Advisory Board Terms of Reference

Centre-UB (Centre for National Training and Research Excellence in Understanding Behaviour)

Advisory Board Terms of Reference (Version 1.0. 27.01.2025)

About Centre-UB

Centre-UB is a centre for doctoral training plus (CDT+) funded by the ESRC from 2023-2031. It aims to develop the next generation of behavioural researchers who will bridge the gap between academia and policy/practice ensuring behavioural research is used in policy making within and outside of government. It has a strong focus on translational research and impact, working across disciplinary boundaries, and the co-production of research and impact with non-academic partners. This aim is achieved through funded studentships and fellowships. In addition, Centre-UB maps and responds to behavioural research training needs within and outside academia through webinars, masterclasses and CPD courses. Centre-UB has funding to engage the public and partners via annual roadshows and public engagement events.

Centre-UB is based at the University of Birmingham although it is a national centre. It is led by three directors (Prof Jess Woodhams, Prof Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten and Dr Vicky Goodyear) and a cross-disciplinary team of academics from all five of the University’s colleges.

It is organised around three pillar themes (Environmental Change and Sustainability, Promoting Equity in Physical and Mental Wellbeing, Digital Harms and Goods) with a cross-cutting theme of Systems Thinking, which recognises that human behaviour does not happen in a vacuum but is influenced and constrained by the systems within which people are embedded.

The Membership and Role of the Advisory Board 

The Advisory Board will advise on the activities of the CDT+ enabling effective decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration across all partners of the CDT+. It is expected to be active from January 2025 to December 2029. 

The Advisory Board consists of people who have an interest in human behaviour and promoting social good. The membership reflects the pillar and cross-cutting themes in terms of expertise, as well as expertise in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, evaluation methods, education initiatives, and leading ESRC research centres and Doctoral Training Programme investments. Due to conditions of our funding, which require Advisory Board members to be independent and to offer impartial and informed advice, Advisory Board members cannot partner with Centre-UB, in terms of offering studentship or fellowship opportunities or be involved with co-designing CPD with us.

The three Centre-UB directors (Goodyear, Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Woodhams) will attend the Advisory Board meetings, on invitation from the Chairs, to receive feedback and to provide information or points of clarification. They are not considered members, and they do not have voting rights. The Investment Managers for the ESRC will attend meetings as observers and attend meetings but will not have voting rights and are not considered members. The Centre-UB Manager will attend solely to provide administrative support and is not considered a member, nor do they have voting rights.

Ways of Working

The Advisory Board will meet twice a year, once in-person and once online. The in-person meeting will be scheduled to coincide with the annual Centre-UB Celebrating Research and Impact event (Sept/Oct each year) to enable (optional) attendance of the Advisory Board members at this event. Meetings will be scheduled approximately six months apart.

It is expected that meetings will last 60-90 minutes. If Board members are unable to attend a meeting, they will be asked to comment on any documents or plans via email. Outside of Board meetings, the Centre-UB leadership team may occasionally ask for opinions from the members via email.

The joint Chairs will decide who will take the lead at each meeting. Any points of action recommended at the Board meeting will be recorded by the Centre Manager. The Centre Manager will also be responsible for booking online/in-person meetings, travel and processing expenses.

Where Centre-UB has papers for the Board to consider or for the Board’s information (e.g., progress reports), these will be circulated at least two-weeks prior to the meeting.

Advisory Board Constitution and Points of Note:

• All members of the Advisory Board (including the Chairs) are independent from Centre-UB. 
• Only appointed members are entitled to vote.
• The Chairs and members will sign and maintain a log of potential conflicts of interest.
• In order to conduct business at a meeting, a minimum of one Chair and two other members must be present (60% of the appointed members).
• Non-members attend at the discretion of the Chairs.
• The primary reporting line is to the Directors of Centre-UB.
• Details of the Advisory Board will be published on Centre-UB’s website including the names of members, frequency of meetings and the terms of reference.

Records of Centre-UB Advisory Board meetings

Notes of key points (main points discussed with a list of clearly marked action points) will be made by the Centre Manager. These will include details of whether potential conflicts of interest have changed for any attendees since the previous meeting. The notes from the meeting need not be detailed. The draft notes will be circulated for comments, initially to the Chairs, and then to all Advisory Board members who were present at the meeting. At least one of the Chairs will sign off the final version and the notes will be circulated to all Advisory Board members, observers and to the Directors.

Real or Potential Conflicts of Interest

All independent members of the Advisory Board are asked to complete an agreement and competing interests form (attached to this document). Any competing interests, real or potential, should be disclosed regardless of when they arise. These are not restricted to financial matters – involvement with other investments/projects, political affiliations/appointments, or intellectual investment could be relevant. Although members may be able to act objectively despite such connections, complete disclosure enhances credibility.

Confidentiality of meeting documentation

Advisory Board members are expected to store securely, copies of the reports to and from the Advisory Board, the agenda, meeting notes, as well as copies of communications between meetings. All documentation should be considered confidential. Documentation and communications should be deleted at the end of the project (i.e., in January 2030) or when a member is no longer involved with the Board (e.g., if they end their term early).

Payment and Reimbursement

Centre-UB has funding to cover travel expenses to the in-person meetings and funding is available to recompense members for their time. Expense claims must be in accordance with the University of Birmingham’s expenses policy. Centre-UB also has an equality, diversity and inclusivity fund which is available to support members of Centre-UB (including Advisory Board members) in taking full part in Centre-UB activities. Eligible costs would include any costs to support caring responsibilities for others or any additional care or support needed by our members (e.g., support with accessibility, an accompanying carer).

Contact for Meeting Support/Reimbursement