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The Board Vacancies Portal was launched in 2018 as part of a collaborative effort between Advance HE, Committee University Chairs (CUC), the 30% Club and the Association of University Heads of Administration. It provides a central place for higher education institutions and colleges to advertise governor and non-executive director roles.  The Portal also acts as a central location for anyone interested in becoming a governor and supporting important work diversifying higher education boards. Since its launch in 2018, the Portal has seen over 330 vacancies posted by universities and colleges recruiting board members and non-executive directors.

Advance HE and CUC committed to developing the Portal in its second phase.  The Portal aims to increase engagement and routes into becoming a member of a higher education governing body and support board diversification from those who are both new and already experienced in higher education.  It exists to increase the reach and impact of potential governors and non-executive directors by providing a singular place to access the variety of vacancies across the higher education sector.

A recent survey by Advance HE with Governance Professionals revealed that 30% of respondents found the Portal increased the number of candidates, 25% found it hadn’t, and 45% noticed no difference. On increasing diversity, only 5% of respondents said it had, with 70% noting no difference. As such, work must be undertaken to ensure the Portal supports board diversification practice.  When seeking feedback on improving the Portal, respondents suggested, “It needs to be more visible externally, ie, to those who aren’t actively searching for it”, and “I wonder if there is any way to make it more visible publicly and drive traffic to it.  Currently, you have to know it’s there”.

Committee of University Chairs (CUC)

The CUC works with the UK’s higher education sector and stakeholders to support the advancement of education, governance excellence, and the effective stewardship of HE Institution stakeholder funds. They bring together governing body Chairs to share information, experience, and advice on university governance issues in a supportive environment and work with both members and sector bodies to develop their working knowledge and skills through development programmes and publications.

More specifically, CUC:

  • provide information and guidance on best practice in higher education governance. The CUC is responsible for producing the Higher Education Code of Governance alongside a collection of supplementary publications to guide chairs when considering arrangements at their institutions. This includes providing benchmarking information on sensitive topics such as executive pay.
  • support the continuous professional development of Chairs (and their governing bodies) to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities at the highest level; this includes but is not limited to:
    • providing a source of peer-to-peer support for Chairs;
    • encouraging collaboration between Chairs where possible and desirable;
    • informing Chairs of developments affecting higher education;
    • facilitating discussions between Chairs on key issues affecting higher education providers to enhance understanding and improve their effectiveness;
    • liaising with other bodies on issues arising from the core concerns of governing bodies to develop its programme of education, learning and development;
    • explaining the importance of accountability to stakeholders and society;
  • promote effective stewardship of HEIs, ensuring proper and effective use of stakeholder funds;
  • engage with other bodies to influence governance policy and develop its programme of education, learning and development.

Advance HE

Advance HE is a member-led charity of and for the sector that works with partners across the globe to improve higher education for staff, students and society.

Our three strategic goals support the priorities of our members and the higher education sector:

  1. Enhance confidence and trust in HE
  2. Address systemic inequalities and advance education to meet the evolving needs of students and society.
  3. Support the work of our members and the HE sector.

We are experts in higher education, with a particular focus on governance. teaching and learning, leadership development and equality, diversity and inclusion. We work with our network of global associates and partners and with people, providers and systems around the world to understand different contexts and challenges in the higher education sector and to deliver solutions.

We deliver our support through a variety of channels, applying our expertise and sharing best practice. These include professional development programmes, events, fellowships, awards and surveys, as well as consultancy and enhancement services.

In addition, our membership provides a range of research, knowledge and resources for members, as well as accreditation for teaching and learning and equality charters that aim to advance gender and race equality in higher education and research.

Good governance helps to deliver impactful education and demonstrates confidence and trust for stakeholders.

The effectiveness of a board depends on strong foundations based on the right behaviours, high-quality information, sound processes and skilled governance professionals. Even more so during turbulent times, understanding what is effective in your context is essential to navigate uncertainty and be fit for the future.

Building on our sector experience, we provide access to an extensive range of resources to help support and develop governors, governance professionals, institutions and systems of governance across the world.

You can view more about how Advance HE supports higher education governance here.

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