Central Secretariat at Imperial College London was established to service and monitor the principal governance and management committees, advise on legislative issues, and ensure the effective management of the College's corporate records.
The Exploration Board was set up in 1955 to consider proposals for expeditions submitted by students of the College, and to administer funds given by the College, Imperial College Union and other sources to assist with the cost of these expeditions. It is under the sponsorship of the College, Imperial College Union and Constituent College Associations and it currently reports to the Provost.
Each of the sponsoring bodies is represented on the Board. The Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer are appointed by the Provost. Three members of the academic staff, one representative each from the Imperial College Union, the individual Constituent Unions, and the Constituent College Associations complete the Board's membership (see current board membership below).
The Board meets twice a year (see Dates of meetings) to consider proposals submitted to it. Decisions to recognise expeditions as official College ventures are usually made at a meeting held in the autumn term. In many cases recognition carries with it a grant towards the cost (see Sources of funding) (most expeditions also receive support in the form of money or equipment from sources outside the College). A variety of equipment is held for loan to approved expeditions and the Board accepts responsibility for adequately insuring the personnel and equipment for these expeditions.
Expeditions provide excellent opportunities to gain experience in organisation and living and working with other people, and when considering proposals the Board takes this, as well as the scientific value, into account. On the whole, the Board aims to support projects that reach a balance between straightforward scientific research and an adventurous holiday.
Imperial College expeditions destinations have included Afghanistan, Alaska, the Azores, the Balearic Islands, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Borneo, Cameroon, the Caucasus, Lake Chad, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, the Himalayas, Iceland, Iran, Jan Mayen, the Karakorum, Kashmir, Kenya, Libya, the Maldive Islands, Malta, Mauritius, Morocco, Nepal, Newfoundland, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Peru, the Red Sea, Siberia, Sicily, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, the Solomon Islands, Spitsbergen, Sri Lanka, St Kitts, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, the Ukraine and the Yukon.
The Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment was launched in February 2007 with the announcement of a multi-million pound donation from the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment.
The Senate of Imperial College London was created in 1998 when the College received its new Charter. At this time the Board of Studies was replaced by a Senate. The Senate meets at least three times each year and comprises about 58 members representing the staff and students of College. The Senate appoints committees to help in the management of specific functions of the college.
The Court of Imperial College London was created in 1998 when the College received its new Charter. At this time the Governing Body was replaced by a Court and a Council. The Court meets once each year and comprises about 150 members representing the variety of College stakeholders.
Professor Abdus Salam (1926-1996) joined the Theoretical Physics group at Imperial College London in 1957 after persuasion from the Head of Physics, Lord Patrick Blackett, and remained until his death in 1996. A Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Professor Salam co-authored works on topics including spontaneous symmetry breaking, unitary symmetries and electroweak unification (winning the 1979 Nobel Prize for the latter).
The Business School at Imperial College, formerly know as the Management School, was established in January 2003. The School contributes to advanced teaching and research at the interfaces of management, technology and innovation. It has a broad focus upon issues of industrial performance, and especially on the management processes on innovation.
1913 - Department of Mechanical Engineering
1971 - 1987 Management Science
1978 - 1987 Social and Economic Studies
1987 - 2003 Management School
2003 - Business School