AUA Code of Professional Standards

AUA 's code of professional standards underpins its continuing professional development scheme and establishes the framework within which it expects its members to act. The Code was developed from issues identified by delegates at the annual AUA conference held in Birmingham in 1999. AUA consulted extensively with its membership before launching the code, which is endorsed by the Association of Heads of University Administration, in April 2000.

Foreword

'No-one is in any doubt that universities and colleges are complex institutions to manage. University administrators must strike a balance between the needs of a number of stakeholders. They are responsible in many ways for the welfare of our institutions, for the interests of staff and students, for dealing with suppliers of goods and services, as well as having a regard to the broader public interest and the proper use of funds. A set of professional standards which an individual can turn to when there appears to be a tension between corporate and individual professional values is essential.

I welcome AUA's code of professional standards, which provides the framework of core values and principles to underpin the profession of university administration.

Lord Nolan

Introduction

AUA is an open and accessible body for all those with administrative and managerial responsibilities in higher education. The Association is committed to raising the profile of the profession and to developing best practice and the highest standards of professionalism in higher education management and administration.

AUA’s members have a wide range of professional interests, expertise and experience. All those who work in higher education share responsibility for the furtherance of lifelong learning: students, academics, administrators, managers and support staff, whatever their specialisms and particular interests, increasingly operate to a common national and international agenda. Administrators and managers are key members of the teams responsible for delivering high quality research, learning, teaching and knowledge transfer.

The work of the Nolan (now Neill) Committee on Standards in Public Life, emphasises the need for all those working in higher education to observe the highest standards of professionalism. The AUA code of professional standards is a welcome development in achieving and sustaining this goal.

The Code

This code of values and principles establishes the framework within which AUA expects its members to set the highest standards of professionalism. In order to demonstrate this professionalism and their commitment and contribution to higher education, AUA members are expected to:

provide high quality professional services;
develop an appreciation of the academic culture, of the traditions and values of the organisations and institutions through which it is sustained, and of the roles of colleagues at all levels and in all branches of higher education;
be sensitive to the multiplicity of clients served by the higher education administrator and to the need to balance conflicting demands;
act with integrity, honesty, fairness, professional impartiality and diligence and without discrimination;
observe due care, objectivity and respect for confidentiality;
be explicit and straightforward in their dealings with colleagues and clients;
ensure that personal interest does not override the needs of clients;
accept responsibility for their actions;
challenge existing practices and ideas when necessary;
be committed to their own personal and professional development by seeking new knowledge and skills to enhance professional performance;
foster the development of others by sharing expertise and good practice and by encouraging employers to support professional development.