INTRODUCTION
1. Legal requirement
1.1 Adopting a publication scheme is a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act promotes greater openness and accountability across the public sector by requiring all ‘public authorities’ to make information available proactively, through a publication scheme.
1.2 ‘Public authorities’ are defined in the Act and include universities, further education colleges and sixth form colleges.
2. What is a publication scheme?
2.1 A publication scheme is a document which describes the information a public authority publishes, or intends to publish. In this context, ‘publish’ means to make information available, routinely. These descriptions are called ‘classes of information’. The scheme is not a list of the actual publications, because this will change as new material is published or existing material revised. It is, however, the public authority’s commitment to make available the information described.
2.2 A publication scheme must set out the classes, or categories, of information published. It must also make clear how the information described can be accessed and whether or not charges will be made.
3. The ‘model’ publication scheme for higher education
3.1 The University of Lincoln has adopted the model publication scheme developed for the Higher sector and is therefore committed to publishing the information it describes.
3.2 This model is designed for universities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the model is to save institutions duplicating effort in producing individual schemes and to assist the public in accessing information from across the sector. However, to reflect the diversity in size and function of institution, a number of optional classes of information are included. As a result, models within the sector will vary slightly. Any optional classes relevant to us have been included in our scheme.
3.3 To assist with the development of the model, a number of institutions across the sector volunteered as pilots. Information about the pilot exercise is available from the JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) website at: www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=mps_overview
4.1 The University of Lincoln is one of the UK’s most popular universities. In 2003 it attracted the highest increase in degree applications from students of any university in the country. An innovative and distinctive university, it offers state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities in stunning locations in a beautiful cathedral city. The University started life as the Hull School of Art in 1861, but the focus moved to Lincoln in 1996 when HM The Queen opened the new £32 million Brayford Pool campus. Other predecessor institutions include the Hull School of Architecture, two teacher training colleges in Hull, the Lincoln School of Art & Design, the Lincolnshire School of Agriculture. In other words, the University has a long history of educational provision in Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire.
4.1 In 2001 the University took the decision to adopt the name ‘University of Lincoln’ and move its corporate headquarters from Hull to Lincoln.
4.2 The mission of the University is to be recognised as a university of quality and distinction.
4.3 Lincoln was one of the first universities in the UK to undergo an institutional audit under the new system introduced in 2003 by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). After an extensive period of scrutiny the agency’s auditors expressed the highest level of confidence in the University of Lincoln. In particular three areas of good practice were highlighted:
· the academic and personal support available to students,
· the use being made of programme specifications to articulate learning outcomes and criteria of assessment, and
4.4 More information about the University of Lincoln, including much of the information covered by this publication scheme, is available on our web site - www.lincoln.ac.uk.
5. Accessing information covered by the publication scheme
5.1 The classes of information we publish are described in the second part of the scheme.
5.2 Next to each class we have indicated the manner in which the information described will be available. We have also indicated whether charges apply to material in each class.
5.3 To request information available through our publication scheme, please contact:
5.4 Please note that a publication scheme relates to ‘published’ information. Therefore, material covered has already been prepared in a format ready for distribution.
6. What about information not covered by the publication scheme?
6.1 From 1 January 2005 you will have the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request any information held by a public authority which it has not already made available through its publication scheme.
6.2 Requests will have to be made in writing and, in general, public authorities will have 20 working days to respond. They may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. They will not be required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies. However, public authorities may be required to explain to the applicant why they are not releasing information and they may also have to justify this to the Information Commissioner.
7.1 It is important that this publication scheme meets your needs. If you find the scheme difficult to understand, please let us know. We also welcome suggestions as to how our scheme might be improved. Any questions, comments or complaints about this scheme should be sent in writing to the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator below.
The University Registrar
University of Lincoln
Brayford Pool
Lincoln
LN6 7TS
7.2 If we are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Information Commissioner, the independent body who oversees the Freedom of Information Act:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Please note that Scotland has its own Freedom of Information Act and Information Commissioner. For more information, please see the Scottish Executive’s website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/government/foi |