Joining our Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees ensures that CHEAD operates in accordance with the objects enshrined in its constitution and shapes its future to deliver
an exciting programme to meet the evolving needs of our membership.

Trustees, including the officers of Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer, are elected by the registered representatives of CHEAD member institutions.

The Board of Trustees comprises three Honorary Officers, six elected Trustees and up to four co-opted Trustees and two expert Trustees. The terms of appointment for officers and members of the Board of Trustees is normally three years.

Elections are held during the Annual General Meeting in the Spring of each year. A call for nominations is normally issued in January.

For more details about becoming a Trustee and the election process please download our Trustee Recruitment Pack.

Becoming a Trustee

The role of the Board of Trustees is to carry out CHEAD’s charitable purpose to advance education for the public benefit by promoting knowledge and understanding of art and design within higher education institutions and to represent and respond to the demands of the membership.

In order to stand for election, a candidate must be the main representative for a CHEAD institutional member, or have received the support of the main representative. Please note that no single institutional member may be represented by more than one Trustee on the Board.

CHEAD is proactive in the receipt of nominations from underrepresented communities within our membership as we continue to build capacities in incorporating different perspectives.

As a membership body focussing on equity, diversity and inclusivity, we want to promote and support better representation across our board membership. We seek applicants with knowledge and expertise within social justice practice and creative HE, to build capacity within our board and centre the voices of staff of colour and marginalised groups at the foreground of meaningful change.

Benefits for member institutions

There is a compelling argument for institutions to support employees to take on Trustee roles. There are lots of benefits to both individuals and the institution in doing this including:

– Employee fulfillment
– Develop networks in the sector
– Cost effective personal development
– Gaining knowledge of art and design higher education sector issues

Institutions benefit as their employees gain board and networking skills and a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment they are contributing something back to the sector.
Many Trustees say that serving on a board is the best education they ever receive; dealing with real and often complex strategic, organisational and policy issues. Institutions recognise that supporting staff to take up Trustee roles in a good way for their staff to share their knowledge and experience, while also offering them an exciting, alternative professional development opportunity, providing them with skills they couldn’t pick up from traditional management training. Institutions benefit by individuals having access to invaluable networking opportunities inside and outside of higher education and professional development opportunities, including speaking at a range of internal and external events and to national and international peers.

CHEAD is proactive in the receipt of nominations from underrepresented communities within our membership as we continue to build capacities in incorporating different perspectives.

As a membership body focussing on equity, diversity and inclusivity, we want to promote and support better representation across our board membership. We seek applicants for Trustees with additional knowledge and expertise within social justice practice and creative HE, to build capacity within our board and centre the voices of staff of colour and marginalised groups at the foreground of meaningful change.