Board members are holders of public office. Working with the Vice-Chancellor as Chief Executive, they share ultimate and collective responsibility for the conduct of the business of the University. All appointed Board members – staff, students and lay Governors – have a public duty to observe the highest standards of corporate governance in exercising that responsibility.
Good governance depends on sound decision making. To be effective, Governors need a good working knowledge of the University, of its history and of its place within the higher education system and the wider community. Governors also need to know what is expected of them collectively and particularly where individually the expectation has a legal basis to it, and Governors could be held accountable for their acts and/or omissions.
The Middlesex University Statement of Diversity (August 2018) sets out that: “Diversity is respected, embraced and promoted at Middlesex University. It is an integral part of who we are and what we stand for, both as a university committed to educating the next generation of diverse leaders, makers and shapers, and as a voice in public affairs”.
In support of this Statement, the University Strategy and governance good practice as specified through the HE Code of Governance, the Board of Governors is committed to ensure that Board recruitment pro-actively supports diversity. A diverse board is more likely to contain a broader range of skills, knowledge and experience than one which is more narrowly based, and consequently will contribute to more effective governance. Creating a diverse board can also help to increase accountability and stakeholder confidence.
The Board will seek to ensure that the diversity of the Board is taken into account during recruitment, as well as that, collectively, the membership of the Board provides an appropriate range and balance of skills, knowledge and experience.
For any further information about the Board of Governors please contact Teresa Kelly, Clerk to the Board of Governors