Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) was passed on 30 November 2000 and came fully into force across the public sector on 1 January 2005.

The Act is enforced by the Information Commissioner, who oversees both Freedom of Information and Data Protection legislation. The Act covers 'public authorities' which have been defined in the Act and includes Higher Education Institutions.

The Act creates new rights of public access to all types of 'recorded' information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that general right, and places a number of obligations on public authorities. The aim of the FOIA is to promote greater openness and accountability across the public sector. It achieves this by giving public authorities two main responsibilities under the Act:

• To produce a publication scheme
• To deal with individual requests and release information unless we can justify withholding information because an exemption in the Act applies

Falmouth University's objective is to remain compliant with the FOIA, promote awareness and understanding amongst staff, and show that Falmouth is open and committed to delivering the best possible service to its students. This openness will engender trust and confidence in our ability to deliver a quality higher education service. 

You can access our Publication Scheme to help you find information across our website.