Council of Presidents
This provides overall strategic oversight and direction for our work. It plays a central role in shaping our long-term vision and ensuring that appropriate governance arrangements are in place to support our aims and activities.
Membership of the Council of Presidents comprises a nominated representative at Vice-Chancellor, Rector or President level from each member university, with the Chair currently held by the Université Le Havre Normandie.
Meeting annually, the Council is responsible for overseeing our strategic direction and for reviewing the effectiveness of our governance structures, activities and outcomes.
Steering Group
Each member university is represented on the Steering Group by a senior member of academic staff, typically at Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Vice-President or Dean level.
The group provides strategic management for our partnership and acts as the principal link between the Council of Presidents and our operational and academic activities. It provides assurance to the Council that we are delivering against our agreed objectives and operating within the strategic framework that has been set.
The Steering Group leads on the development of our membership, including engagement with potential new partners and the consideration and approval of applications to join. It also plays a key role in identifying and pursuing funding opportunities, approving business cases for the use of central funds, and determining how our activities are delivered.
In addition, the Steering Group monitors and evaluates our performance, establishes project teams for collaborative research and education initiatives, oversees the organisation of events, and manages relationships with external stakeholders such as governments, international organisations, funding bodies and diplomatic missions. Responsibility for our brand, international profile, and marketing also sits within the Steering Group’s remit.
The Steering Group meets as often as required to fulfil its role and at least every three months.
Thematic Networks
Thematic Networks provide a natural framework for advancing the GCU’s education and research across its three core themes: Global Business, Environmental Sustainability and Renewable Energy, and Logistics and Maritime Affairs. By connecting academics from across the Consortium, these networks create an effective structure for fostering knowledge generation and sharing among member institutions. The GCU’s Thematic Networks actively engage in research, education, collaboration, and outreach initiatives.
The Networks are interdisciplinary forums that unite academic staff whose research, teaching, or professional interests aligned with the Consortium’s key themes. They provide a collaborative platform to support high‑quality research, innovation, education, and strategic engagement with external partners. Their purpose is to foster cross‑disciplinary collaboration on shared topics, strengthen members’ contributions to global challenges, enhance the visibility and impact of academic work and the GCU, promote engagement with industry and policy stakeholders, and support student learning and curriculum development. Each Network will coordinate collaborative research, enable knowledge exchange, build partnerships, identify strategic opportunities, and facilitate dissemination of research outputs.
Secretariat
Our Secretariat provides administrative and operational support across all areas of our work, ensuring effective coordination and the smooth delivery of activities. The Secretariat is hosted by the University of Hull and is made up of one or more staff members appointed by the Council of Presidents.
An appropriate member of the Secretariat is nominated to serve as Secretary General, supporting communication between our governance bodies and assisting with the implementation of strategic and operational decisions.
Treasurer
Responsible for maintaining accurate financial records and overseeing the management of our finances. This includes managing payments and ensuring appropriate financial oversight in line with our agreed budgets and financial plans. The role of Treasurer is currently held by Inha University.