External Effectiveness Review
In line with governance good practice and the Committee of University Chairs' (CUC) Higher Education Code of Governance, which recommends higher education institutions carry out regular effectiveness reviews with external assistance, the University's governing body, the Board of Trustees, periodically commissions reviews to ensure that the institution's governance processes are appropriate, robust, and fit for purpose.
In the most recent review in 2025, the independent Halpin Partnership concluded that the University of Bristol demonstrates "a mature, well-structured and forward-looking approach to governance that compares favourably with sector-leading practice", with a majority of "leading-edge" standards measured against the Halpin Governance Maturity Framework.
The report also identified areas for improvement to enhance existing "good" practices further. The implementation of the recommendations arising from the review will be monitored by the Nominations Committee and reported to the Board of Trustees.
In response to the review, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Mr Jack Boyer OBE, said: "The Board has appreciated the professional and meticulous approach Halpin has undertaken to assess our practices, and is delighted with their findings in recognising Bristol as one of the top governed universities that they worked with. We will continue to reflect and improve our practices, and the University Secretary will lead the implementation of the recommendations, fully supported by the Board."
Read the latest governance effectiveness report (PDF, 708kB)