Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016

CHAPTER 2 Academic boards

15 Composition of academic board

(1) The membership of the academic board of a higher education institution is to be composed of—

(a) the principal of the institution,

(b) the heads of school of the institution,

(c) persons appointed by being elected by the academic staff of the institution from among their own number,

(d) persons appointed by being elected by the students of the institution from among the students of the institution,

(e) such other persons as are appointed—

(i) by virtue of an enactment,

(ii) in accordance with the governing document of the institution, or

(iii) in accordance with a decision of the governing body of the institution.

(2) The academic board is to be constituted in such a way that—

(a) more than 50% of its members fall within subsection (1)(c) or (d),

(b) at least 10% of its members fall within subsection (1)(d).

(3) Despite subsection (2)(b), the academic board is not required to have more than 30 members who fall within subsection (1)(d).

16 Elections to academic board

(1) This section applies in relation to an election of members to the academic board of a higher education institution for the purpose of each of paragraphs (c) and (d) of section 15(1).

(2) The election process is to be conducted in accordance with rules made by the governing body of the institution.

(3) Rules under subsection (2) may include (in particular)—

(a) provision specifying the number of appointments to be made,

(b) different provision for different vacancies.

(4) Where the number of eligible candidates in a category is equal to or fewer than the number of vacancies in that category, those candidates are deemed to be elected.

17 Validity of board’s proceedings

The validity of any proceedings of the academic board is not affected by any—

(a) vacancy in membership (or category of membership),

(b) defect in the appointment of a member.