The Cochrane Council was established in November 2016 at the recommendation of the Governing Board, following a review of governance. The Council aimed to ensure that Cochrane Groups retained an effective voice in Cochrane’s leadership and strategic decision-making. The purpose of the Council was to provide:

• A forum for Cochrane Groups to consider high-level matters affecting Cochrane as a whole;
• A mechanism to raise matters and provide input to the Governing Board on behalf of Cochrane Groups and members; and
• A forum to consider matters at the request of the Board and inform Board deliberations.

The Council membership included representatives drawn from, or with the recommendation of, the Group Executives, as well as representatives of Cochrane’s authors and Early Career Professionals Network. The Council welcomed requests from the community for matters to be discussed at its meetings.

In September 2023, the Governing Board agreed that the Cochrane Council will not continue to operate after the end of 2023. A working group made up of members of the Council and the Governing Board has started working together from January 2024 to develop new and improved ways of engaging with the Cochrane Community and to develop a new framework of engagement.