Academic Committees

LASE’s Academic Committees oversee the University’s Group’s teaching and research.

The Academic Board

Reporting to the LASE’s Board of Governors, the Academic Board is the LASE’s most senior academic committee.  Subject to the control and approval of the Board of Governors, the Academic Board oversees the teaching and research of the University Group and is responsible for academic quality and standards.  It has a number of committees reporting to it, including committees dealing with Education Strategy, Research and Innovation and Programmes and Partnerships.  The Academic Board is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer and includes staff and student members.

Further details of the Academic Board’s responsibilities are set out in its terms of reference approved by the Board of Governors.

The Academic Board’s Committees

The Academic Board is supported by the following committees whose terms of reference are approved by the Academic Board. The Academic Board has approved an Academic Board Delegation Framework which summarises the powers delegated by the Academic Board to committees and individuals. The Academic Board’s committees are set out in the Academic Board’s committee chart:

Education Strategy Board is responsible for developing and implementing the Group’s Education Strategy, overseeing Access and Participation, graduate outcomes, student success improvement initiatives, academic quality and standards, academic regulations and technology enhanced learning.

Education Strategy Board has the following subcommittees:

  • 3 x College Education and Student Experience Committees responsible for implementing the Group’s education and partnerships strategies in their Colleges; local oversight of quality and standards and improving performance; local oversight of the implementation of academic regulations and policies; reviewing draft business cases for new partnerships prior to their consideration by the Partnerships and Development Board in the Executive committee structure; approving modules and amendments to modules and recommending programmes to Partnerships and Programmes Management Committee for approval.
  • Partnerships and Programmes Management Committee (PPMC) has a dual reporting line, to Education Strategy Board (ESB) and to Partnerships and Development Board (PDB) in the Executive committee structure. PPMC is responsible for overseeing due diligence on proposed new UK and TNE academic partnerships following the approval of business cases by PDB and recommending final approval to PDB; approving programmes and amendments to programmes; and monitoring key metrics on partnerships and programmes, reporting to PDB and ESB.
  • Apprenticeships Management Committee oversees the development, delivery and ongoing improvement of the Group’s apprenticeship provision, including compliance, reporting to ESB and to PDB which sets the strategic priorities for apprenticeships.

Research and Innovation Board is responsible for developing and implementing LASE’s research and innovation strategy, overseeing LASE’s research culture and research environment, and providing leadership to the Group’s preparations for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).

Research and Innovation Board (R&I Board) has the following subcommittees:

  • Research Degrees Committee, responsible for overseeing postgraduate research, developing relevant regulations and policies for approval by R&I Board, ensuring the quality and standards of research degree programmes and conferring and ratifying awards. It will be supported by 3 x College PGR Experience Committees reporting to it (terms of reference under development) to oversee research degree examination arrangements, the training of postgraduate research (PGR) students and the quality of supervision of postgraduate researchers within the College and recommend the conferral of research degree awards.
  • 3 x College Research and Innovation Committees to oversee local implementation of the Research and Innovation strategy (terms of reference under development).

The Standing Panel on Freedom of Speech is responsible for developing and overseeing the Group’s Freedom of Speech Code of Practice and compliance with the Office for Students’ requirements on freedom of speech; also considering freedom of speech complaints and appeals where required under policies operating in LASE’s academic divisions.

Research ethics governance and processes are being reviewed and LASE research ethics committees are expected to be put in place in early 2027. Until then, research ethics continues to be overseen by the following committees in LASE’s academic divisions, which report to the Academic Board: