Academic Committee

Find out more about UCL's Academic Committee, including terms of reference, membership, meetings and minutes.

On this page you will find:

 

Overview

Reports to

Council and Academic Board

Chair

President and Provost

Secretary

Rachel Port | r.port@ucl.ac.uk | +44 (0)20 3108 8211

For agendas and minutes; apologies for absence

 

Meeting dates

Scheduled meeting dates: 2026-27

The copy deadlines quoted are the latest dates by which the final papers must be received by the secretary. Please use the templates for papers submission.

Meeting dateCopy deadline
Thursday 3 December 2026, 10.00am19 November
Thursday 18 March 2027, 10.00am4 March
Thursday 17 June 2027, 10.00am3 June

Minutes

* These Minutes include a Confidential/Reserved section which is available, through the Committee Secretary, to members of the Committee only.

2025-26

2024-25

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

2020-21

Terms of Reference

Subject to any general or particular direction that may from time to time be given by the Council, the Academic Committee is charged by Council: 

  1. To consider and advise the Council, on Council’s responsibilities with respect to the Office for Students (OfS) conditions of registration, including the following: the operation of UCL’s access and participation plan, and the quality, reliable standards and positive outcomes of UCL education for all students (covering both taught and research programmes); and to protect the interests of all students.
  2. To maintain an overview of UCL’s academic strategies, policies and procedures pertaining to the following: (i) research; (ii) teaching and learning; (iii) definition and maintenance of academic standards; (iv) examinations and assessment; (v) innovations in educational practice; (vi) programme development and review; (vii) student behaviour and discipline; (viii) student experience and students’ interests; (ix) academic staff development; (x) quality management and enhancement.
  3. In discharging the foregoing responsibilities, to: (i) set up working groups etc to assist the Academic Committee; (ii) prescribe their terms of reference and constitution; (iii) maintain an overview of all matters falling within their purview.
  4. To maintain an overview of the work of the following standing committees which report to Academic Committee, by receipt of an annual report on the work of the committee in the preceding 12 months and by such other arrangements as Academic Committee may define in particular cases: (i) Education Committee; (ii) Library Committee; (iii) Research Degrees Committee.
  5. To receive an annual report from the Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation and Global Engagement) on the development and implementation of UCL’s research strategy and from such other UCL officers as may be determined by the Committee.
  6. To receive the Minutes of all meetings of standing committees and working groups etc reporting to Academic Committee.
  7. To provide an annual assurance report to Academic Board and Council.
  8. To report to Academic Board and Council by submission to the Academic Board officers and Council officers of the Minutes of each meeting of Academic Committee. 
     

Membership

  • The Provost will chair the Academic Committee.
  • The quorum of the Academic Committee shall be half of the total members of the Committee.
  • [ ] indicates that member’s second or subsequent appearance in the committee’s membership.
  • *indicates that the member is serving on the committee as a deputy or nominee of another member.
     

Ex Officio members

The Provost (Chair) - Dr Michael Spence

Vice-Provost (Education and Student Experience) - Professor Jennie Shaw

Vice-President (Advancement) - Angharad Milenkovic

Vice-President (External Engagement) - Kirsty Walker

Vice-Provost (Faculties) - Professor Jacqui Glass (interim)

Vice-Provost (Health) - Professor Ibrahim Abubakar

Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation and Global Engagement) - Professor Geraint Rees

Vice-Provost (Strategy) - Professor Paola Lettieri

Pro-Vice-Provost (Doctoral School and Early Career Researchers) - Professor Geraint Thomas 

Pro-Vice-Provost (Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science & Scholarship) - vacancy

Director, UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE) - Dr Christine Hoffmann

Director, Higher Education Development and Support Institute  - Karen Barnard 

Director of Education Services- Zak Liddell

Director of Student Operations - Daniel Farrell

Executive Director, Innovation and Enterprise - Dr Kathryn Walsh

Executive Director of Student Services and Registrar - Richard Stock

Head of Academic Policy, Quality and Standards - Elizabeth Grant

Students’ Union UCL Education Officer - Sarah Jilani

Students’ Union UCL Postgraduate Officer - Anam Choudhary 

Students’ Union UCL Equity and Inclusion Officer - Rawleka Wilson

UCL Student Mediator - vacancy

Chair, Education Committee - [Professor Jennie Shaw]

Chair, Research Degrees Committee - [Professor Geraint Thomas]

Deans of Faculties (or nominees)

Arts and Humanities - Professor Stella Bruzzi

Brain Sciences - Professor David Shanks*

Built Environment - [Professor Jacqui Glass]

Engineering Sciences - Professor Andy Nisbet

UCL Institute of Education - Professor Li Wei

Laws - Professor Eloise Scotford

Life Sciences - Professor Gail Taylor

Mathematical and Physical Sciences - Professor Ivan Parkin

Medical Sciences - Professor Emma Morris

Population Health Sciences - Professor Sam Janes (interim)

Social and Historical Sciences - Professor Nick Witham

Faculty Tutors

Arts and Humanities - Benjamin Fowler 

Brain Sciences - Dr Paul Greening

Built Environment - Dr Annabel Brown

UCL Institute of Education - Professor Nicola Walshe

Engineering Sciences - Professor Alice Smalley

Laws - Professor Olga Thomas

Life Sciences - Dr Hazel Smith

Mathematical and Physical Sciences - Dr Francesca Scott

Medical Sciences - Blathnaid Mahony

Population Health Sciences - Leigh Kilpert

Social and Historical Sciences - Trevor Pearce 

Elected members

Eight academic staff - including at least one professor and one non-professor from each faculty grouping - elected by and from the professorial and non-professorial academic staff members of Academic Board:
  • Professor Ben Clifford
  • Dr Hugh Goodacre
  • Professor Parmjit Jat
  • Professor Ioannis Lianos
  • Professor Gemma Moss
  • Dr Suzanne Ruddy
  • Justin Siefker
  • Dr Becky Taylor

Secretary

  • Rachel Port