INTRODUCTION

Legal requirement

Adopting a publication scheme is a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act promotes greater openness and accountability across the public sector by requiring all "public authorities" to make information available proactively, through a publication scheme. From January 2005 people have the right to make a request for information held by a Public Authority.

"Public authorities" are defined in the Act and include universities, further education colleges and sixth form colleges.

What is a publication scheme?

A publication scheme is a document which describes the information a public authority publishes, or intends to publish. In this context, "publish" means to make information available, routinely. These descriptions are called "classes of information". The scheme is not a list of the actual publications, because this will change as new material is published or existing material revised. It is, however, the public authority’s commitment to make available the information described.

A publication scheme must set out the classes, or categories, of information published. It must also make clear how the information described can be accessed and whether or not charges will be made.

Main categories within the St Vincent College’s Publication Scheme
The main groups of classes of information in the publication scheme are as follows:

1. GOVERNANCE
2. FINANCIAL RESOURCES
3. HUMAN RESOURCES
4. PHYSICAL RESOURCES
5. STUDENT ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT
6. INFORMATION SERVICES
7. TEACHING AND LEARNING
8. EXTERNAL RELATIONS

The College’s Full Publication Scheme (you will need Adobe Acrobat to view it)