The General Board of the Faculties

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

  • Jeevun Rohilla
  • Sarah Misraoui

Meeting dates

2026-27

  1. Wednesday 11 November 2026
  2. Wednesday 16 December 2026
  3. Wednesday 27 January 2027
  4. Wednesday 3 March 2027
  5. Wednesday 5 May 2027
  6. Wednesday 2 June 2027
  7. Wednesday 30 June 2027

You can add the General Board’s meeting dates to your calendar app using Google or iCal.

Additionally, members of the General Board attend the Council, General Board and Senior Leadership Team away days, which are held on:

  • Monday 21 September 2026
  • Monday 26 April 2027

Contact the Secretary

generalboard@admin.cam.ac.uk

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:

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:

You must submit your paper by 9.00am on the deadline day for each meeting (as numbered in the Meeting dates section above):

2026-27 paper deadlines

  1. Monday 26 October 2026
  2. Monday 30 November 2026
  3. Monday 11 January 2027
  4. Monday 15 February 2027
  5. Monday 19 April 2027
  6. Monday 17 May 2027
  7. Friday 11 June 2027

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

Joint committees of the Council and General Board