Committees

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the ongoing strategic direction of the University, approval of major developments and the receipt of regular reports from executive officers on the day-to-day operations of the university. The full list of powers reserved to the Board are set out in the standing orders. The Board of Trustees normally meets up to five times a year.  

The Board of Trustees is supported by several sub-committees which can be observed on the organogram of SOAS committees. A range of other committees have primary responsibility for ownership of other areas of the University’s operations, which the Board delegates to and receives reports from:

• Audit and Risk Committee
• Executive Board
• Governance and Nominations Committee
• Resources and Planning Committee
• Remuneration Committee
• Senate 

These committees are formally constituted with terms of reference set out in their respective standing orders which can be referenced via the constitutional documents. 

The Audit and Risk Committee normally meets four times a year and reports directly to the Board of Trustees. It is chaired by an external member of the Board and is comprised of external members only. University officers attend the meetings but are not members.  

The Committee is responsible for providing assurance to the Board of Trustees on the effectiveness of the arrangements for risk management, value for money, effectiveness and efficiencies, data quality and internal control at SOAS. 

The Audit and Risk Committee is responsible for recommending the appointment of external auditors and meeting with them to discuss the nature and scope of the annual audit of the Financial Statements, resultant audit findings and the management letter arising. 

The Audit and Risk Committee approves the annual internal audit plan and considers reports arising from those audits. These reports will highlight any significant internal audit issues, management responses received, and conclusions drawn.   

The Executive Board is responsible for the day-to-day management of the university’s affairs, and advises the Vice-Chancellor on planning and strategy, and for leading and coordinating the strategic planning process. 

It also considers and prioritises strategic issues, taking account of the resource implications, sets appropriate budgets and approves expenditure, as delegated by the Board of Trustees.  

This includes oversight of the risk and financial profiles of the university and regular reviews into the effectiveness of the university’s governance processes and procedures. 

The Governance and Nominations Committee advises the Board of Trustees on the appointment and reappointment of individuals as external members of the Board of Trustees and other committees. In doing so it seeks to maintain an appropriate balance of skills on the Board and ensure that the needs of committees for lay members with specific skills are met. 

It approves minor amendments to the university’s procedures for recruiting Trustees and recommends any major changes to these procedures. It also reviews and recommends changes to the university’s committees’ terms of reference and standing orders to ensure that they accurately reflect the priorities and work of the university’s governance structure. 

The Resources and Planning Committee normally meets up to six times a year and reports directly to the Board of Trustees. It acts on behalf of the Board of Trustees to monitor the finances and use of the university’s resources. 

It proposes the University’s annual budgets to the Board of Trustees, examines and (where authorised) approves expenditure proposals, recommends financial forecasts and approves banking and investment arrangements. 

It provides assurance to the Audit Committee on the Financial Statements for recommendation to the Board of Trustees, and also reviews and recommends any financial reports to regulators which require Board approval. 

The Remuneration Committee is responsible for deciding the remuneration and terms and conditions of service for the Senior Executive Managers, including the Vice-Chancellor, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellors.

The Committee is also responsible for monitoring severance payments in accordance with the Office of Student Requirements.

The Senate is responsible for advising the Board of Trustees on the strategic development and future direction of the university’s academic activities, as incorporated in the strategic plan and sub-strategies, and to be accountable to the Board of Trustees for the quality arrangements for learning and teaching. 

This includes quality assurance and quality assessment measures employed by the university, and matters affecting the academic scope, academic structure and academic standards of the university.