Strong institutions depend on openness, accountability, fairness and the confidence of the people they serve. At ARU, these principles shape how we govern the University, protect the rights and safety of our community, respond to concerns and make information about our decisions and performance publicly accessible.
Our governance structures are supported by published policies and procedures covering equality, safeguarding, academic standards, complaints, data protection and public access to information, helping create a University where staff and students are treated fairly and can hold the institution to account.
Transparent and accountable governance
ARU operates as a higher education corporation and exempt charity, with oversight provided through its formal governance arrangements and Board of Governors. We publish an annual report and accounts alongside information about its strategy, leadership, policies and procedures, providing public visibility of how the institution is governed. Academic governance is supported by ARU's Senate and associated committees, with formal processes covering areas including academic regulations, quality assurance, appeals and collaborative provision.
Ensuring people can raise concerns and challenge decisions
Accountable organisations need effective mechanisms through which people can question decisions or raise concerns. At ARU, we publish procedures for student complaints and academic appeals, with our Student Complaints Procedure designed to ensure concerns are handled fairly, consistently and in a timely manner. Students are not penalised for making a genuine complaint, while academic appeals provide a separate mechanism for challenging academic decisions.
Embedding equality and inclusion in institutional governance
Inclusive institutions need to understand and address inequalities within their own communities. ARU's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy sets out institutional commitments to equity and inclusion, while we publicly report staff profile, recruitment and pay-gap information as part of our Public Sector Equality Duty. Governance is supported by dedicated steering groups covering equity, student success and access and participation, alongside mandatory EDI training for staff.
Promoting ethical and responsible procurement
We also use our institutional policies to address exploitation in our supply chains. The University publishes an annual Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement and state our commitment to purchasing goods and services without contributing to slavery, servitude or forced labour. We explicitly link this commitment to the UK Government's implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with statements publicly available for successive years, including our current, 9th statement covering the period 2025-26.
Last updated: October 2026
To request additions, corrections or changes to the information in these pages, please contact: Dr Zareen Bharucha: [email protected]. Please use the subject line ‘ARU SDG’.