The Board
The Board is The University of Manchester’s governing body. It carries the ultimate responsibility for our overall strategic direction and for the management of our finances, property and affairs generally, including the employment arrangements for all staff.
One role of the Board to satisfy itself that work being undertaken on its behalf, whether by committees or by officers, is consistent with corporate objectives and is within the bounds of accepted good practice.
The Board meets formally at least five times in each academic year. Its membership of 23 has a majority of persons who are not employed by the University, known as lay members. The Chair of the Board, Philippa Hird, is appointed by the Board from within the lay category of the membership. Members of the Senate, a member of the support staff and student representatives also serve on the Board.
Primary responsibilities of the Board
The Board’s primary responsibilities are defined in the Schedule of Ordinances (revised July 2021).
Scheme of Delegation
This document describes the method through which the Board decision making is delegated.
- Scheme of Delegation (PDF document, 218KB)
Committees reporting to the Board
The following committees report to the Board:
- The Audit and Risk Committee
- The Finance Committee
- The Nominations Committee
- The Remuneration and People Committee
In addition to the above, the University Executive (UE) is the University’s operational executive body. It is chaired by the President and Vice-Chancellor. Its terms of reference can be downloaded (PDF, 54.2KB), and it is accountable for its decisions through the President and Vice-Chancellor to the Board.
The Senate, which acts as the University’s principal academic authority, also reports to the Board.
Membership of the Board
The Board has 23 members.
Board meeting dates for 2024/25
- Wednesday, 8 October 2025
- Wednesday, 19 November 2025
- Wednesday, 25 February 2026
- Wednesday, 25 March 2026
- Wednesday, 20 May 2026
- Wednesday, 22 July 2026
- Thursday, 23 July 2026
Enquiries
Enquiries about the Board may be addressed to: deputysecretary@manchester.ac.uk.
Minutes of meetings of the Board
You can download the minutes of our recent Board meetings (all the files below are PDF documents):
- 23 July 2025 (679 KB)
- 22 May 2025 (620KB)
- 19 March 2025 (232 KB)
- 19 February 2025 (374KB)
- 20 November 2024 (406KB)
- 10 October 2024 (304KB)
- 24 July 2024 (646KB)
- 23 May 2024 (396KB)
- 19 March 2024 (206KB)
- 21 February 2024 (273KB)
- 13 December 2023 (135KB)
- 23 November 2023 (512KB)
- 11 October 2023 (393KB)
- 19 July 2023 (808KB)
- 6 June 2023 (145KB)
- 25 May 2023 (584KB)
- 21 March 2023 (380KB)
- 22 February 2023 (340KB)
- 24 November 2022 (1.2MB)
- 5 October 2022 (465KB)
- 20 July 2022 (727KB)
- 25 May 2022 (202KB)
- 22 March 2022 (191KB)
- 16 February 2022 (336KB)
- 24 November 2021 (239KB)
- 13 October 2021 (257KB)
- 21 July 2021 (346KB)
- 19 May 2021 (275KB)
- 4 May 2021(144KB)
- 24 March 2021 (240KB)
- 24 February 2021 (288KB)
- 29 January 2021 (240KB)
- 27 January 2021 (233KB)
- 20 January 2021 (205KB)
- 24 November 2020 (283KB)
- 7 October 2020 (352KB)
- 4 September 2020 (233KB)
- 22 July 2020 (660KB)
- 20 May 2020 (275KB)
- 18 March 2020 (214KB)
- 19 February 2020 (218KB)
- 20 November 2019 (911KB)
- 2 October 2019 (718KB)
- 17 July 2019 (626KB)
- 22 May 2019 (621KB)
- 20 February 2019 (183KB)
- 21 November 2018 (162KB)
- 3 October 2018 (157KB)
View the minutes from older meetings in our archive of Board meetings.