Policy and plans

Incident Management and Business Continuity Policy

The University's Incident Management and Business Continuity Policy was approved by the Council and General Board in January 2023. 

In accordance with the policy, the University has its own institution-wide plan and every institution must have a local plan (see below). See operational guidance on implementing the policy.

University Major Incident Plan

The University's Major Incident Plan operates at an institution-wide level and is a key component of the Incident Management and Business Continuity Policy. It can be invoked directly in response to a major or widespread incident or as the result of a local management team asking for help in responding to an emergency. The MIP adopts the principles of Gold (Strategic), Silver (Tactical) and Bronze (Operational) levels of response to any emergency, enabling it to mirror the procedures used by the emergency services and local authorities. This will allow better coordination with those external agencies in the event of a major incident.

The MIP replaces the previous University Emergency Management Plan and more comprehensively outlines the different response teams that may convene in different situations and how incidents may escalate from local to University level response; the plan also includes supporting documentation. The MIP was endorsed by the Council in March 2025. 

Incident Management and Business Continuity Plan

Faculties, Departments and Non School Institutions have their own plans consistent with and complementary to the University Major Incident Plan. An Incident Management and Business Continuity template is available for University institutions to use locally.  Step-by-step guidance on completing the IMBCP is also available. Plans must be reviewed and signed off by the Head of Institution annually. For further advice on conducting annual reviews, see section 6 of the operational guidance.

Advice and guidance

Further advice on the University's approach to incident management and business continuity planning can be obtained from Clara East (Head of Business Continuity) or Matt Tulett (Business Continuity and Resilience Advisor) via businesscontinuity@admin.cam.ac.uk