainable, agile institution that will be enjoyed by generations to come.

 

About the Council


Council is responsible for all institutional activities. It aims to promote a positive culture and to safeguard and promote the University’s reputation and autonomy.

The Council has 27 members, comprising 12 internal members, two of whom are students, and 15 external, or lay, members. The President of Council chairs its meetings. Council meets four times each academic year and is the Governing Body of the University, with responsibility for the governance of the University which includes: managing the University’s resources (including finance, land, property, investments, contracts, and other business affairs); approving changes to the Charter, appointing Officers of the University, and reviewing and promoting teaching and research in the University. Read the terms of reference of the Council.

The Council has delegated powers to a number of sub-committees, including: Strategy and Finance Committee, the Appointments and Governance Committee, the Student Experience Committee, an Audit Committee and a Remuneration Committee. These are formally constituted as committees of the Council with written terms of reference and specified membership, including in each case a majority of lay members. The membership and terms of reference of these sub-committees of Council can be found in the Committee List.

Lay members of Council play a role similar to that of non-executive directors and bring to the University diverse professional skills and broad experience of the community at large. They also form a useful sounding board for the Vice-Chancellor and other senior Officers of the University and give valuable advice and help in the development and strategic direction of the University. By becoming a member of the Council, whether in an ex officio, lay or academic capacity, the individual concerned agrees to play as full a part as possible in its affairs, including membership of its sub-committees, and to accept the corporate responsibility for the Council’s decisions.

Under the University’s Financial Regulations, a member of council having a material, personal, financial or other beneficial interest in any transaction between the University and third parties shall disclose his or her interest in writing in advance of any discussion or decision regarding that transaction. The disclosure shall be made to the University Secretary and Secretary to the Council, Dr Richard Messer. The University Secretary maintains a Register of the Interests of members of the Council, Senior Staff and Lay Members of all University Committees.

Membership

  • Shamshad Ali
  • Sheldon Allen (RUSU President)
  • Steve Alexander
  • Professor John Board
  • Siân Butler
  • Kevin Corrigan (Vice-President)
  • Penny Egan
  • Professor Mark Fellowes
  • Professor Richard Frazier
  • Professor Jon Gibbins 
  • Helen Gordon (President)
  • Professor Uma Kambhampati
  • Poppy Lindsey (RUSU Welfare Officer)
  • James Magee
  • Sue Maple
  • Angus McCallum
  • Professor Elizabeth McCrum
  • Peter Milhofer
  • Lola Moses 
  • Kate Owen (Vice–President)
  • Sally Plank
  • Nigel Richards
  • Christopher Shaw
  • Professor Robert Van de Noort
  • Professor Parveen Yaqoob
  • Janet Young
  • Professor Dominik Zaum

Dates of meetings and upcoming business


Dates of meetings of the Council for 2022-23:

  • Thursday 22 September 2022
  • Wednesday 23 November 2022
  • Tuesday 24 January 2023
  • Monday 13 March 2023
  • Monday 3 July 2023

Contact us

Dr Richard Messer

Chief Strategy Officer and University Secretary

Tel: 0118 378 8531

Email: r.j.messer@reading.ac.uk

Address: 
The University Secretary
Whiteknights House
Whiteknights Campus
University of Reading
Berkshire
RG66UR

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CHOOSE A SUBJECT
2023/24
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Undergraduates
Postgraduates
Undergraduates
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Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Science
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Sciences
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Ancient History
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise
  • Creative Writing

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Management and Digital Business
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Sciences
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Ancient History
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise
  • Creative Writing

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Management and Digital Business
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology
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