Answers to these questions will shape the strategic direction of the institution and provide a basis for determining resources against the numerous competing priorities that exist.
Missions vary widely, for example some institutions see it as an explicit part of their mission to be world class research institutions and prioritise resources accordingly. Others may have a much more local and regional role, and an important task for some governors may be to represent the local community. The history and tradition of institutions will also play an important part in determining mission, for example amongst church colleges of higher education.
Mission statements set out the institutional mission and associated objectives, and thus form the foundation of the strategic direction. Typically they are written in a form that can be easily understood by staff, students, partner bodies and other community interests.
There is a danger that a mission statement may be too general a statement of institutional ambition, and thus - in practice - does not form the clear strategic foundation ideally required. The converse is also true, and a mission statement may be too detailed and not provide the high-level overview needed. A basic question for the governing body is therefore to ask: 'is our mission statement an accurate, understandable, and up-to-date summary of what we are trying to achieve?'
In institutions with a strong regional or local mission, governors may play a particularly important role in providing a link with local community interests. With the current emphasis on regional development, many governing bodies will need to ensure that the strategic direction of the institution takes account of regional activities and local partnerships.
An article in the THE questions the cost of mission statements in terms both of time and money.
In post-1992 institutions the governing body is formally responsible for determining the educational character, and a new governor might legitimately ask what is meant by the term? There is no standard definition, although it is often taken to mean the way an institution delivers its educational mission, for example the kind of environment it provides for students, the nature of its enrolment, the quality of teaching and learning, the appropriateness of partnerships with other institutions and agencies, and so on.
In practice, much of the responsibility for determining educational character will rest with the academic decision making processes (for example senate/academic board, faculty boards, and so on). Governors should respect the powers of such bodies and be careful not to get involved in the detail of such discussions, but rather concentrate on the strategic issue of how to develop the overall educational character. In practical terms this will most often be done through the integration of the academic plan into the strategic plan.