Freedom of information

We are committed to openness and transparency
Freedom of information

Introduction

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 has been in operation since 2005. Its purpose is to promote transparency and openness in public bodies.

This is done in two ways:

1. The University must make some standard information about themselves available through a Publication Scheme (see below).

2. Any person may make a written request for information held by the University and should receive a response within 20 working days.

Making a request
If you wish to make a request for information held by the University:
  1. Please check whether the information has already been published by looking at the University Publication Scheme below.
  2. Email foi@plymouth.ac.uk providing your name and details of the information you require.
  3. Write directly to: Freedom of Information and Data Protection Specialist, University of Plymouth, 15 Kirkby Terrace, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA.
Find out more about how to make a request.
If you'd like to request information relating to yourself, this is done as a Data Subject Access Request under the terms of the Data Protection Act 2018. Please refer to our Information rights pages for further guidance. 
What happens next?
Your request will be acknowledged and we'll carry out a search for the information you require which will be provided to you within 20 working days.
Sometimes we may not be able to release the information you request. This is because some information is exempt from disclosure under the Act such as:
  • information relating to another person
  • information which has implications for health and safety
  • information which would prejudice the University’s commercial interests.
If we're unable to provide you with the information you request, we'll explain why.
Please note that depending on your request we can charge a fee if the cost of finding the information is in excess of £450. We may also charge for postage and photocopying.

If you're not satisfied with how your request has been handled you can request a review. We include details about how to do this in all responses to FOI requests.

Freedom of information

Model publication scheme

From 1 January 2009 the University adopted the revised model publication scheme issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Information about the University 
You can access a significant amount of information about the University here on our website. In addition, the University has produced a guide to assist individuals in accessing the information we produce. The guide is divided into a number of sections and includes information about the following:

Who we are and what we do

What we spend and how we spend it
Capital expenditure: included in the financial statements  
Expenses policy and rates: available on request
Salaries and payscales: available on request
Subsidiary companies: details of subsidiary companies owned by the University are included in the financial statements  

What are our priorities and how we are doing

How we make decisions

Our policies and procedures

Lists and registers
Asset Register: hard copy only – available on request 
Register of Gifts and Hospitality: hard copy only – available on request

The services we offer
If you'd like a hard copy of any or all sections of the guide, or if you need the information in an alternative format, please contact the University using the contact details provided in the 'Making a request' section on this page.