FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA 2000) promotes greater openness, transparency and accountability across the public sector and gives a general right of access, subject to certain exemptions applying, to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, which for the purposes of the Act includes UCEM.

UCEM has an obligation to the public under the FOIA regarding the information that it holds and is fully committed to compliance with the legislation and the underlying principle of openness and transparency.

UCEM also manages the publication scheme and offer guidance to staff on any aspect of compliance with the Act.

UCEM makes a vast amount of information publicly available via this website.

UCEM PUBLICATION SCHEME

The publication scheme is a guide to the types of information that we publish or intend to publish as a matter of routine.

UCEM have adopted the model publication scheme prepared and approved by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) model publication scheme
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) definition document for universities

UCEM publishes the following information as a matter of routine:

Information about UCEM

Organisational information such as management structure.  Please visit About UCEM for more information.

Please note that there is a section entitled ‘Our People’ and includes:

  • UCEM Principal
  • Senior Leadership team
  • Academic Staff
  • Board of Trustees
  • Honorary and Associate Fellows

For further information, visit our people.

Financial information

Financial and procurement information.

Strategy and priorities

Planning and monitoring information. Further information can be found in our Vision and Strategy document.

Decision-making processes

How decisions are made and records of decisions.

  • Royal Charter and Bye-Laws
  • Board of Trustees
  • Board sub-committees
  • The Audit Committee
    • The Academic Review Committee
    • The Finance Committee
    • The Nominations and Governance Committee
    • The Remuneration Committee
  • Annual Reports
  • Conflict of Interest

Further information can be found on our Governance page.

Policies and procedures

Details about lists and registers maintained by us.

  • Data Protection and Privacy: What we do with your data
    • Data Protection Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Refund and Compensation Policy
  • Student Protection Plan
  • Terms and conditions of contract
  • Safeguarding procedure
  • Student Disciplinary Policy and Procedure
  • Prevent procedure
  • Equal opportunities
  • Gender Pay Gap
  • Access and Participation Plan
  • Whistleblowing Policy
  • Personal insurance
  • Freedom of speech
  • External speakers
  • Corporate and Social Responsibility Statement

Further information can be found on our Policies page.

Services

The main services offered by UCEM.

  • Study with UCEM
  • Development talent for your business
  • About UCEM
  • 100 years of UCEM
  • Supported online learning (including the e-Library)
  • News & events
  • Blog
  • Webinars
  • FAQs
  • Fees & funding
  • Alumni

Further information can be found via our homepage

How to Request Information

If you wish to make a request under the FOIA your request should

  • Be in writing
  • State clearly what information is required
  • State your name and an address for correspondence

Please send your request to freedomofinformation@ucem.ac.uk

Exemptions

The FOIA 2000 sets out 23 exemptions where the general right of access to information is either not to be allowed or will be qualified. Further information can be found through the ICO.

Fees

UCEM will charge fees in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.  Section 12 of the Act states that a request can be refused where the cost of providing the information requested would exceed the ‘Appropriate Limit’.  For universities the Fees Regulations stipulate the appropriate limit at GBP 450.  This is based on an average staff cost of GBP 25 per hour.  Not all time undertaken in handling a request can be added into the calculation, for example time taken determining if exemptions apply, and time taken to redact information.  Further information can be found through the ICO.

Complaints procedure

UCEM aims to comply fully with its obligations under the FOIA 2000 and to ensure that the service it provides is efficient and effective.  If you are unhappy with the response given, this must be sent to the FOI email address and within 40 days.

Sources of further information
  1. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ‘Guide to freedom of information’
  2. ICO (2019) ‘Publication scheme’, London: ICO