Who we are and what we do
We have gathered on this page information that has been provided in response to enquirers' questions. If you have questions about the College, please look through our website as well as on this page to see whether you can find the information that you are looking for. If you can't, you can, of course, contact us: foi@queens.cam.ac.uk
First founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou and then, unusually, again in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville, Queens' is fiercely proud of its royal patronesses, including our most recent, Her Majesty The Queen. The history of the College, much like its architecture, is rich, complex and varied. The main College site sits astride the River Cam, the two halves joined across the river by the famous Mathematical Bridge - more correctly called The Wooden Bridge. This watery division can give visitors the impression of stepping across the bridge from the twentieth century to the fifteenth (or vice versa). Regardless of age of the buildings, the available space in College has been used to increase and improve facilities for the benefit of all members of the College. Even the famous medieval Old Hall is used for student concerts, parties, rehearsals and dinners.
The buildings of the College include examples from every century, from 1448 up to the 1990s. Several are Listed Buildings, and most of them lie in Conservation Areas. The care of historic buildings, whilst continuing to be excellent in both teaching and research, remains the prime objective of the College.
The most important sources of income to the College are the tuition fees it receives from its students and the rent and other charges it makes to them for the facilities provided. Queens' also has an active conference and banqueting operation, taking conferences of up to 300 delegates during the vacation and using the communal facilities of the college. This is an important additional part of the College's revenue.
Legal framework
How the institution is organised
The College is administered by the President under the ultimate authority of the Governing Body, comprising the President and all the Professorial and Offical Fellows of the College in accordance with the Statutes of the College, which are made by the Governing Body. The Governing Body normally meets three times termly. Rules relating to elections of the Governing Body may be found in the Statutes of the College.
The principal officers of the College include the President, the Vice-President, the Senior Bursar, the Senior Tutor, the Junior Bursar, the Tutors, the Dean of College and the Dean of Chapel, who are subject to the duties specified in the Statutes. The educational work of the College is performed by Directors of Studies and College Lecturers. The Heads of Department and staff of the College are listed here.
Location and contact details
Student activities
The principal student associations in the College are the Junior Combination Room (comprising both undergraduates and graduate students) and the Middle Combination Room (comprising graduate students).
The Junior Combination Room (JCR) has its own website.
The Middle Combination Room (MCR) has its own website.
What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information for the current and previous financial years is available as described below.
Funding/income
The funding of the College derives from College fees, charges to senior and junior members, the College's investment portfolio and other property, donations, and Gift Aid.
The income and expenditure of the College is described in further detail in the College Accounts.
You can read more in the The College's Statement of Investment Principles.
Budgetary and account information
Financial audit reports
Copies of the independent auditors' annual reports to the Governing Body of the College may be found here .
Financial regulations and procedures
The College's financial regulations and procedures can be found here.
Staff pay and grading structures
Details of the College's pay and grading structure are being updated.
Register of suppliers
The College does not have an approved list of suppliers, but in order to obtain best value for money engages in various consortium purchasing arrangements. The details of those arrangements are not included in this publication scheme for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
Procurement and tender procedures and reports
The College is not a public authority for the purpose of European Law relating to tendering requirements. Its normal practice in relation to capital works is to procure them through a tendering process.
Contracts
The College does not publish details of its commercial contracts.
What our priorities are and how we are doing
Annual report
The Annual Review of the College, which is published in its annual Accounts, may be found here.
Academic quality and standards
The academic assessment of students at the College is conducted through Tripos and other University examinations (for undergraduates) and through the Board of Graduate Studies of the University (for graduate students).
Information may be found on the University's website at www.cam.ac.uk.
Information about College procedures can be found here.
External review information
The Tomkins Table shows the comparative performance of Colleges in undergraduate examinations.
Government and regulatory reports
The College's annual Public Benefit Report may be found here when they are produced following charity registration.
How we make Decisions
Minutes from Governing Body
Unreserved Minutes of the Governing Body may be found here.
Teaching and learning committee minutes
There are no unreserved minutes.
Appointment committees and procedures
Minutes of appointments committees are not published because they contain personal information.
Advertisements for employment within the College may be found here.
Our policies and procedures
Policies and procedures for conducting College business
- The College's procedure for handling requests for information is as follows;
- All requests must be made in writing to the Senior Bursar.
- The College's procedure on Data Protection.
- The Access to Personal Data Request form.
- The College's procedure on CCTV usage.
Procedures and policies relating to academic and student services
- Information & Regulations
- Student admission and registration
- Student Fees & Charges
- Accommodation
- Internal student complaints and appeals, and code of student discipline
Procedures and policies relating to human resources
This information can be found in the Staff Handbook, the lastest version is available in hardcopy by contacting the HR Office.
Procedures and policies relating to recruitment
Current vacancies at the College may be found here.
Code of Conduct for members of Governing Body
The College's code relating to conflict of interests.
The form for register of interests.
Equality and Diversity
The College is committed to equal opportunities in the recruitment of its Fellows, students and staff.
Health and Safety
Estate management
The grounds and building maintenance policy can be found here.
Complaints policy
Complaints regarding requests for information relating to the Freedom of Information Act should be made in writing to The President of the College.
Charging regimes and policies
Details of the fee and charges levied by the College may be found here.
Charges made for the provision of information included in this publication scheme may arise if onerous.
Lists and registers
Any information we are currently legally required to hold in publicly available registers
There is none.
Register of gifts and hospitality provided to senior personnel
No register is considered necessary as business gifts and hospitality received by College personnel are of negligible value only.
The services we offer
Prospectus
The College admission prospectus may be obtained in hardcopy by email.
The University undergraduate admissions prospectus.
University graduate admissions information.
Services for outside bodies
The College does not normally provide services for outside bodies.
Course content
Course content information may be found here.
Welfare and counselling
Information concerning welfare and counselling services for students may be found here.
Information concerning the University Counselling Service may be found at www.counselling.cam.ac.uk.
Health including medical services
Information concerning the College Nurse and health services available to students may be found here.
Careers
Careers advice is available to members of the College at www.careers.cam.ac.uk.
Chaplaincy services
Information concerning the religious life of the College may be found here.
Services for which the College is entitled to recover a fee.
Information concerning College fees and charges may be found here.
Sports and recreational facilities
Information concerning College sporting and recreational facilities can be found here.
Museums, libraries, special collections and archives
Information concerning the College Library, including special exhibitions, may be found here.
Inquiries concerning the College Archives should be made to;
Email: archive@queens.cam.ac.uk
Conference facilities
Information concerning the College's catering and conference facilities may be found here.
Advice and guidance
Information concerning the Tutorial system and Direction of Studies, and other information concerning advice and guidance available to members of the College may be found here.
Local campaigns
Information concerning the College's Alumni Office may be found here.
Media releases