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The latest announcements, press releases and media coverage from University Alliance.

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  1. University Alliance responds to the increase in OfS registration fees

    June 3, 2025

    Responding to the 3.9% increase in registration fees from the Office for Students, University Alliance CEO Vanessa Wilson said: “Increased fees from the Office for Students smacks of a regulator living in a parallel universe to that of the sector it is regulating. At a time when everyone else is focused on tightening their belts, the Office for Students continues to expand and put up costs – a far cry from the government’s promised ‘bonfire of th…

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  2. UA responds to the Immigration White Paper

    May 12, 2025

    In response to the government’s Immigration White Paper, released today (12 May 2025), University Alliance CEO Vanessa Wilson said: “What the country and our economy needs at the moment is stability, and whilst we recognise the political imperative to bring down net migration, this kind of ‘finger in the air’ policy making is risky. We agree that visa compliance is important, and the immigration white paper correctly states that the higher educat…

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  3. University Alliance respond to OfS strategy consultation for 2025-2030

    February 21, 2025

    University Alliance have submitted their response to the Office for Students strategy consultation for the years 2025 – 2030. Find the full submission here. Overview of the response Whilst University Alliance supports many of the priorities set out in the proposed strategy, we were dismayed to see a lack of focus on cutting the cost and burden of higher education regulation. In fact, many of the proposals seek to expand the OfS’s regulatory remit…

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  4. University Alliance’s submission to the Spending Review

    February 11, 2025

    University Alliance has made its submission to the Treasury ahead of this year’s Spending Review. Read UA’s full submission The submission highlights how professional and technical universities are critical to delivering the government’s decade of renewal, and focuses on three of the government’s missions: kickstarting economic growth, building an NHS fit for the future and breaking down the barriers to opportunity. Mindful of the extremely tight…

    Read more of: University Alliance’s submission to the Spending Review

  5. University Alliance release ‘Let’s Get Technical: The First 100 Days’ 

    July 26, 2024

    In a new publication, University Alliance has set out a range of impactful priority actions for the government to take in their first 100 days in power. UA’s latest policy briefing ‘Let’s Get Technical: The First 100 Days’ identifies policies that are cost-neutral or low-cost to deliver that could help professional and technical universities deliver the government’s agenda. In partnership with government and industry, University Alliance argue th…

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  6. UA’s response to the OfS’ report on the financial sustainability of HE

    May 16, 2024

    Professor Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich and Chair of University Alliance said in response to the Office for Students’ report on the financial sustainability of higher education providers: ‘Today’s Office for Students’ report presents a stark picture of university finances, and comes at a critical time for the higher education sector. It underlines how impossible it is for universities to manage and plan their fin…

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  7. University Alliance responds to DfE’s Advanced British Standard consultation

    March 20, 2024

    University Alliance have published their response to the Department for Education’s Advanced British Standard consultation. Summary University Alliance is broadly supportive of the aims of the Advanced British Standard (ABS). As professional and technical universities, we see equal value in both academic and vocational subjects and do not believe students should be forced down one route or another. We also agree that all students need good litera…

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  8. University Alliance responds to the Office for Students’ free speech complaints scheme consultation

    March 11, 2024

    University Alliance has published their response to the Office for Students’ consultation on their free speech complaints scheme. Summary The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 requires the Office for Students (OfS) to operate a free speech complaints scheme. It is imperative that this new scheme runs as effectively and efficiently as possible, ensuring a transparent, fair, and objective process for both complainants and respondents an…

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  9. University Alliance writes to Chancellor with cost-neutral recommendations to safeguard technical education   

    November 20, 2023

    Ahead of the Autumn statement, University Alliance has warned the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt of ‘serious financial challenges’ that present a significant risk of ‘a two-tier university system emerging’. Vanessa Wilson, CEO of University Alliance wrote to the Chancellor suggesting several low-cost or cost-neutral policies to ensure professional and technical universities can continue to excel in high-quality skills provision. Vanessa Wilson said: “The…

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  10. University Alliance welcomes House of Lords report on inquiry into the Office for Students

    September 13, 2023

    The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has today released a report on their inquiry into the Higher Education regulator the Office for Students (OfS). The inquiry followed calls for a review into the Office for Students earlier this year by a coalition of university mission groups, including University Alliance. The report, entitled “Must do better: the Office for Students and the looming crisis facing higher education”, criticises …

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