The Senate
Senate is the principal academic body of the University. It is responsible for overseeing the quality and standards of all teaching and learning carried out at Aston, as well as for all research activities. Senate meetings concentrate on significant areas of academic strategy, policy and delivery. Academic ordinances and academic awards can only be made with the agreement of Senate.
With over 50 members including Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Deans, other academic and professional staff, and student representatives, Senate is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and meets three times a year. Senate has the following sub-committees and delegates powers to them as required.
- Membership for 2020/1
Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive (Chair)
Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Vice-Chancellors
Professor Ruth Ayres (PVC Education)
Saskia Loer Hansen (DVC Engagement)
Professor Helen Higson, OBE (Provost and DVC Acadmic)
Professor Simon Green (PVC Research)
Pro-Vice Chancellors and Executive Deans of Colleges
Professor George Feiger | Business and Social Sciences
Professor Sarah Hainsworth, OBE | Engineering and Physical Sciences
Professor Anthony Hilton | Health and Life Sciences
Representatives of the professors from each College
Business and Social Sciences
Professor Lauren Devine | 2022
Pawan Budhwar | 2022
Professor Nicholas Theodorakopoulos | 2022
Vacancy | 2022
Engineering and Physical Sciences
Professor Edik Rafailov | 2022
Professor Edward Sweeney | 2022
Professor Paul Topham | 2022
Professor Yuchun Xu | 2022
Health and Life Sciences
Professor Andrew Devitt | 2022
Professor Claire Farrow | 2022
Professor Francisco Leyva-Leon | 2022
Professor Ivan Wall | 2022
Representatives of the non-professorial teaching and research staff from each College
Business and Social Sciences
Dr Luciano Batista | 2022
Dr Daniel Cash | 2022
Dr Robbie Love | 2022
Dr Uwe Wunderlich | 2022
Engineering and Physical Sciences
Dr Goudarz Poursharif | 2022
Dr Lucy Rackliff | 2022
Dr Eirini Theodosiou | 2022
Dr Stephen Worrall | 2022
Health and Life Sciences
Dr Raj K. Singh Badhan | 2022
Dr Ruth Edwards | 2022
Dr Joanne Gough | 2022
Saira Hussain | 2022
One member for each seventy five members of the Academic Assembly (13)
Dr Leonidas Anastasakis | 2022
Dr Panos Doss | 2022
Dr Raquel Gil-Cazorla | 2022
Dr Peter Lewis | 2022
Dr Jörg Mathias | 2022
Dr Johan Rewilak | 2022
Dr Sylvia Wong | 2022
6 Vacancies | 2022
Members appointed by the Senate
Helen Curtis, Director of Library Services
Alison Levey, Director of Student and Academic Services
Professor Gertrud Reershemius, Dean of the Graduate School
Executive Officers
Neil Scott, Chief Operating Officer
Student representatives 2020/1
Harry Sheppard | President of the Students’ Union
Jawad Ahmad | Vice-President Education
Safa-Atiya Ahmed | Vice-President Welfare
Vacancy | Postgraduate Student
Vacancy | Undergraduate Student
Representative of the Professional Support Staff
Gurpal Singh Rai | 2021
In attendance
Professor Gill Nicholls, OBE | Associate Council Member: HE Advisor
Vacancy | Director of Digital Services
John Walter | Director of Governance, Secretary to Council and Senate
Andrew Harris | Executive Director of Campaigns
Mark Smith | Executive Director of Business Engagement
- Senate Regulatory Sub-committees
Academic Appeals Committee
Considers appeals against the decision of a Board of Examiners for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of a procedural or personal nature. Refer to the Academic Appeals Procedures for more information.
Disciplinary Board
Appointed by the Senate to consider and adjudicate upon any matters referred to it which are alleged breaches of discipline, and to consider appeals against decisions of authorised University Officers. Refer to the Regulations on Student Discipline for more information
Complaints Committee
Appointed by the Senate and Council, and chaired by a lay member of Council. Considers student complaints in respect of their experience at the University, including services and facilities provided by Schools or support departments. Refer to the Student Complaints Procedures for more information.
Advisory Committee for Awards and Honours
Considers nominations for University honorary degrees and distinctions and makes recommendations thereon to the Senate
- Constitution and Terms of Reference of the Senate (Ordinance 2.6)
2.6.1 Constitution of the Senate
2.6.1.1 The Senate shall consist of the following:
Class 1 The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive
Class 2 The Deputy Vice-Chancellors and the Pro-Vice-Chancellors
Class 3 The Executive Deans
Class 4 Representatives of the Professors from each College, elected by the Professors of that
College, as follows:
College of Business and Social Sciences 4
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences 4
College of Health and Life Sciences 4.
Class 5 Representatives of the non-professorial teaching and research staff from each College,
elected by the members of that College, as follows:
College of Business and Social Sciences 4
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences 4
College of Health and Life Sciences 4.
Class 6 One member for each seventy-five members of the Academic Assembly, to be elected by
members of the Academic Assembly. For this purpose, if the number of members of the
Academic Assembly is not an exact multiple of seventy-five, any remainder shall be
treated as seventy-five.
Class 7 Such other members of the University as the Senate may from time to time determine,
provided that their numbers shall not exceed one-eighth of the other membership of the
Senate, and provided also that there shall be represented the persons charged with the
welfare of students.
Class 8 The Executive Officers: Such Executive Officers as may be approved by Council on the
recommendation of the Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive from time to time.
Class 9 Five students to include: the President, the Vice-President Education and the Vice-
President Welfare of the Students’ Union, and one postgraduate student and one
undergraduate student elected by the students of the University.
Class 10 One representative of the professional support staff elected by the professional support
staff.
2.6.1.2 Staff members other than ex officio members shall hold office for a period of two years and shall be
eligible for re-election.
2.6.1.3 Student members shall hold office for a period of one year and shall be eligible for re-election.
2.6.2 Powers and Functions of the Senate
2.6.2.1 Jointly with the Council, to nominate to the Convocation a candidate for appointment as
Chancellor.
2.6.2.2 The Senate shall keep under regular review, in consultation with the Colleges, all academic aspects
of the University Strategy relating to learning and teaching, research, engagement with the
community, industry and commerce, and the experience and well-being of its staff and students,
and shall make such recommendations to the Council, as the Senate may from time to time
consider necessary, for the Strategy's implementation.
2.6.2.3 The Senate shall award Degrees and other academic awards and distinctions to persons who have
pursued a course of study approved by the Senate and have passed the examinations of the
University or have otherwise satisfied the conditions laid down in the Regulations; and shall, on
what the Senate deems to be good cause, deprive persons of any Degrees or other academic
awards or distinctions awarded by the University.
2.6.2.4 The Senate shall make such Regulations as are necessary to fulfil its responsibilities under the
Charter, the Statutes and this Ordinance, including those governing: admission to programmes and
courses; assessment and examinations; academic appeals and student complaints; use of the
Library, information and communication technologies and other teaching and learning resources;
the conduct of student organisations (excluding the conduct of the Students' Union which is subject
to specific regulation in Part 3 of these Ordinances); the award of Degrees and other distinctions
and awards of the University; the appointment of External Examiners; the assessment and
accreditation of prior learning; collaborative provision with external partner organisations; and the
discipline of students.
2.6.2.5 The Senate, after reference to the Academic Assembly, shall make recommendations to the
Council about Ordinances concerning academic matters and the discipline of students.2.6.2.6 The
Senate shall be consulted in relation to proposed changes to the duties, functions, and conditions
of service of all members of the Academic Staff and make recommendations thereon to the
Council.
2.6.2.7 The Senate shall appoint a member of the Senate to be a member of the Council in Class 3 as
provided for under paragraph 1 of Section IV of the Statutes. Any such member shall normally be
appointed to the Council for a period of two years from 1st August immediately following their
election, provided that they hold membership of the Senate throughout that period.
2.6.2.8 The Senate shall monitor and maintain appropriate academic standards, monitor and endeavour to
enhance the quality of academic provision, and approve new programmes.
2.6.2.9 The Senate shall appoint the internal examiners and external examiners of the University.
2.6.2.10 The Senate shall award Honorary Degrees, the title of Emeritus Professor and other University
distinctions.
2.6.2.11 The Senate shall determine what formalities shall attach to the conferment of Degrees and other
distinctions, including the associated use, where appropriate, of academic dress.
2.6.2.12 The Senate shall recommend to the Council the establishment and disestablishment of Colleges
and such other equivalent academic bodies as the Senate may from time to time consider
advantageous for the work of the University.
2.6.2.13 The Senate shall approve the institution and acceptance from external funding bodies of
Fellowships, Scholarships, Studentships, Grants, Bursaries, Prizes and other such aids to study
and research.
2.6.2.14 The Senate shall approve the constitution and terms of reference of the major College Committees
listed in Ordinance 2.4.2.6.2.15 The Senate may discuss and declare an opinion on any matter relating to the University, on
reference from the Council or otherwise, and to transmit such opinion to the Council.2.6.2.16 The
Senate shall generally exercise all such powers as are or may be conferred on the Senate by the
Charter and the Statutes, and to make Regulations in the exercise of the powers set out in this
Ordinance and of all other powers of the Senate.
