Board membership and conduct

Membership of the Board

Our Board members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, usually for a period of three years. They are appointed on the basis of their expertise in education, or their experience in industry or the professions. Candidates are identified by the Department for Business, Innovation, Universities and Skills (BIS), in consultation with us, mainly from responses to advertisements placed by the BIS in the national and educational press. Members can be reappointed subject to appraisal by the Chair.

The membership of the HEFCE Board and members' biographies and registered interests are available.

Conduct of Board business

Meetings of the Board

The Board normally meets six times a year, usually in London. The Board also meets in an awayday setting to discuss future policy in greater depth.

The Board's decisions are primarily based on advice and information in papers put forward by the HEFCE chief executive. The Board meets in private but its papers and minutes are published on the HEFCE web-site and there are press statements to promote key decisions. Those decisions include, for example, appointment of the chief executive, approval of the audited accounts, the allocation of funds to institutions, and advice to ministers on higher education matters. The decisions of the Board are implemented by the HEFCE chief executive, who is also a member of the Board. Observers from other funding bodies attend meetings.

HEFCE's Board papers are available.

Impartiality, integrity and objectivity

In all its dealings, the Board observes the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity. It has a 'Code of Best Practice' which sets out the corporate responsibilities of Board members; their responsibilities as individuals including their obligation to declare any personal or business interests which might conflict with their responsibilities as Board members; and the requirement to comply with the principles of openness and accountability highlighted by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.