Our Publication Scheme

Under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act Cranfield University publishes this document to enable members of the public to more easily find the information they are seeking and give guidance as to what information is readily available and where to find it.

• The scheme which follows represents the gateway to information about Cranfield University, its structure, operating methods and activities.
• Cranfield University is addressing the Act as a means of providing greater openness and accountability.
• Cranfield University has a decentralized administrative structure and culture. The university comprises some central administration and autonomous academic areas known as “schools”. Schools have their own administrative teams, who work with central administration.
• Beyond a core subset of essential information there is a variation in practice in records creation and information dispersal by each school.
• It has been agreed that it is desirable to publish as much information as possible by the web. This information will be provided in the form of central information and school specific information.
• If requested, printed information can be supplied, but may be subject to a charge.
• Any questions or queries regarding this publication should be addressed to:
  Freedom of Information Officer, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL.

Rights of access

From 1 January 2005 you have the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request any information (subject to certain exemptions) held by a public authority, including Cranfield University, which they have not already made available through their publication scheme. Requests have to be made in writing and in general public authorities will have 20 working days to respond. Public authorities may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. Public authorities are not required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies.

Exemptions

The Act stipulates that there may be a number of occasions when a public authority does not need to make information freely available. These exemptions include, for example, when to make information available would breach the Data Protection Act or national security. However Cranfield University's policy is to disclose as much information about its activities on its website in the spirit of openness befitting the organisation.

Refusal of a request

Should we refuse a request for further information on the grounds of one or more of the exemptions and you feel this has been inappropriate you may challenge our refusal and ultimately complain to the office of the Commissioner.

Fees

Printed information on courses and services offered by the University is available free of charge, as are packs issued to people responding to notices of job vacancies. All of the documents listed on this publication scheme that can be viewed online or sent electronically will be free of charge. For hard copies of information contained in the publication scheme, or for information that is not included in the scheme, and is not exempt under the conditions set out in the act, a fee may be charged in accordance with the terms of the Act. This will be decided on an individual basis depending upon how much work is involved in accessing the information that has been requested and the cost of producing it. The basis of this charge will be a charge of 5p per page for documents over 15 pages (documents up to 15 pages will be sent free of copying charges). For information that has to be accessed and collated an additional charge of £25 per hour or part thereof per person will be levied up to a maximum of £450.

An applicant will be informed of any fees that will be charged before an enquiry is processed.

Under the terms of the Act an applicant then has 3 months to pay the fee or it will be assumed that the information is no longer required.

FOI Publication Scheme for Cranfield University