Court meeting: 26 September 2016
The University Court held its most recent meeting on 26 September.
We publish regular updates on matters discussed at all Court meetings, during which members consider matters of strategic importance to the University.
Meetings of the Court are held five times a year.
Governing body
The Court is the University’s governing body and its legal persona.
With a focus on strategic direction, it takes the final decisions on issues of fundamental concern to the wellbeing of the University.
Detailed information on the membership and activities of the University Court, including meeting agendas, papers and minutes, is available online.
Detailed information on University Court
Summary of Court meeting: 26 September 2016
The following reports are summaries of a selection of items discussed and agreed at Court on 26 September.
New Senate Assessors
Senate Assessors Professor Elizabeth Bomberg (Social & Political Science) and Professor Alexander Tudhope (GeoSciences) were welcomed to their first meeting as Court members.
Lecture Capture Business Case
Investment in a University-wide lecture capture system was approved following endorsement by Knowledge Strategy Committee and the Senate Learning & Teaching Committee. More details, including information on the user consultation are available here:
Rest of UK (RUK) Tuition Fees
Court agreed that:
- The tuition fee for continuing RUK undergraduate students in 2017/18 will be set at £9,000;
- The tuition fee for new Rest of UK undergraduate students in 2017/18 will be set at £9,250, with a corresponding increase in the bursary support available to individual students.
More information on RUK undergraduate tuition fees is available here:
National Student Survey 2016
Court reviewed the results of the 2016 National Student Survey and discussed the student experience, teaching and learning at the University with input from the three Heads of College. Opportunities for immediate actions alongside longer term initiatives were discussed, with a seminar on the student experience to be scheduled prior to the December Court meeting to allow for further consideration.
Student Accommodation
A 20 year lease agreement for a 583 bed student accommodation building at the New Waverley site was approved.
Heads of School Appointment Process
A revised process, job description and person specification for the appointment of Heads of School was approved.
Outcome Agreement – Self-Evaluation of 2015/16 Agreement
The University’s annual self-evaluation of its performance against its Outcome Agreement measures agreed with the Scottish Funding Council was reviewed.
EUSA Democracy Regulations
Revised Democracy Regulations to enact some of the changes supported by a student referendum in March 2016 were considered, with the remaining proposed changes to be submitted to the December meeting. The revised Regulations were approved, with a review to be conducted within twelve months.
Social Impact Pledge
Participation in the Scottish Government’s Social Impact Pledge and proposals for the first three pledges to be implemented in 2016-17 (working to boost local primary school literacy and numeracy; increasing the number of student social enterprise start-ups; increasing the number of student digital ambassadors to support digital literacy amongst older people in the community) was approved.
Other items
Updates from EUSA and reports from Court’s committees on activities being undertaken in support of Court were received. Court also noted annual review completion rates for 2015/16, the Institutional Climate Change Strategy, approved the annual report to the Scottish Funding Council on Institution-led Review and Enhancement Activity, approved the appointment of Mr Steve Thomson as the new President of the Development Trust and approved the annual review of Court’s effectiveness for 2015/16.
Further information on the remit and work of Court and its Committees can be found online.