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Review of Higher Education Code of Governance – An open invitation to all stakeholders with an interest in higher education

10^th October 2025

Call for Evidence Questions

The Committee of University Chairs (CUC) is undertaking a refresh of the Higher Education Code of Governance. In undertaking this project, which comes at a time at when governance in the sector is under exceptional scrutiny from government and the media, we want to learn what is working well, together with where the CUC and the sector should further strengthen governance to ensure continued success and sustainability of HE across the UK Nations.  This work recognises the diversity of governance arrangements across the UK nations (including the Scottish Code) and that the operating environment for HE, irrespective of geography, is both challenging and changing – whether it is evolving student need, advances in technology or acute financial pressure. Effective governance which brings insight, challenge, effective stewardship and robust accountability will be at the heart of both work within the sector and at the core of CUC’s mission.

The Code refresh offers an opportunity for the sector to develop a framework for governance which is future facing, flexible and able to manage the challenges facing the sector. We have attached a Call for Evidence for your consideration. This is one of several ways in which we are gathering input from across the sector, to inform:

• The drafting of the refreshed CUC Code;
• The development of tools to support boards in assessing and improving their effectiveness; and
• The CUC’s ongoing programme of work supporting the sector.

We welcome contributions from all interested parties across UK nations: whether individuals, institutions, membership organisations, academics in the field of governance, students and those in business and community organisations.  If you have a view on how effective governance is, or you have advice on how governance can be further strengthened, we would like to hear from you.

Your perspectives will play an important role in shaping not only the revised Code but CUC’s wider work on governance.  Alongside this consultation, we will also be holding roundtable discussions and thematic working groups, informed by this call for evidence, to ensure a wide range of voices and experiences are reflected.

The questions in this consultation are intended as prompts to help guide thinking and support conversations. Respondents are welcome to answer individual questions, respond to the full set, or provide a free-form narrative. There is no expectation that every question must be addressed in detail.

Finally, while this review starts from a “blank page” to encourage open thinking, it is not necessarily our intention to replace the Code wholesale. Much of the existing Code may remain relevant and appropriate. However, approaching this review without assumptions allows us to consider afresh what good governance should look like for the future, without constraining our thinking. We hope that this call for evidence and the wider consultation process will serve as an additional catalyst for deep self-reflection on governance practices by the leadership and governing bodies within the sector.

Thank you to all respondents for your time, insights, and commitment to the UK’s fantastic Higher Education sector.

 How to respond

Responses are welcome from all stakeholders and should be submitted by 28th November 2025. To respond, you can either fill out the Microsoft Form here or email uk_cuccodeconsultation@pwc.com

With best regards,

Iain Cornish
Chair of the Code Review and Chair at Leeds Beckett University

Nicola de Iongh
Project Sponsor, CUC Chair, Chair of University of Gloucestershire