The University is not a company and is therefore not registered as such.
The University is an exempt charity for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011. This means that, unlike most other charitable trusts, it is not required to be formally registered with the Charity Commission and does not have a registered charity number.
The Office for Students (OfS) became the principal regulator of higher education providers (including those which are exempt charities) on 1 April 2018, taking over from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
Trustees
The members of the University’s Board of Governors are also the Trustees of the University for the purposes of charity law. Information about the University’s trustees can be found on the Board of Governors page.
Constitutional documents
The main constitutional documents of the University are:
- Instrument signed by The Secretary of State for Education and Science recording the designation of Sunderland Polytechnic
- Extracts from the Education Reform Act 1998
- The Education (Higher Education Corporation) Orders 1988
- Extracts from the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
- Resolution from the Board of Governors
- Power to Award Degrees (England and Wales)
- Privy Council Letter
- Extract from the Charities Act Schedule 2(h)
- Articles of Government effective from 4 July 2024
- Instruments of Government effective from 4 July 2024
- University of Sunderland Armorial Bearings
Published: 19 September 2024