# Cambridge University Council

The Council of the University of Cambridge is the principal executive and policy-making body, having responsibility for the administration of the university, for the planning of its work and for the management of its resources. Since the Regent House is the governing body of the university, the council must report and be accountable to the Regents through a variety of checks and balances. It has the right to report to the university and is obliged to advise the Regent House on matters of general concern to the university. It performs both functions by authorising notices to be published in the Cambridge University Reporter, its official journal.
Cambridge University is an exempt charity, under the Charities Act 2011 regulated by the Office for Students. Under charity law its trustees are members of the University Council.

## Membership

Membership of the council consists of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University (the chancellor, primarily a ceremonial post, is appointed ad vitam, while the vice-chancellor is de facto the principal academic and administrative officer), nineteen elected members, and four appointed members, divided into classes as follows:
* Four heads of colleges
* Four professors or readers
* Eight from the other members of the Regent House
* Three students: ex-officio the undergraduate and postgraduate presidents of the Cambridge Students' Union as well as an independently-elected current student
* Four external members

## Current constitution

| Position | Name | Term Ending |
| Chancellor* | Lord Sainsbury of Turville, K | LIFE |
| Vice-Chancellor | Prof. Deborah Prentice | 30 September 2024 |
| Heads of Colleges |||
| President of Lucy Cavendish College | Prof. Dame Madeleine Atkins, LC | 31 December 2020 |
| President of St John's | Heather Hancock, JN | 31 December 2024 |
| Master of Fitzwilliam | Baroness Morgan of Huyton, F | 31 December 2022 |
| Master of Clare Hall | Prof. Alan Short, CLH | 31 December 2022 |
| Professors or Readers |||
| Professor of Cardiovascular Pharmacology | Prof. Anthony Davenport, CTH | 31 December 2024 |
| Professor of Portuguese Literature and Culture | Prof. Maria Manuel Lisboa, JN | 31 December 2024 |
| Professor of Photonics$^†$ | Prof. Richard Penty, SID | 31 December 2022 |
| Professor in Modern Literature and Culture | Prof. Jason Scott-Warren, CAI | 31 December 2012 |
| Other members of Regent House |||
| | Dr Zoe Adams | 31 December 2024 |
| | Dr Ruth Lisa Chadwick Charles, N | 31 December 2022 |
| | Dr Nicholas Holmes, T | 31 December 2022 |
| | Dr Ann Kaminski | 31 December 2024 |
| | Dr Philip Knox | 31 December 2022 |
| | Dr Andrew Sanchez | 31 December 2022 |
| | Dr Mike Sewell, SEL | 31 December 2024 |
| | Dr Pieter van Houten, CHU | 31 December 2024 |
| Three student members |||
| CSU Undergraduate President | Sarah Anderson, F | 30 June 2025 |
| CSU Postgraduate President | Sumouli Bhattacharjee, F | 30 June 2025 |
| Student University Councilor | Alex Myall, R | 30 June 2025 |
| Four external members |||
| | Gaenor Bagley | 31 December 2024 |
| | Sharon Flood | 31 December 2022 |
| | Prof. Sir David Greenaway | 31 December 2024 |
| | Mark Lewisohn$^‡$, CHR | 31 December 2022 |
* The Chancellor (currently Lord Sainsbury of Turville) is not expected to attend meetings
† Professor Richard Penty currently serves as Master of Sidney Sussex College
‡ Mark Lewisohn also acts as Deputy Chairman of Council

### External members

From January 2005, the membership of the council included two external members. The Regent House voted to increase the number of external members from two to four in March 2008, being approved by The Queen in July 2008.

## Meetings

The council normally meets once per month, except August, in the Council Room at the Old Schools. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused meetings to be held via Zoom.