Due Diligence Panel

Committee description

Secretary: Gill Murphy, Gilllian.murphy@liverpool.ac.uk

Terms of Reference

The Panel’s responsibilities and decision-making powers are to evaluate the potential legal, financial, reputational, regulatory, safety, quality and other significant risks arising from the proposals submitted and identify controls where appropriate, as follows:

  1. To undertake an initial strategic assessment of all new collaborative partners for teaching and postgraduate research collaborative arrangements which lead to the awarding of academic credit or an award of the University: assessing strategic fit in the context of the University’s Strategic Plan. To make a recommendation for approval / non-approval to the Senior Leadership Team.
  2. To undertake an initial strategic assessment of all new international partners for Admissions and Advanced Entry Agreements, permitting entry into Levels 4 and 5 only, in line with the University’s Strategic Plan. To make a recommendation for approval / non-approval to the Senior Leadership Team.
  3. To assess due diligence information in relation to institutionally significant project proposals and provide advice and guidance on potential risks to the project lead.
  4. To make recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team for approval/non-approval of appropriate partners and Research projects identified as high risk.
  5. To make recommendations for types of approval activity in accordance with the University’s Taxonomy of Collaborative Arrangements.
  6. To reconsider due diligence information in light of change of refined project plans, ownership of partner organisations and/or other material change.
  7. To consider requests to approve Memoranda of Understanding, and take the decision whether to approve.
  8. To note partnership arrangements with a professional, statutory and regulatory body.
  9. To consider the Renewal of Existing Partnerships / Partnership Arrangements and provide confirmation of support to the Institutional Review panel
  10. To make recommendations for approval/non-approval of new partners by XJTLU to the Senior Leadership Team.
  11. To consider the Renewal of Existing Partnerships / Partnership Arrangements at XJTLU and make a recommendation for renewal to XJTLU.
  12. To note the development of Degree Apprenticeships with existing or new partners who have completed the required health and safety processes as outlined by the Education and Skills Funding Agency Funding Regulations. 

Reporting Relationships

The Due Diligence Panel will recommend approvals/non-approvals to the Senior Leadership Team and report to the Collaborative Provision Committee/Research and Impact Committee as appropriate.

Frequency of Meetings

The Due Diligence Panel meets monthly, with additional meetings arranged as necessary.

Quorum

The quorum for meetings of the Due Diligence Panel shall be one half of the membership, including at least one academic representative.

Members or key people

Chair (or alternate designated by the Chair)
Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor		 Professor Richard Black
Deputy Chair - The Director of Academic Quality and Standards Ms Trish Barker
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement and Partnerships Professor Tariq Ali
Academic representative from Humanities & Social Sciences* Professor Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou
Academic representative from Health and Life Sciences*    Professor Peter McCormick
(Dr Christine Cornforth)
Academic representative from Science and Engineering* Professor Doug Mair
(Professor Peter North)
Head of Global Engagement and Partnerships Ms Christine Bateman
The Director of Legal and Compliance Mr David McVey
(nominee for Mr Kevan Ryan)
The Director of Finance (or nominee) Mr Roger Bickerstaff
Associate Director, International Recruitment, Relations and Global Opportunities Mr Dan Stephenson
Director of Student Experience and Enhancement Dr Paul Redmond
Representative from the Liverpool Guild of Students Ms Lina Dubbins
Assistant Director, Research, Partnership’s and Innovation Ms Lynsey Keig
Representative from Strategic Planning Ms Ann Rees/Phil Hopwood

•    Other members may be co-opted or invited to attend for specific meetings at the discretion of the Panel.
•    The Panel may establish time-limited groups as necessary to deal with pertinent issues.

Invited to Attend

Alternatives to be nominated by the Faculty EPVC, department or team lead as appropriate.

If non-University staff or University staff who are not members of the Panel wish to attend, then a formal written request must be made to the Chair who will then decide whether the attendance at the meeting is appropriate.

A deputy should attend the Panel in the event that a Panel member is unavailable.

Meeting dates

  • 4 September 2024, 2.00 pm
  • 3 October 2024, 10.00 am
  • 7 November 2024, 10.00 am
  • 5 December 2024, 2.00 pm
  • 8 January 2025, 10.00 am
  • 5 February 2025, 10.00 am
  • 5 March 2025, 1.30 pm
  • 16 April 2025, 2.00 pm
  • 14 May 2025, 10.00 am
  • 12 June 2025, 10.00 am
  • 30 July 2025, 10.00 am

A full schedule of Committee meeting dates can be viewed here.