UKRI governance arrangements enable clear accountability and efficient decision-making. Our governance arrangements:
- support development and delivery of our overall strategy
- enable our CEO to perform their role as accountable officer
- empower each of the councils and executive chairs to take a leading role in their area, consistent with the commitment to subsidiarity in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017
Our main governance bodies are the UKRI Board and the Executive Committee, which provide strategy advice to the Board and is the day-to-day coordinating body for UKRI executive activity.
Each of the nine councils has Council members who play a critical role in our strategy development and governance. Council members work with their Executive Chair to deliver their council’s aims and objectives and to support UKRI’s overall mission.
The UKRI framework document (PDF, 750KB) sets out the governance arrangements between UKRI and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Read more about our relationship with the government.
We have our own internal governance framework which will work with, and be informed by, this framework document, the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 and other relevant policies and guidance.
Good governance in public sector organisations recognises the need to have arrangements in place that prevent, counter and deal with potential conflicts of interest.
UKRI Board
The UKRI Board is our primary governing body. It has general oversight of UKRI’s activities and is responsible for achieving UKRI’s strategic objective and vision.
Read more about the UKRI Board.
Executive committee
Our Executive Committee provides strategic advice to the UKRI Board and is the day-to-day coordinating body for UKRI activity.
Read more about the UKRI Executive Committee.
UKRI committees
UKRI has a number of non-executive committees, which are responsible for advising and guiding the UKRI Board and Executive Committee.
Read more about the UKRI committees.
Council members
Each council is led by an Executive Chair advised by a council of external members.
See the Council members.
Board, Executive and Council conference
The Board, Executive and Council conference took place on 29 November 2023 at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge.
The conference was attended by over 70 delegates from UKRI Councils, Executive Chairs and senior leaders, UKRI Board members and Chair, and UKRI Chief Executive Officer.
The event provided an opportunity for members of the Board, Executive and Councils to come together in person to celebrate the achievements of UKRI over the past five years, and look forward to the next five years through a series of breakout discussions.
See the spotlight presentations celebrating five years of UKRI investment across the UK.
How our councils are governed
Our councils have their own governance groups and structure.