Make sure you’ve ticked off your compliance checklist

25 Sep 2025

As we start a new semester, take five minutes to make sure you’re up to date with some policies and procedures that you may not use every day:

Image of a tick list with text that reads 'tick off your compliance check-list'

Personal relationships: The University adopted a new ‘Personal Relationships’ policy in June, which clearly lays out what is and is not permitted and requires all employee-student relationships and some relationships between employees to be declared. The deadline to declare relationships which existed before the policy’s introduction is Tuesday 30 September.

Declaring gifts and hospitality Before accepting a gift or hospitality from a third party you must check that doing so is compliant with the University’s Anti-Corruption and Bribery Policy. If you accept a gift or hospitality valued in excess of £25 you must declare it using this form.

Right to work: Employing someone new? Or engaging someone who is on a visa in a new role? You must ensure they have completed a physical right-to-work check before they start work – find out how here and contact the School Operations Team if you have any questions.

Consultancy The University’s Consultancy Services Team has a process for setting up consultancy work through the University and will support you to get the required permissions. If you are considering private consultancy, you must follow the Working for Outside Bodies process (outlined below).

Working for outside bodies (including private consultancy) Under the University’s Work for Outside Bodies Policy, all staff who are Grade 6 or above must disclose and gain permission for any work outside the University. Grades 1-5 are also bound by the policy if they undertake work which may create a potential, perceived or actual conflict of interest or which may affect their ability to fulfil their University role. Request permission to undertake external work using this form. Once permission is granted, your external role must be declared through the Register of Interests.

Working overseas: Thinking about research or secondment overseas, employing someone who is based outside the UK, or just working remotely from somewhere outside the UK for more than 2 weeks? Before you firm up those plans, make sure you have the right approvals in place. Any period of overseas working of 14+ days requires action – check what you need to do here.

Lone working and working out of hours: Where possible lone working and/or working out of hours should be avoided. If it is unavoidable, approval must be sought from your line manager, a risk assessment should be carried out, and you should follow the Guidance on Personal Safety during Lone Working and Out of Hours.

Export controls If you are sending a physical or intangible item (including information/data/intellectual property) overseas, or if you are sharing the item with overseas visitors or students, it could be subject to export controls. Find out more and determine whether you’re subject to export controls here.

If you have any questions about these or any other policies and procedures, please contact SEEDSchoolOffice@manchester.ac.uk. You can find out more about how we work in SEED, and access all our School-specific policies, by visiting our Ways of Working section.