Infrastructure Charges is the collective name for the three charges (Space, Service and Contribution) which fund our central services as well as essential investments in our physical and digital estates.
The Space Charge is a charge levied on divisions, Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) and University Administration and Services (UAS) to fund the Minor Capital Plan, repairs and maintenance, and rent and rates. For each Settlement period, the Estate Investment Subcommittee is responsible for negotiating the level of the Space Charge to be levied. The costs of the Minor Capital Plan, repairs and maintenance, and rent and rates are also funded by external grants.
The Service Charge is a charge levied on divisions, contributing to the funding of central University services. The Service Charge provides funding for UAS and for library (GLAM) materials. The Services Subcommittee is responsible for negotiating the level of the Service Charge to be levied in each Settlement period, balancing affordability and ambition. The Service Charge is not the only source of funding for the University’s centrally managed professional services. The colleges contribute through the Intergrated Charging Mechanism and Services Support Element and further funding for the services comes from external sources.
The Contribution funds specific University activities, including GLAM, scholarships and IT investments. The majority (c. 80%) of these costs is funded from external income sources including Oxford University Press (OUP) and investment dividends. The balance (c.20%) is funded via the Contribution. The Contribution Working Group is the committee responsible for negotiating the level of the Contribution to be levied in each Settlement period. The Contribution is a charge paid by each of the four academic divisions and Oxford Lifelong Learning (previously known as the Department for Continuing Education) and is driven by a weighted income model.
