The General Board of the Faculties is responsible for the academic and educational policy of the University.
Its responsibilities cover:
- education
- research
- academic planning
- academic services
- HR policy and strategic planning relating to academic staff
The General Board also has responsibility for the academic activities of Faculties, Departments, Schools, and the University’s Museums and Libraries.
Membership
The Vice-Chancellor
- Professor Deborah Prentice (Chair)
School representatives
- Professor Manali Desai
- Professor Patrick Maxwell
- Professor Ella McPherson
- Professor Nigel Peake
- Professor Richard Penty
- Professor Jon Simons
- Professor Marcus Waithe
- Professor Jocelyn Wyburd
Appointed by the Council
- Dr Pieter van Houten
- Professor Richard Mortier
- Professor Alan Short
- Professor Bhaskar Vira
Student members
- Augustin Denis
- Jessica Asiedu-Kwatchey
Meeting dates
- 22 September (Council, General Board and Senior Leadership Team away day)
- 5 November 2025
- 3 December 2025
- 28 January 2026
- 4 March 2026
- 27 April 2026 (Council, General Board and Senior Leadership Team away day)
- 6 May 2026
- 3 June 2026
- 1 July 2026
You can add the General Board’s meeting dates to your calendar app using Google or iCal.
Contact the Secretary
Minutes
If you have a University of Cambridge account, you can view General Board minutes on the Committees Hub.
Terms of Reference
The General Board’s responsibilities, membership and procedures are set out in the University’s Statutes and Ordinances:
- Statute A V – The General Board of the Faculties (PDF, 230 KB)
- Special Ordinance A (vi) – The General Board, the Schools, and the assignment of Faculties, Departments etc. (PDF, 420 KB)
- Ordinances – The General Board (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Annual report
The General Board's annual report is published each year in the Cambridge University Reporter.
Find links to the General Board's current and previous annual reports
Committees Hub
General Board members and attendees can access the General Board site through the Committees Hub.
Submitting papers
If you have business for the General Board, contact generalboard@admin.cam.ac.uk for guidance on when and how to present it.
If you agree to submit a paper, you must use the correct template:
- General Board template – paper (Word doc, 50 KB)
- General Board template – minutes of General Board committees (Word doc, 30 KB)
- General Board template – annual reports (Word doc, 45 KB)
You must submit your paper by the deadline before a meeting. The deadlines for 2025/26 are:
- 20 October 2025
- 17 November 2025
- 12 January 2026
- 16 February 2026
- 20 April 2026
- 18 May 2026
- 15 June 2026
Committees
The General Board is supported and advised by other committees.
There are:
- committees that report only to the General Board
- joint committees that report to both the Council and the General Board
Committees of the General Board
- Change and Programme Management Board
- Committee on the Membership of Committees
- Discipline Committee Appeal Committee: Panels
- Discipline Committee: Panels
- General Board Collections Committee (Committees Hub site)
- General Board’s Education Committee
- Research Policy Committee
- University Research Ethics Committee
- University Theatre Committee
Joint committees of the Council and General Board
- Biomedical Services Governance and Strategy Committee
- Careers Service Committee
- Committee on Prevent and Freedom of Speech
- Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Estates Committee
- Health and Safety Executive Committee
- Human Resources Committee
- Information Services Committee
- International Strategy Committee
- Nominating Committee for Office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor
- Planning and Resources Committee
- University Sports Committee