Notices

Calendar

17 December, Wednesday. Last ordinary issue of the Reporter in Michaelmas Term.

19 December, Friday. Michaelmas Term ends.

25 December, Thursday. Christmas Day. Scarlet Day.

5 January, Monday. Lent Term begins.

7 January, Wednesday. First ordinary issue of the Reporter in Lent Term.

13 January, Tuesday. Discussion by videoconference at 2 p.m. (see below and p. 162).

20 January, Tuesday. Full Term begins. Discussion in the Senate-House at 2 p.m. (see below).

Discussion on Tuesday, 13 January 2026

The Vice-Chancellor invites members of the Regent House, University and College employees, registered students and others qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 111) to attend a Discussion by videoconference on Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 2 p.m. The following item will be discussed:

1.Topic of concern to the University: Support for the Veterinary course (p. 162).

Those wishing to join the Discussion by videoconference should email UniversityDraftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk from their University email account, providing their CRSid (if a member of the collegiate University), by 10 a.m. on the date of the Discussion to receive joining instructions. Alternatively contributors may email their remarks to contact@proctors.cam.ac.uk, copying ReporterEditor@admin.cam.ac.uk, by no later than 10 a.m. on the day of the Discussion for reading out by the Proctors,1 or may ask someone else who is attending to read the remarks on their behalf.

In accordance with the regulations for Discussions, the Chair of the Board of Scrutiny or any ten members of the Regent House2 may request that the Council arrange for one or more of the items listed for discussion to be discussed in person (usually in the Senate-House). Requests should be made to the Registrary, on paper or by email to UniversityDraftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk from addresses within the cam.ac.uk domain, by no later than 9 a.m. on the day of the Discussion. Any changes to the Discussion schedule will be confirmed in the Reporter at the earliest opportunity.

For general information on Discussions see the Reporter website at https://www.reporter.admin.cam.ac.uk/discussions.

Discussion on Tuesday, 20 January 2026

The Vice-Chancellor invites members of the Regent House, University and College employees, registered students and others qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 111) to attend a Discussion on Tuesday, 20 January 2026. Following a request from the Chair of the Board of Scrutiny the Council has arranged for the Discussion to take place in person at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House.

The following items will be discussed:

1.Report of the Council on changes to Statutes G II and G III concerning College contributions, the Colleges Fund and College accounts (p. 169).

2.Report of the Council on the statutory exclusion of the Commissary’s jurisdiction in relation to staff disputes (p. 175).

3.Annual Report of the Council for the academic year 2024–25 (p. 176).

4. Annual Report of the General Board to the Council for the academic year 2024–25 (p. 183).

Attendees should aim to be seated in the Senate‑House by 1.55 p.m. with the Discussion starting promptly at 2 p.m. Matriculated members of the University are requested to wear gowns; a small number of gowns are kept on site and may be borrowed on arrival.

Contributors unable to attend the Discussion in person may email their remarks to contact@proctors.cam.ac.uk, copying ReporterEditor@admin.cam.ac.uk, by no later than 10 a.m. on the day of the Discussion for reading out by the Proctors,1 or may ask someone else who is attending to read the remarks on their behalf.

Amending Statutes for Peterhouse

15 December 2025

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that she has received from the Governing Body of Peterhouse, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(2) of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act 1923, the text of proposed Statutes to amend the Statutes of the College. The current Statutes of the College and the proposed amendments are available on the College’s website at: https://www.pet.cam.ac.uk/important-information.

The Council will consider the amendments after 10 a.m. on Friday, 9 January 2026.

Amending Statutes for Robinson College

15 December 2025

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that she has received from the Governing Body of Robinson College, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(2) of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act 1923, the text of proposed Statutes to amend the Statutes of the College. The current Statutes of the College and the proposed amendments are available on the College’s website at: https://www.robinson.cam.ac.uk/college-life/documents-and-policy/foia-publications.

The Council will consider the amendments after 10 a.m. on Friday, 9 January 2026.

Anti-slavery and anti-trafficking statement and policy

11 December 2025

In accordance with Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the University is required to prepare an anti-slavery and anti-trafficking statement for each financial year, setting out what steps it has taken to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place in its business or supply chains. The University’s statement for the financial year ended 31 July 2025 is published below, together with its policy on the issue.

Anti-slavery and anti-trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31 July 2025 (pursuant to Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015)

Legal status and activities

The University of Cambridge is a common law corporation and is an exempt charity under the Charities Act 2011. The incorporation of the University was confirmed by the Oxford and Cambridge Act 1571, which confirmed its corporate title of ‘The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge’. The University operates in the higher education sector and consists of academic Schools, Faculties and Departments, libraries and other collections, administrative departments and, for the purposes of this statement, includes its wholly owned companies as listed in the University’s Financial Statements.1 Its mission is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment (which provides publishing and examination services) is a department of the University rather than a separate legal entity. However, it has broader supply chains and consequently has produced its own anti-slavery and anti-trafficking statement.2

Policy

The University has implemented and keeps under regular review an Anti-slavery and anti-trafficking policy (latest version published below) reflecting its commitment to combatting slavery and human trafficking and to acting with integrity in all its dealings, relationships, and supply chains. The policy outlines how the University’s various procurement and HR practices, policies and procedures ensure compliance with its policy commitment.

Activity in the year ending 31 July 2025

Throughout 2024–25, the University has continued to run the various controls and activities outlined in its policy, notably through the ongoing operation of established supplier due diligence and approval procedures and the continued use of its online training module on this topic. The University operates a Supplier Code of Conduct as a further safeguard against its indirect involvement in modern slavery or human trafficking. As before, it added its statement for the previous financial year (2023–24) to the national Modern Slavery Statement Registry. It continued to ensure that modern slavery considerations remain embedded appropriately within its ongoing Procurement transformation programme.

The University did not receive any reports of instances of modern slavery or human trafficking in the financial year ending 31 July 2025.

The University will continue to raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking and of the need for proper due diligence and risk assessment processes to be applied by staff and suppliers, in accordance with its policy.

Plans for 2025–26

During 2025–26, the University will review the content and structure of its annual anti-slavery and anti-trafficking statement and policy in light of the government’s updated statutory guidance on transparency in supply chains, with a view to enhancing its statement and publishing more information in future years. It will strive for risk-based continuous improvement in its activities to combat slavery and human trafficking and to act with integrity in all its dealings, relationships, and supply chains.

This annual statement was signed by the Vice-Chancellor and approved by the Council on 11 December 2025.

Anti-slavery and anti-trafficking policy

Modern slavery encompasses slavery, forced and compulsory labour, and human trafficking whereby individuals are deprived of their freedom and are exploited for commercial or personal gain as defined in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The University is committed to combatting slavery and human trafficking and to acting with integrity in all its dealings, relationships, and supply chains. It expects the same high standards from all its staff, suppliers, contractors, and those with whom it does business. This policy applies to all employees, workers, consultants, and other persons doing business with the University including all its wholly owned companies, contractors, and suppliers. It does not, however, apply to Cambridge University Press & Assessment, which operates its own procedures and has developed its own policy.1

The University acknowledges the risk that a supply chain may involve the use of a hidden or unknown subcontractor reliant on forced labour. Although the University as a higher education institution considers the risk of modern slavery to be low due to the nature of its supply chains, it takes its responsibilities to combat modern slavery seriously as demonstrated by its promotion and adoption of the following policy measures:

•The prevention, detection, and reporting of modern slavery in any part of its business or supply chains is the responsibility of all those working for the University or under its control.

•Appropriate due diligence processes must be carried out in relation to modern slavery which may include considering human rights in a sector or country, the type of sector in which a service provider operates, the countries from which services are provided, the nature of relationships with suppliers, and the complexity of supply chain(s).

•All supply chain lines need to be periodically risk assessed and managed in relation to modern slavery and checks conducted on high-risk suppliers. The University’s standard procurement and contract procedures and documentation2 address anti-slavery and anti-trafficking. The procurement source to contract portal requires suppliers to sign up to the Supplier Code of Conduct, which includes compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 as part of due diligence processes. Under the supplier approval process the University’s Finance Division reviews all new suppliers, any changes to existing suppliers and re-activation requests taking this into account.

•The University has developed an online training module on anti-slavery and anti-trafficking and completion is required or encouraged for a range of relevant new and existing employees, including all Finance Division staff and those in financial or purchasing roles across the wider University.

•The University highlights modern slavery issues within its ongoing communications programmes with the University’s Departments, Faculties and other Institutions and with current trade suppliers to maintain and increase awareness of the issue.

•The University encourages anyone to raise any concerns about modern slavery, using its whistleblowing3 policy if necessary, and will support anyone who acts in good faith.

•The University’s recruitment, Dignity@Work, equalities, and remuneration and reward policies and procedures4 support its efforts to combat modern slavery and human trafficking.

•The University will continue to develop its commitment to combat modern slavery and human trafficking and will outline such activities within its annual anti-slavery and anti-trafficking statement.

Any breaches of this policy may result in the University taking disciplinary action against individual(s) and/or terminating its relationship with any organization or supplier.

This policy is managed by the Governance and Compliance Division and was last approved by the Council on 11 December 2025.

Topic of concern to the University: Support for the Veterinary course

12 December 2025

The Director of Governance and Compliance gives notice that she has received the following request for the discussion of a Topic of concern to the University:

This request is supported by the 93 members of the Regent House listed in Annex A.

The Council has agreed that this topic will be included on the agenda of an additional Discussion on Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 2 p.m. by videoconference (see p. 159).

Annex A

Change and Programme Management Board: Terms of reference

In June 2025, the General Board approved revised terms of reference for the Change and Programme Management Board. The revised terms of reference are available on the Governance and Compliance Division website at: https://www.governanceandcompliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/university-committees/change-and-programme-management-board.