About CPHC

What does CPHC do?

CPHC represents the interests of a membership engaged in the management of University Computing education and University Computing research within the UK Higher Education sector. We are an independent body, registered as a charity, and, although we work closely with all the Professional and Statutory organisations relevant to our sector, we are not affiliated to any other body.

Operating as an independent body allows CPHC to act as a lobby organisation on behalf of our membership, representing their interests and concerns to Central and Local Government, the Funding Councils, the Research Councils, the Professional bodies, National and International special interest groups, Learned Societies, and a wide range of commercial and industrial organisations.

CPHC is recognised as the Subject Body for Computing by the Funding Councils and by QAA, and it works in conjunction with UKCRC to address research issues with the Research Councils, particularly EPSRC.

How does it do it?

To ensure that members have the opportunity to air their concerns and argue for CPHC to represent a particular position or view, we provide a mediated email forum for membership discussion, an Annual Conference for members, and dedicated working groups focusing on areas of particular interest.

Currently we have two working groups, drawing their membership from the CPHC community, a Learning Development Group and an Information Group. We also provide mediated email distribution lists for conference announcements and jobs within the sector.

More information on all of these can be found on this site.

Who are CPHC?

CPHC is led by a Committee of elected members, each Committee Member being elected from within the CPHC membership for a term of two years at the Annual Conference (up to a maximum of seven years).

CPHC membership is open to Professors and Heads of Computing Departments in UK Universities (given the diversity of the subject area, and the diversity of University organisational structures, if you are unclear if you qualify please contact us!) Currently we have over 500 members, drawn from over 100 Universities in the UK, which clearly provides us with the mandate to be the representational body for this group in the UK and ensures that we are consulted by policy-makers and practitioners undertaking any activities that affect our sector.

Membership is charged to institutions rather than to individuals, so if you are not currently a member of CPHC but are eligible, you can become a member at no personal cost.

As with all membership organisations of this type, CPHC can only be as active and as vibrant as its members, so we would encourage you not only to join CPHC but to be active and involved, helping us to be as effective as you would wish us to be!