What are the charitable objects of higher education institutions generally?
The charitable objects of higher education institutions (HEIs) except for those that are higher education corporations (see next question) are set out in their individual constitutional (governing) documents. The constitutional document may be a royal charter, memorandum and articles of association or trust deed. There is no prescribed or standard wording for the charitable objects of HEIs, and each year a number of HEIs seek Privy Council approval of changes. Typical wording of an HEIs charitable objects could be: ‘The object of [the HEI] is, for the public benefit, … …to advance education, learning and research. …to advance education, knowledge, and learning by teaching and research. …to advance education and learning through the conduct and support of teaching and research.’ It is possible for an HEI to have other charitable objects, possibly relating to a particular aspect of its work or to its location.
