Charter

Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting! 

Whereas an humble Petition has been presented unto Us by the Governing Body of the Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford, praying that We should constitute and found a University within Our City of Salford for the advancement of knowledge, the diffusion and extension of arts, sciences and learning, the provision of liberal, professional scientific and technological education and for enabling Students to obtain the advantage of University education and for the furtherance of the objects for which the said Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford, was constituted under a Declaration of Trust dated the twenty-seventh day of March in the Year of our Lord, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-two, and that We should grant a Charter with such provisions in that behalf as shall seem to Us right and suitable:

And Whereas We have taken the said Petition into Our Royal Consideration and are minded to accede thereto:

Now therefore know ye that We by virtue of Our Prerogative Royal and of Our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion have willed and ordained and by these Presents do for Us, Our Heirs and Successors will and ordain as follows:-

1. There shall be and there is hereby constituted and founded in Our City of Salford a University with the name "The University of Salford" ("the University").
2. The Members for the time being of the Council, the Senate, the Staff of the University, the Graduates of the University, the Students of the University, the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and all others who shall pursuant to this Our Charter and the Statutes of the University be Members of the University are constituted and shall remain a single body politic and corporate with perpetual succession and a Common Seal by the name of "The University of Salford".
3. The objects of the University shall be to advance education and knowledge by teaching and research, and in doing so to foster an academic environment which is enterprising and applied to business and the professions, for the benefit of society at large.
4. The University has all the powers of a natural person including without limitation the following, in furtherance of its objects and so far as permitted by charity law:
   
   1. To award degrees and other academic awards and to withdraw such awards;
   2. To acquire, own, maintain, manage and dispose of real and other property;
   3. To solicit, receive and administer fees, grants, subscriptions, donations, endowments, legacies, gifts and loans of any property whatsoever whether real or personal;
   4. To act as trustees for and in relation to endowments, legacies and gifts;
   5. To invest any monies in the hands of the University and available for investment;
   6. To give guarantees;
   7. To borrow and raise money and give security for loans; and for those purposes the University shall have the authority to enter into any financial instrument which is ancillary or incidental to the exercise of such powers;
   8. To take such steps as may from time to time be deemed expedient for the purpose of procuring and receiving contributions to the funds of the University and to raise money in such other manner as the University may determine;
   9. To co-operate and collaborate with other institutions, award joint degrees or other awards, and affiliate or incorporate into the University any other institution and take over its property, rights and liabilities;
   10. To acquire, merge with or to enter into any partnership or joint venture arrangement with any other institution;
   11. To transfer the assets and liabilities of the University to any other charitable institutions with objects the same as or similar to the objects of the University;
   12. To grant titles and distinctions including fellowships, memberships and associateships of the University and to revoke the same;
   13. To enter into engagements and to accept obligations and liabilities in all respects without any restrictions whatsoever and in the same manner as an individual may manage his or her own affairs; and
   14. To do anything else necessary or convenient, whether incidental to these powers or not, in order to further the objects of the University as a place of education, learning and research.
5. The University may, and may only, confer benefits on members of the Council if the benefit has been authorised by the Council in accordance with the Ordinances. In this clause "benefit" includes:
   
   1. Buying any goods or services from the University;
   2. Selling goods, services or any interest in land to the University;
   3. Being employed by, or receiving any remuneration from the University;
   4. Receiving any other financial benefit from the University.
6. There shall be a Chancellor of the University who shall be entitled to confer Degrees and other academic awards of the University.
7. There shall be a Vice-Chancellor of the University who shall be the chief executive officer of the University and shall have a general responsibility to the Council for maintaining and promoting the efficiency and good order of the University. He or she shall also be the Chair of the Senate and shall in the absence of the Chancellor confer Degrees and other academic awards.
8. There shall be such other officers of the University as the Council may from time to time determine who shall perform such functions and duties as may be decided by the Council.
9. There shall be a Council of the University which shall be the University's supreme governing body and shall be responsible for the conduct of all of the affairs of the University with power to delegate its powers as provided in the Statutes, have oversight of the management and administration of the revenue and property of the University, and shall have the custody and use of the Common Seal.
10. There shall be a Senate of the University which shall oversee teaching, learning, education and research and maintain the academic quality and standards of the University.
11. There shall be a Students' Union of the University which shall conduct and manage its own affairs and funds in accordance with a constitution approved by the Council.
12. The property and funds of the University shall be used only for promoting the objects. If the University is dissolved, the assets (if any) remaining after providing for all its liabilities shall be applied in one or more of the following ways:
    
    1. by transfer to one or more other bodies established for exclusively charitable purposes within the same as or similar to the objects;
    2. directly for the objects or for charitable purposes which are within or similar to the objects; or
    3. in such other manner consistent with charitable status as the Privy Council approves in writing in advance.
13. Academic staff employed by the University shall have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom, and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or privileges.
14. The University shall be committed to the fair and equal treatment of every person and shall not discriminate on unjustified, irrelevant or unlawful grounds.
15.  
    
    1. The Statutes set out in the Schedule to this Our Charter shall remain in force until they shall have been amended, varied or repealed in the manner prescribed in the following provisions. 
    2. The Council may make Statutes amending, varying or repealing the Statutes; provided that such Statutes shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Our Charter, and shall not have effect until approved by the Lords of Our Most Honourable Privy Council, of which approval, a Certificate under the hand of the Clerk of Our said Privy Council shall be conclusive evidence.
    3. The Council may make Ordinances and may amend, vary or repeal any Ordinances so made.
16.  
    
    1. The Council may at any time, amend, vary or repeal this Our Charter at a meeting of which not less than ten working days' notice has been given to each of its members, by a resolution passed by not less than three-fourths of the members of Council present and voting and such amendment, variation or repeal shall, when allowed by Us, Our Heirs or Successors in Council, have effect so that this Our Charter shall continue and operate as though it had been originally granted and made as so amended, varied or repealed.
    2. This Article shall apply to this Our Charter as amended, varied or repealed.
    3. No Article or provision of this Our Charter shall be amended, varied or repealed otherwise than as prescribed in this Article or by Supplemental Charter
17. In this Our Charter "Statutes" means the Statutes set out in the Schedule and any Statutes amending, varying or repealing them which may be made and may be approved by the Lords of Our Most Honourable Privy Council. "Ordinances" means Acts of the Council of the University under the powers conferred by this Our Charter to which Our further sanction is not required. "Regulations" except when otherwise required by the context, means Regulations made pursuant to this Our Charter or to the Statutes or Ordinances.

Approved by Privy Council 11 June 2008; amendments approved by Privy Council 21 July 2010 and 13 July 2016.