Records Management page image

Effective records management ensures that the information which Imperial College needs as evidence of its activities is created and maintained appropriately

Effective records management ensures that the information which Imperial College needs as evidence of its activities is created and maintained appropriately. Records management enhances business continuity, accountability, compliance and overall efficiency. Additionally, good records management helps us to identify records of historical importance which are kept permanently as archives. The records management programme at Imperial is known as ReMAS.


Responsibilities:

  • The upkeep of the Imperial College Retention Schedule
  • Where applicable, provide storage solutions for semi-current records
  • Answer enquiries regarding College records and oversee access requests to view deposited records 
  • Provide training and advice to College members on records management and good record keeping practices (see our Managing your Records page).
  • The implementation, maintenance and the management of the ReMas programme
  • Ensuring College compliance with Records Management information legislation under the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act

Further Information:

 Expand the points below to find out more.

RM Accordion

College Retention Schedule

The College must retain certain records for operational and administrative purposes, and to demonstrate compliance with statutory or regulatory requirements. The Archives and Corporate Records Unit (ACRU) will provide advice on all aspects of records management to enable the College to fulfil these requirements, and will identify best practice as a contribution towards general excellence in information management.

Please contact acru@imperial.ac.uk with any queries relating to the Retention Schedule and to discuss any amendments to it that may be necessary. 

Download the Retention schedule (pdf)Retention schedule

This schedule covers all records, regardless of physical form, which are created, received and/or maintained by the College and its staff in the course of College business. All such records are College Records and remain its property.

Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection

Central Secretariat are responsible for the implementation of and compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act, including the maintenance of the Information Compendium and the College's Publication Scheme.

It is the responsibility of all staff at Imperial College to be aware of how information legislation may affect you and the way you do your job.


Data Protection

The Data Protection Act allows individuals (such as staff or students) the right to see any information held about them by the College, irrespective of its format. The Act also provides guidance on the handling of information. Essentially the Act requires that any personal data – that is information about an identifiable living person -  is kept secure, up to date, accurate and relevant.

For further guidance please follow the link to the Legal Services page- Data Protection


Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which came into force on 1 January 2005, entitles any individual to request any information held by the College, regardless of when it was created, by whom, or the form in which it is now recorded (paper, electronic, film etc.,). The purpose of the Act is to encourage transparency, accountability and openness in publicly funded organisations.

For further guidance please follow the link to the Legal Services page - FOI 


Training

An training module on both Freedom of Information and Data Protection compliance is available to staff via the College's e-learning programme here: Freedom of Information and Data Protection – e-Learning course

We have also created a printable leaflet for you to download: Freedom of Information, Data Protection, Records Management and You!

 

How to Retrieve Files from Archives and Corporate Records Unit

If you wish to view files that you have deposited, please contact The Archives and Corporate Records Unit to discuss your loan requirements.

You will be required to sign a Loan Form (see below) in order to acknowledge receipt of the item.

Please note that you will be responsible for the security of the records whilst they are on loan to you.

On occasion, a large amount of material / boxes may need to be retrieved.  In such circumstances, any costs of transporting (e.g. by taxi or courier) the material / boxes must be paid for by the department. Any costs of moving the material back to storage will again be the responsibility of the department who borrowed the material.

Loans and Retrieval Documentation

How to Transfer Records to the Archives and Corporate Records Unit

If you wish to transfer records, please contact ACRU staff in the first instance to discuss requirements and agree transfer: acru@imperial.ac.uk

When transferred records reach the end of their retention requirements, we will seek approval from the relevant department or individual before disposing of these records in a confidential and secure way.

For further information, and to download the relevant transfer forms upon transfer approval, please follow the links below. You will require a college log-in  to view these documents.

Transfer Guidance


General Transfer documentation


Clinical Trials Transfer documentation

Records Management Training

A records management training module is available to staff on the E-learning section of Imperial College's website

Records Management training image

 

 

 

 

 

ACRU can also provide training and guidance tailored to an individual department or team's needs. Please contact ACRU via email at acru@imperial.ac.uk to discuss your requirements.

We have also created a printable leaflet to download: Freedom of Information, Data Protection, Records Management and You!

ReMAS Programme

ReMAS (Records Management and Archive Storage) is the College’s Records Management programme which:

  • Provides storage for semi-current and non-current records at one of its stores.
  • Provides guidance and training on records management including storing digital records. 
  • Identifies material that should be kept for archival purposes.

In this section you will find information about the ReMAS database that we provide to staff in the College to enable effective management of their records.


ReMAS Database

The database was created using Microsoft Access. It has web capability and a number of different functions, including:

  • Maintaining a secure catalogue of the records held.
  • Showing the location of each file.
  • Allowing tracking of the use of files, for loans and returns.
  • Printing reports on the use of files.
  • Indicating the destruction date of records, when they become inactive, and when they should be transferred to the Corporate Records Unit.
  • Logging the destruction of records.
  • Printing labels for boxes, enabling consistent information about storage.
  • Addressing the issue of excess paper and file management and numbers of duplicate copies of records.

ReMas database guidelines

Training on ReMAS database

We provide tailored training and guidance on utilising the database. For more information, please contact the team on acru@imperial.ac.uk


ReMAS Storage

For information regarding storage, see section How to transfer Records section of this page.