In United Kingdom

universities A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

, ordinances, sometimes termed regulations, are detailed legislation that translates the broad principles of the university's charter and statutes. Most UK universities created before 1992 are established by

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...

. Under their charters, they are empowered to make statutes, but any changes to these require the approval of the

Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

. However, the charter and statutes empower the university to create and modify ordinances. These constitute more detailed legislation that translates the broad principles enshrined in charter and statutes into practical effect. Typically any change to ordinances will require the agreement of the governing body of the university. Ordinances frequently require or allow the promulgation of regulations which can be approved by lesser bodies. Because of their different history, universities created since 1992 (the so-called "

new universities In the UK, a post-1992 university, synonymous with new university or modern university, is a former polytechnic or central institution that was given university status through the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, or an institution that h ...

") have a different scheme of governance, and a different vocabulary to accompany it. Some university systems influenced by the UK model, particularly in the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

, use the word ''ordinance'' in the same way.

References

Academic terminology Statutory law University governance {{UK-university-stub