OXFORD UNIVERSITY: The Structure of the University

Oxford is an independent and autonomous institution, which is composed of central University and colleges.

The Vice-Chancellor, which carries a term of up to seven years, is the principal agent of the University. Five pro-vice-chancellors are specific functional responsibility for development and external affairs, education, personnel and equal opportunity; planning and resources, and Research. The chancellor, who is usually an eminent person elected to public life, serves as the titular head of the University, chaired by all major ceremonies.

The main body is the University Council, which has 26 members, including those who were elected by the congregation, representatives of colleges and four members from outside the university. Council is responsible for academic policy and strategic direction of the University, and operates through four main committees: Educational Policy and Standards; general-purpose, personnel, and planning and resource allocation.

The ultimate responsibility for matters of legislation back to the congregation, which has more than 4000 members of the academic, senior research, library, museum and administrative staff.

Day by day decision-making in areas such as finance and planning vests at the University of four academic divisions - humanities, mathematics and physical sciences, medical sciences and the social sciences. Each division has a full-time division and division leader elected board. Lifelong learning is the responsibility of a separate executive board.

The thirty-nine colleges, though independent and autonomous, is a central element of the university, to which they are linked in a federal system, a bit like the United States. Over time, each college is granted a charter approved by the Privy Council, under which it is headed by a Chief of the Assembly and a Board of Trustees composed of a number of scholars, most of whom held also posts University. There are also seven permanent private halls, which were founded by different Christian denominations, and which retain their religious character. Thirty colleges and seven rooms to admit for both students graduate degrees. Seven other colleges are only for graduates, one, All Souls, only fellows, and another, Kellogg College, lifelong learning supports the work of the University for adults, part-time and Development Vocational students.