Freedom of Information

The University makes as much information as possible public, to maintain transparency and accountability as a public body. Information which the public can access includes:

• University policies and procedures
• Financial reports and spending
• Meeting minutes and decisions
• Information on a specific topic, such as admissions
• Research and statistics

Environmental information is made available via the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and any requests for this information will be treated as per the requirements of this legislation. 

There are a number of avenues available to the public when looking for information about the University.

Publication Scheme

Our Publication Scheme is published online and provides a guide to the information readily available on our website.

Website

Additional information not signposted by the Publication Scheme is available on our governance and management section.

Submit a written request

If you require information which we do not already publish publicly, you can submit a written request for information. You can do this via email, contacting the Information Governance team at foi@salford.ac.uk, or in writing:

Information Governance Team
University of Salford
5th Floor, Maxwell Building
Salford
M5 4WT

Written requests should be clear and include your name and contact details. Requests under a pseudonym may be refused.

We aim to respond to all written requests within 20 working days. If the request is complex, we may extend this deadline, but we will keep you informed. The clock pauses should we require clarification from you on your request.

Statistics

The University publishes details of its performance on handling requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Code of Practice 2018. Figures are updated on a quarterly basis.

1. Requests that are too broad, unclear, repeated, or too time-consuming will be refused. Some information may be withheld under legal exemptions (e.g. personal data, commercial sensitivity). We will advise you of the reasons for our refusal and cite any exemptions we intend to rely on. You can read more about the different exemptions on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website.
2. If you are unsure about the wording of your request or need clarity on whether the information you want can be requested via FOI, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you. The Information Governance team can be reached via email at foi@salford.ac.uk.
3. We do not charge for responding to FOI or EIR requests. However, a fee may be charged for paper copies. Requests for large volumes of information may incur a charge to cover photocopying and postage costs. We will inform you prior to incurring a charge.

If we refuse your request, or part of your request, you are entitled to request an Internal Review into this decision. We will conduct an internal review and provide you with an updated decision as soon as possible, although we aim to do this within 20 working days of your request. All reviews must be requested within 40 days of the date we responded to your original request.

Internal reviews can be made via email at foi@salford.ac.uk. 

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your request following our internal review process, you are able to escalate your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The ICO can be contacted via their make a complaint page or via 0303 123 1113. 

We want everyone to be able to access our information. If you need documents in a different format, please let us know at any stage of your request via email at foi@salford.ac.uk.