Corporate Governance Statement
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT
Summary of the University’s Structure of Corporate Governance
The University is committed to best practice in all aspects of corporate governance. This summary describesthe manner in which the University has applied the principles set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code,in so far as they apply to the higher education sector. The University has followed the internal control guidancefor directors on the Code as amended by the British Universities Finance Directors Group, and has alsoaligned its practice fully against the principles set out in the Scottish Code of Good Higher EducationGovernance (Revised 2017). The purpose of this summary is to assist the reader of the financial statementsto understand how the principles of good governance set out in both codes have been applied.
The University is not required to comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code. However, it has reportedon its Corporate Governance arrangements by drawing upon best practice available, including those aspectsof the UK Corporate Governance Code that it considers to be relevant to the company and best practice, andit has done so throughout the year ended 31 July 2020. The University Court also considers that the University is compliant with the principles of the Scottish Code of Good Higher Education Governance 2017.
Consistent with Article 4(9) of the University’s Statutory Instrument and the Scottish Code of Good HigherEducation Governance (2017), the University Court has adopted a Statement of Primary Responsibilities thatincludes provisions relating to:
- determining the University’s mission and strategic vision, its strategic plan, key performance indicators (KPIs) and annual budgets, fostering an environment in which the objects of the University are achieved with due regard to the interests of students, staff, and other stakeholders;
- appointing a Chancellor;
- appointing a Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, including the terms and conditions attaching to such appointment, and putting in place suitable arrangements for reviewing their performance;
- protecting the reputation and values of the University, and overseeing its activities;
- ensuring, in conjunction with Senate, the quality of institutional educational provision and adequate provision for the general welfare of students;
- ensuring that non-discriminatory systems are in place to provide equality and diversity of opportunity for staff and students;
- ensuring adherence to the funding requirements specified by the Scottish Funding Council in its
- Financial Memorandum and other funding documents;
- ensuring the establishment and monitoring of systems of control and accountability, including financial and operational controls and risk assessment, clear procedures for handling internal grievances and “whistleblowing” complaints, and for managing conflicts of interest; andmonitoring institutional performance against plans and approved KPIs which, where possible and appropriate, should be benchmarked against other comparable institutions.
The full Statement of Primary Responsibilities can be found as part of the Court Members’ Handbook on theUniversity website: /about-the-university/university-court/
The University Court is responsible for the University’s system of internal control, and for reviewing itseffectiveness. This system relies on management informing the University Court of any potential internalcontrol issues and proposing to the University Court any necessary remedial action. Such a system isdesigned to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve business objectives and can onlyprovide reasonable, and not absolute, assurance against material mis-statement or loss.
The University Court is satisfied that there is an ongoing process for identifying, evaluating and managing theUniversity’s significant risks, which has been in place throughout the year ended 31 July 2020 and up to thedate of approval of the annual report and financial statements. This process is regularly reviewed by theUniversity Court, and accords with the Turnbull guidance, as applicable to the higher education sector. TheUniversity has in place a business continuity and risk management and policy framework for the wholeorganisation. In addition, each of the key areas within the institution, including the Senior Leadership Team(SLT), has in place local procedures detailing action to be taken in response to a potential or actual disaster.Risk management is a standing item on the agenda of the Senior Leadership Team and the Audit & RiskCommittee, and regular reports are made to the University Court.
The University Court comprises categories of persons appointed under the University’s Statutory Instrument,an amended version of which came into force on 1 October 2019. The majority of the membership is nonexecutive,and the roles of Chair and Vice-Chair of the University Court are separated from the role of theUniversity’s chief executive, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor. Under the 2007 Order of Council, theUniversity Court delegates to the Principal and Vice-Chancellor the organisation, management and disciplineof the University. In discharging these functions, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor is subject to the general control and direction of, and is accountable to, the University Court but otherwise has all powers and dutiesof the University Court in relation to these functions. The University maintains a register of interests ofmembers of the University Court and senior officers, which is published on the University website.
To assist members in the performance of their duties, members of the University Court were offered, andattended, several training and development opportunities during 2019-20. These included external trainingsessions, discrete development and planning away days, as well as presentations on strategic themesrelevant to the work of the University at each Court meeting. Training and development opportunities offeredto Court members in 2019/20 included:
- Advance HE Governor Development Programme for New and Student Governors, 15 October 2019,
Glasgow.
- Scott Moncrieff Non-Executive Directors Forum: 'Making Better Decisions' – October 2019.
- Advance HE Scottish Governance Symposium: On-line event 22 May 2020.
New members also received a formal induction session supported by the Court Members’ Handbook,published originally in October 2016 and updated annually. The current version may be found at:/media/5415/court-members-handbook-october-2018.pdf
In accordance with the Financial Memorandum with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the University Courtis responsible for setting the strategic direction of the University, the approval of overall institutional budgetsand major developments and the receipt of regular reports from executive officers on the day to day operationof its business and its subsidiary companies. The University Court has five Ordinary meetings per annum,and has provided delegated authority to a number of Committees, as set out below.
In response to the Coronavirus Emergency, meetings of the University Court held in April and June 2020 wereheld virtually. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has recognised that holding meetings virtually is agood option, and states that charities may hold their meetings in this way, even where the governing documentis silent on the matter. The University Court Standing Orders are silent on the matter. In line with goodgovernance, the discussion and decisions of the University Court have been recorded in the form of confirmedminutes approved by members. Meetings have considered key matters relating to the University’s responseto the Coronavirus Emergency, including matters concerned with the maintenance of academic delivery,protection of academic standards, and wellbeing and other support for students and staff.
Each of the standing Committees of the University Court is formally constituted with published terms ofreference, and with membership comprised mainly of lay members of the University Court, one of whom isthe Convener. Lay members are represented on the Equality and Diversity Committee and the Health andSafety Committee, both of which report to the University Court. . All meetings held in the period March to July2020 were held virtually due to restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Emergency.
The Audit & Risk Committee meets at least three times annually to discuss audit, risk and control matters,with the University’s external and internal auditors in attendance as appropriate. The Committee considersdetailed internal audit reports and recommendations for the improvement of the University’s systems of internal control, together with management responses and implementation plans. It also receives andconsiders reports from the Scottish Funding Council where such reports impact on the University’s business,and monitors adherence to the regulatory requirements. It reviews the University’s annual financialstatements. Senior executives attend the Audit & Risk Committee as necessary, but are not in membership.The Committee meets at least once a year with the external auditors for independent discussion in theabsence of executive officers. The identification, assessment and management of risk is a standing item ateach meeting of the Committee, and these matters are reported thereafter to the University Court.
The Finance & Estates Committee reviews and recommends to the University Court the University’s financialstrategy, as well as the annual revenue and capital budgets. It monitors performance in relation to approvedbudgets and borrowings through the use of key performance indicators, and through a review of quarterly andannual financial reports. The Committee also considers matters relating to the development and maintenanceof the University’s estate.
The Nominations Committee makes recommendations to the University Court on appointment to vacanciesin the University Court lay membership, and on appointment to vacancies in the standing committees of theCourt in line with each respective committee’s skills matrix. During session 2019-20, the Committee formedthe Appointing Committee for the appointment of the Chair of the University Court, as provided for in theQueen Margaret University, Edinburgh (Scotland) Amendment Order of Council 2019. In assuming this role,the Committee acted in accordance with sections 3 to 8 of the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act2016, and in line with the appointment process set out in Section 11 of the Standing Orders of the UniversityCourt approved by the University Court on 26 June 2019.
The Senior Management Remuneration Committee develops, on behalf of the University Court, seniormanagement remuneration policies and processes for final determination by the University Court. TheCommittee determines and reviews the salaries and terms and conditions of the Principal and members ofthe Senior Leadership Team in line with agreed policies, and in accordance with good corporate and highereducation governance. The Principal attends meetings of the Committee, but is not a member, and does notparticipate in any review by the Committee of his or her own remuneration or reward package. The Committeealso reviews arrangements in place for determining the salaries of those senior staff with Professorial title.
The Senior Leadership Team comprises the Principal, the Deputy Principal and five senior officers of theUniversity. It receives reports on key performance and risk indicators, and discusses any control issuesbrought to its attention. The Senior Leadership Team and the Audit & Risk Committee receive regular reportsfrom the internal auditors, with the Audit & Risk Committee’s role in this area being confined to a high levelreview of the arrangements for internal financial control. The University Court receives reports on risk andcontrol issues from management and the Audit & Risk Committee as appropriate.
Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016
The Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016 (Commencement, Transitory, Transitional andSavings Provisions) Regulations 2016 were laid in Parliament on 24 November 2016, and came into force on30 December 2016. The University Court has assessed in full the impact of the key provisions of the Act onthe University’s governance arrangements, including those concerning the election of the senior lay memberof the governing body, and the composition and size of the Court and the Senate. The Queen MargaretUniversity, Edinburgh (Scotland) Amendment Order of Council 2019 was laid before the Scottish Parliamenton 18 June 2019, and came into force on 1 October 2019.
The requirements for membership of the academic board of a higher education institution have been met fully.The Order of Council 2007 does not set out in detail the composition of the Senate, but rather states simplythat the Court ‘shall establish a Senate which shall be constituted and regulated in a manner specified by theCourt from time to time on the recommendation of the Principal’. Consequently, there was no requirement toamend the Order of Council to bring it in line with the legislation.
The University Court completed a full mapping of its alignment with the requirements of the revised ScottishCode of Good Higher Education Governance on its publication in 2017. The one outstanding matter arisingfrom that mapping was concluded on 1 October 2019, with the publication of the amended Queen MargaretUniversity Order of Council. In particular, the amended Order established rules that formed the basis of Chairof Court recruitment arrangements during 2019-20. Subject to this point, in the opinion of the University Court,the University complied with the principles and provisions of the 2017 Scottish Code of Good Higher EducationGovernance throughout the period 2019-20.
Review of Effectiveness
The University Court has established as a Key Performance Indicator of the effectiveness of its performance,and of its Committees, ‘Full alignment with the Scottish Code of Good Higher Education Governance’. Thepublication of the updated Queen Margaret University Order of Council, and in particular the establishment of rules for the appointment of the Chair, has provided the Court with the necessary assurance that the Universityis fully aligned with the Code, on the basis that the incorporation of such rules within a revised Order of Councilwas the one action outstanding.
Throughout 2019-20, the University Court reviewed a full suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that ithas established as part of its wider assessment of its effectiveness.
Equality and Diversity
While responsibility for mainstreaming equality and diversity within the University rests with all staff andstudents, the University Court is, as a matter of law, responsible for ensuring compliance with the Equality Act2010 and for ensuring that the University meets its public sector equality duty (PSED) and the specific dutiesrelevant to Scotland. The University Court exercises such oversight through the Equality and DiversityCommittee (EDC), which is responsible to the University Court for the development of the strategic frameworkfor equality in service provision and in employment across the University.
Embedding equality and diversity in our governance structures and in our strategic planning process is criticalto mainstreaming equality and diversity, as is defining responsibilities, setting performance measures andmonitoring progress against those measures. The University’s Mainstreaming Report and Equality Outcomes,which sets out progress on mainstreaming equality and establishes a number of outcomes for the period2017-2021, was approved by the Court in April 2017. The report can be found at:/about-the-university/equality-and-diversity/
The University’s Gender Action Plan 2017-20 restates the University’s commitment to ensuring that theUniversity Court (Court), Senate and all committees and decision making bodies of the University arerepresentative of its community. In particular, the University is committed to achieving the following goals andtargets:
- Achieving practical gender balance amongst lay members of Court. Practical gender balance will be achieved where the lay membership of Court constitutes not less than 40% of either gender.
- Undertaking an annual review of the equality and diversity characteristics of the Court or as a specific need for review is identified.
- In undertaking any recruitment activity concerning the appointment of lay members of Court, the Court will have regard to equality and diversity characteristics of the Court and will take positive actions to increase the likelihood of applications being submitted from applicants that would enhance the representative character of the Court.
The outcomes established in these reports, and within the University’s Outcome Agreement with the SFC,form the basis of the Equality and Diversity Committee Action Plan, updates to which were reported at eachmeeting of the University Court.
At the time of writing, the gender balance of membership of Court sits at 50% female and 50% male. EqualityMonitoring was extended to all Court members during 2017/18.
System of Internal Financial Control
The key elements of the Group’s system of internal financial control include the following:
- clear definitions of the responsibilities of, and the authority delegated to, heads of academic divisions and support units;
- a comprehensive medium and short-term planning process, supplemented by detailed monthly income and expenditure reports, and annual capital budgets;
- monthly review of financial results involving variance and KPI reporting and updates of forecast out-turns;
- clearly defined and formalised requirements for approval and control of expenditure, with investment decisions involving significant capital or revenue expenditure being subject to formal detailed appraisal and review according to approval levels;
- comprehensive financial regulations, detailing financial controls and procedures;
- an independent professional internal audit team whose annual programme is approved by the Audit & Risk Committee.
The Audit & Risk Committee, on behalf of the University Court, reviews the effectiveness of the Group’ssystem of internal financial control as part of a rolling programme. The Committee has formed the opinion thatthe University’s systems provide a reasonable basis for maintaining control and ensuring the achievement ofeconomy, efficiency and effectiveness. In reaching its opinion, the Committee has taken into account theopinions of the internal and external auditors, as well as information and representations provided byUniversity management to the Committee and to the University Court. The Committee has noted thatUniversity management is continuing to work towards further strengthening of the control environment with aparticular focus on those areas of significant risk within the wider control framework. Any system of internalfinancial control can, however, only provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatementor loss.
On behalf of the University Court
Linda McPherson - Acting Chair
Sir Paul Grice -Principal & Vice-Chancellor
