University Secretary
Information Governance
Information governance is a framework of policies, procedures and controls to manage information in a joined-up way. It involves knowing:
- what information is held
- where it is held
- who is reponsible for it
- how long to keep it
Information governance also involves establishing effective procedures for all aspects of information management, including creation, maintenance, storage, use, retention and destruction.
Benefits
The University's information is its lifeblood: it it the basis on which decisions are made and services provided. The aim of information governance is to ensure that this information - whether in paper or electronic format - is handled efficiently and effectively at all times. In particular, information governance should help to:
- maintain confidence in the reliability of information
- protect the privacy of students and staff
- comply with legal and regulatory requirements
- support decision-making by ensuring that relevant, accurate information can be readily located
- increase cost-effectiveness by making sure data is disposed of when no longer needed
- minimise the risk of information security breaches
Information Health Checks
Over the following months three areas - namely, Data Protection, Records Management and Information Security - are going to be working together to develop a coherent approach towards information governance across the University. The first phase of this activity will take the form of a questionnaire or 'information health check', which will gather data about current practices. Responses from the questionnaire will help the Information Governance Team to develop guidance on good pratice and to advise departments on how to maintain high standards.
Further information
Further information about different aspects of information governance can be found on the following web pages: