
In today’s turbulent environment all providers need high performing boards that are equipped to determine the strategic course of the organisation. The effectiveness of a board depends on strong foundations; exhibiting the right behaviours; high-quality information, sound processes and skilled governance professionals.
Resources, guidance and research to support good governance
Including Getting to Grips guides, illustrative practice notes and briefing notes.
Introduction to governance
Our purpose is to support everyone involved in HE governance whatever their role. New governors need briefing and orientation to understand the separation of management and governance, and their responsibilities as trustees. In addition, student governors need specific support to equip them for their period of office.
Codes of Governance
Governing Bodies
Getting into Governance
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Institutions need to be compliant with the legal and regulatory requirements placed on it in relation to EDI. If an institution is found to be non-compliant, it will be exposed to reputational and financial risks. To ensure compliance, governors need to seek assurances from the executive that the institution is delivering on its legal duties and regulatory requirements. As a governor you should expect to receive regular reports to confirm this is the case. Similarly, governors need to give careful attention to the composition of the governing body, ensuring the membership is sufficiently diverse to allow discussion and decisions to be informed and tested by governors, bringing different perspectives and experiences.
Governance and EDI
Board Diversification
Good Governance
Effective working relationships – especially between the Chair, the head of the organisation and the Secretary to the governing body – are crucial, and executive teams need to engage transparently and make timely and effective use of their board’s accumulated experience, insight and wisdom. Good governance is critical to securing institutional resilience and success, and demands a commitment to deliver added value.
Governing Body Effectiveness
Good Governance
Academic governance and operating context
The role of a board in higher education is distinct from the role of a corporate, as institutions meet the diverse needs of performing as private sector charities, public sector commercial organisations and places of academic learning and research. Boards are concerned with ensuring accountability, control and scrutiny; institutional strategy and mission; measuring and monitoring their institutions' performance; and, responding to a dynamic operating context.
Academic Governance
Operating context
Governance on Advance HE Connect
Advance HE Connect has two governance groups which provide a forum to share your views and join the conversation, keep up to date with Advance HE’s governance information, programmes, events, and blogs, as well as post any governance job vacancies and events you may be hosting. Advance HE Connect is our online platform exclusively to share, connect and collaborate with your HE peers around the globe.

Governance Professionals in HE Group
Governance in HE Group
Our services
Advance HE uses expertise in governance to support and convene governing bodies throughout higher education, aiding with board effectiveness, governor development, strategic sessions and wider support for the governance community.
In partnership with experts from the sector, Advance HE’s governance portfolio meets these needs by:
- improving understanding of the latest governance developments for all
- facilitating the sharing of practice in safe spaces
- upskilling and professionalising support with a focus on behaviours as well as process
- providing benchmarked, independent challenge and advice, and other bespoke support
- produce a range of materials, collate helpful information and provide tailored services to ensure that governors and governance professionals have everything they need to promote good governance in their institutions.
Meet our governance experts and consultants
To help us form and deliver our support our governance experts and consultants are vital. Click below to find the profiles of the people who work on our governance portfolio.
