Governance

Oxford’s distinctive governance structure stems from its long history.

Congregation

Congregation is the sovereign body of the University and acts as its ‘parliament’. It has just over 5,000 members, including academic staff; heads and other members of governing bodies of colleges; and senior research, computing, library and administrative staff.

Congregation has responsibility for:

• Approving changes to the University’s statutes and regulations;
• Considering major policy issues submitted by Council or members of Congregation;
• Electing members to Council and other University bodies, and approving the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

Council

Council is the University’s principal executive and policy-making body. It has 26 members, including four from outside the University. It is responsible for the academic policy and strategic direction of the University, for its administration, and for the management of its finances and property. It has five major committees: Education Committee, General Purposes Committee, Personnel Committee, Planning and Resource Allocation Committee, and Research Committee.