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Association Of Commonwealth Universities

Also known as: A C U

Working with our members and others to promote and contribute to the provision of excellent higher education for the benefit of all people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Administration and funding of student scholarships.

Email Charity

Activities & Mission

Working with our members and others to promote and contribute to the provision of excellent higher education for the benefit of all people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Administration and funding of student scholarships.

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Local Authority

Financial Information

Latest Income
£8,069,000
Latest Expenditure
£8,334,000

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 85.7%
% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 26% of UK Education charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 2063). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 83.0%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 15% of UK Education charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 2.7%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 41% of UK Education charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £855,000
Charitable Activities £1,821,000
Other Trading £4,178,000
Investments £955,000
Other Income £260,000

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £6,915,000
Raising Funds £198,000
Governance £28,000
Grants to Institutions £132,000
Other Expenditure £1,221,000

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

Financial YearIncomeExpenditureCharitable SpendingNet AssetsReservesStaff
2025
£8,069,000
£8,334,000£6,915,000£34,225,000£5,409,00084 / 0
2024
£7,747,000
£10,104,000£8,206,000£32,855,000£5,696,00085 / 0
2023
£11,130,000
£12,278,000£12,049,000£32,442,000£5,396,000134 / 0
2022
£10,433,000
£12,039,000£11,756,000£33,807,000£5,994,000130 / 0
2021
£9,869,000
£10,921,000£10,657,000£35,832,000£6,669,000133 / 0

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Association Of Commonwealth Universities

What does Association Of Commonwealth Universities do?

Working with our members and others to promote and contribute to the provision of excellent higher education for the benefit of all people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Administration and funding of student scholarships.

How much income did Association Of Commonwealth Universities report in 2025?

Association Of Commonwealth Universities reported total income of £8.07m and reported expenditure of £8.33m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Association Of Commonwealth Universities?

Association Of Commonwealth Universities has a program ratio of 85.7%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 26% of UK Education charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 2063 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Association Of Commonwealth Universities registered as a charity?

Association Of Commonwealth Universities was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 5 March 1963 as charity number 314137. It has been registered for 63 years.

Who runs Association Of Commonwealth Universities?

Association Of Commonwealth Universities is governed by a board of 20 trustees. The chair of trustees is Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Association Of Commonwealth Universities operate?

Association Of Commonwealth Universities operates in Camden, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is Association Of Commonwealth Universities a registered charity?

Yes — Association Of Commonwealth Universities is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 314137.

Details

Address
WOBURN HOUSE
20-24 TAVISTOCK SQUARE
LONDON
WC1H 9HF
Registration Date
5 March 1963
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
314137
Charity Number
314137

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Trustees

Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo Chair
Professor Abdul Bari Mohammad Obaidul Islam
Professor Alan Clarke Shepard
Professor Barnabas Nawangwe
Professor Benedict Mwavu Mutua
Professor Cheryl de la Rey
Professor Chockalingam Raj Kumar
Professor Dato' Ir. Dr Azuan Abu Osman Noor
Professor Davinder Pal Singh Ahluwalia
Professor Edmund Kieran Burke
Professor Hina Tayyaba Khalil
Professor James A Miller
Professor Kabiru Aderemi Adeyemo
Professor Kenneth Matengu
Professor Pattinikutti Mudiyanselange Chandralal Thilakarathne
Professor Prabha Shankar Shukla
Professor Shearer Carroll West
Also governs 1 other charity
Professor Sibongile Muthwa
Professor Sir Hilary McDonald Beckles
Professor Stephen Bruce Dowton

Sectors & Classifications

Also Known As

  • A C U

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
14 May 2026
Report a data issue