Freedom of Information
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Universities fall within the definition of a public authority
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 anyone has the right to request information from a public authority in the United Kingdom. Our Governance and Legal Services team are responsible for:
- ensuring that our University complies with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act
- providing information via a publication scheme
- responding to requests for information.
- finding and requesting information about our Publication Scheme
The University of East London has adopted the Information Commissioner's model publication scheme and is operating it in line with the guidance for universities.
The scheme sets out what information we publish, or intend to publish, how the information can be accessed and whether or not a charge is payable for it.
Where information falls into the following categories, it is not published as part of the scheme:
- our University does not hold the information
- the information is exempt under one of the Freedom of Information exemptions or Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) exceptions, or its release is prohibited by another statute
- the information is archived, out of date, or otherwise inaccessible
- it would be impractical or resource intensive to prepare the material for routine release.
With a few exceptions, most of the information that we publish is freely available on our website (www.uel.ac.uk). If you do not have access to the internet, paper copies of the information can be obtained by writing to the Head of Governance and Legal Services, University of East London, University Way, London E16 2RD.
If you have any questions about the publication scheme, or wish to request information that is not available on our website, please contact the Compliance Officer by email at: foi@uel.ac.uk or by post at: Governance and Legal Services, University of East London, University Way, London E16 2RD
Publication Scheme
Our publication scheme is arranged in the following sections:
- who we are and what we do;
- what we spend and how we spend it;
- what our priorities are and how we are doing;
- how we make our decisions;
- our policies and procedures;
- lists and registers;
- services that we offer; and
- who we are and what we do.
Who we are and what we do
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1.1 |
Legal Framework |
This sub-section contains information relating to how the University was established and its standing from the point of view of the law. The University of East London is a higher education corporation under the provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988 and the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. |
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1.2 |
View Further and Higher Education Act 1992 Information relating to the legal and regulatory framework within which the University operates is set out in the Governance pages of our University website: |
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1.3 |
Specifically: Our University's legal status is set out in the Instrument and Articles of Government |
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1.4 |
Articles of Government |
web |
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1.5 |
How our University is organised |
This sub-section contains information about the management structure of the University. |
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Organisational structure. |
Paper copies |
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View our:
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1.6 |
Terms of reference, membership and descriptions of boards and committees are available on our University's Governance pages: View Specifically: Board of Governors of the Higher Education Corporation and its committees |
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1.7 |
Academic Board and its committees. |
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1.8 |
The University has two wholly owned subsidiary companies: Knowledge Dock (UEL) Ltd was established to provide consultancy services on behalf of our University and it also operated the business incubation units. |
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1.9 |
How to contact the university. |
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1.10 |
This sub-section includes information relating to the operation and activities of the Students' Union (UELSU) and other clubs, associations and non-academic activities. Students' Union Constitution: View University of East London Students' Union Code of Practice: View UELSU Executive Officers: View Sport at UELSU: View Societies at UELSU: View |
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What we spend and how we spend it
This section covers financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit.
Information that may damage the University's commercial interests will be excluded from publication.
The accounts of the wholly-owned subsidiary company (Knowledge Dock (UEL) Ltd is lodged at Companies House.
The University of East London Students' Union is a separate legal entity; its accounts are therefore a matter for the UELSU and are not consolidated into the University's accounts. Our University neither holds nor publishes copies of these accounts.
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2.1 |
Finance |
This class contains information relating to budgets and accounts, contracting, goods and services, pensions, salary scales and employment benefits. |
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2.2 |
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HEFCE revenue: View |
HEFCE website |
At HEFCE's discretion |
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2.3 |
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Financial performance by operating unit and income and expenditure categories: View |
HESA website |
At HESA's discretion |
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2.4 |
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Financial Statements for 2003 onwards: View |
web |
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2.5 |
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Financial Statements for earlier years may be available on request We keep financial records to meet our own operational requirements and to fulfil our obligations to our internal and external auditors and to meet our statutory obligations. Archived records that are no longer required are subject to destruction after defined time periods. |
Hard copy available on request (subject to availability). |
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2.6 |
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Contracting: View |
web |
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2.7 |
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Insurance: View |
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2.8 |
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Pensions: View |
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2.9 |
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Salaries and benefits |
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2.10 |
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Travel and Subsistence: TBC |
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2.11 |
Resource planning |
This class includes information that defines how the University undertakes its planning and resource allocation, how it regulates the deployment of resources and how it publishes the outcomes. |
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2.12 |
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Financial regulations, including procurement policy |
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2.13 |
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Planning and budgeting procedures |
web |
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2.14 |
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Strategic plan (Transformation for Excellence 2010-2015): View |
web |
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What our priorities are and how we are doing
This section covers strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
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3.1 |
Strategies and plans |
Strategic plan: Transformation for Excellence 2010-2015: View |
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3.2 |
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Assessment, Learning and Teaching strategy: View |
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3.3 |
Academic quality and standards |
Information on our University's internal procedures for assuring academic quality and standards |
web |
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3.4 |
External review information |
External review information, including annual monitoring and review: View Outcome of the Quality Assurance Agency's institutional audits: View Outcome of the Funding Councils' Research Assessment exercise: View |
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How we make decisions
The classes in this section cover information on decision making processes and records of decisions.
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4.1 |
Decision-making processes and records of decisions |
Membership profiles, terms of reference, agenda, minutes (unless specified) of our University's committees |
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Academic Board and its committees |
Paper Copies |
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Our policies and procedures
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5.1 |
Policies and procedures for conducting University business |
This class of information includes our University's governing documents
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web |
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5.2 |
Policies and procedures relating to academic services |
This class includes information related to academic quality and assessment. |
web |
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5.3 |
Policies and procedures relating to student services |
This class includes policies and procedures on student admission and registration, accommodation and student regulations |
web |
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5.4 |
Procedures and policies relating to human resources |
This class includes our University's full range of human resources policies and procedures |
web |
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5.5 |
Procedures and policies relating to recruitment |
This class includes recruitment policies and current vacancies |
web |
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5.6 |
Equality and Diversity |
This class includes policies, statements, procedures and guideline related to equality and diversity |
web |
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5.7 |
Health and Safety |
This class includes information about health and safety procedures and policies. |
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5.8 |
Records |
This class contains our University's data protection policy |
web |
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5.9 |
Research policy and strategy |
This class includes information on research, research ethics and knowledge transfer |
web |
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5.10 |
Estate management |
This class includes information on estates strategy, facilities management, grounds and buildings maintenance |
web |
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Lists and registers
This section covers currently maintained lists and registers.
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6.1 |
Registers of interest |
Governors and Senior Post-Holders' registers of interest |
Available for inspection on request |
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The services that we offer
This section contains information about the services that our University offers.
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7.1 |
Prospectus |
Course descriptions (included in the University prospectus) |
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7.2 |
Services for outside bodies |
This class includes services that the University provides to external bodies. |
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7.3 |
Welfare and Counselling |
This class includes information about our University's counselling services. |
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7.4 |
Careers |
This class includes information about our University's careers advisory services |
web |
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7.5 |
Chaplaincy services |
TBC |
web |
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7.6 |
Sports and recreational facilities |
This class includes details of our University's sports and recreational facilities |
web |
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7.7 |
Libraries |
This class includes information about the University's libraries, including opening times, facilities and services available and details of the collections |
web |
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7.8 |
Media releases |
This class includes University press releases. |
web |
none
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Request for information
You have the right under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request any information held by a public authority which it has not already made available through its publication scheme.
Requests must be made in writing and, in general, the University has 20 working days to respond. A fee may be charged, which will be calculated according to Fees Regulations. We are not required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies.
However, public authorities may be required to explain to the applicant why they are not releasing information and they may also have to justify this to the Information Commissioner.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the publication scheme or a request, please contact our compliance officer by email at foi@uel.ac.uk or by post at Governance and Legal Services, University of East London, University Way, London E16 2RD.
Information Rights Requests
If you would like to find out what information the University holds about you as an individual or you want to use any of your other information rights, you can submit an Information Rights request by contacting dpo@uel.ac.uk.
You can find more information about your rights here. Information rights fall under the Data Protection Act 2018 rather than the Freedom of Information Act 2000. There is no fee to make an Information Rights request in most cases, and we will respond within 30 calendar days.
Complaints
If you wish to make a complaint about the service you have received in relation to the University's obligations under the Freedom of Information Act, you may write to the Head of Governance and Legal Services (at the above address) in the first instance.
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the University's complaints procedure.
The objectives of the Freedom of Information Act are promoted by the Office of the Information Commissioner. This is an independent body that seeks to resolve problems where individuals feel that their rights have been breached. It also has powers of enforcement.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted on +44 (0)1625 545700 or by post at The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.