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Breadcrumb

  1. Queen Mary University of London
  2. About us
  3. Sustainability
  4. Sustainable development goals
  5. Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  6. Operations

Operations

Elected representation in University governance

Queen Mary has elected representation on its highest governing body, the Council. Council is the University’s supreme governing body and has ultimate responsibility for Queen Mary’s strategic direction and affairs. 

The Council membership includes elected members of academic and Professional Services staff, alongside the President of Queen Mary Students’ Union. Five staff members are elected to Council by staff across the University and have the same status and responsibilities as external Council members. In 2025, Queen Mary held elections for three academic staff positions on Council. Twenty-one nominations were received, and all staff were invited to vote using the Single Transferable Vote system. Professor Adrian Armstrong, Professor Liam Campling and Dr Michaela MacDonald were elected for four-year terms. The 2025 Council election information publishes the election process, results and supporting documents. 

Students are represented through the President of Queen Mary Students’ Union, who sits on Council as an ex officio member. The Students’ Union President is elected by students through the Union’s own democratic elections. 

Recognising an independent Students’ Union

Queen Mary formally recognises Queen Mary Students’ Union as an independent, student-led organisation. The Union’s independence is formally established in Ordinance 13, which states that Queen Mary University of London Students’ Union Limited is independent of the University. The current Ordinance took effect on 1 August 2024. 

The Students’ Union provides all three forms of activity covered by this metric. It contributes to University governance through elected student representatives, including the Students’ Union President’s membership of Council. It provides student support, including free and independent academic advice, representation and welfare services. It also provides social and community activity through societies, sports clubs, volunteering, student media and events. The Union itself is democratically governed. Students elect six full-time Executive Officers each year in campus-wide elections, and these officers represent students, campaign on their behalf and help direct the Union’s governance, strategy and budget. 

Preventing bribery and corruption

Queen Mary publishes formal principles and requirements on bribery and corruption through its Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy. The policy sets out Queen Mary’s responsibilities for preventing, identifying and reporting bribery and corruption. It applies to people working for or associated with the University and requires staff to avoid activities that could breach the policy, assess bribery and corruption risks and report suspected misconduct. 

The policy also requires Queen Mary staff to complete anti-bribery training. Suspected cases can be investigated through formal University procedures, and serious cases may be referred to the police. Responsibility for preventing and reporting bribery and corruption is shared across the institution. The policy was updated in June 2024 and approved by Council in July 2024, providing a current and publicly available statement of Queen Mary’s institutional commitment to preventing bribery and corruption. 

Protecting academic freedom

Academic freedom and freedom of speech are formally protected within Queen Mary’s governance framework. The University’s Royal Charter and Ordinances enshrine Queen Mary’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech. Council is formally responsible for maintaining and protecting these principles, while Senate has responsibility for academic activity, including academic standards, academic freedom and research. 

Queen Mary also maintains a published Code of Practice on Free Speech. The Code applies to University staff, students, teaching, research, events and other University activities. It states that academic staff must be able to question and test accepted ideas and put forward new, controversial or unpopular opinions without placing their employment or privileges at risk. The Code protects academic freedom across both teaching and research. It applies to academic staff generally, rather than limiting protection to senior or established academics. It also requires the University to provide an environment in which different lawful views can be expressed and debated. 

Queen Mary reviewed its approach again in 2025. The Audit and Risk Committee reported that the Code had been updated to align with the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 and that the revision had involved significant academic and student input through a Senate task and finish group. 

Publishing financial information

Queen Mary publicly publishes detailed financial information to support transparency and accountability. The University’s Financial Statements webpage provides public access to current and previous audited annual financial statements, including the 2024/25 and 2023/24 accounts. The statements report Queen Mary’s income, expenditure, assets, liabilities, cash flows and other information needed to assess the University’s financial position. Queen Mary also publishes an annual financial information summary explaining its income and expenditure in a more accessible format. 

Financial transparency extends beyond the annual accounts. Queen Mary’s Freedom of Information publication scheme provides access to information on funding and income, procurement contracts, investments, financial statements and financial audits. The annual financial statements also include an independent auditor’s report. 

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