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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 UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy

    Vanessa Wilson, CEO of University Alliance has commented in response to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, published today (Monday 23 June)  “We welcome the publication of the government’s much anticipated and needed industrial strategy, which rightly emphasises skills, innovation and the university sector’s critical role in the UK’s growth prospects. As anchor institutions across our nations and regions, the professional and technical universi…

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  2. UA/UKCGE Professional Doctorates survey: initial results revealed

    The Professional Doctorates Survey, which was run jointly by UKCGE and University Alliance, has now closed. The survey sought to understand in more detail what is happening in the sector regarding Professional Doctorates and will inform wider research undertaken to understand the perspectives of institutions, funders, employers and the candidates themselves. It also sought to understand the different professional doctoral programmes offered, thei…

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  3. University Alliance joins coalition to improve proof-of-concept funding

    University Alliance have joined a coalition coordinated by TenU, urging government to expand a national fund that supports proof-of-concept (PoC) funding. The aim is to bridge the gap between research and commercialisation, and support academics to get their innovations ready for investment. The coalition of organisations includes Knowledge Exchange UK, the Russell Group and University Alliance, which aim to highlight barriers to university comme…

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  4. University Alliance hosts showcase event in parliament

    On 11 March 2025, University Alliance hosted a parliamentary event showcasing the role of UA’s leading professional and technical universities across four themes: opportunity, community and civic impact, innovation and growth and skills. The event, which was partly intended as an introduction to UA for new parliamentarians following the 2024 general election, was attended by MPs and peers from across the UK. A number of resources and a new short …

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  5. University Alliance’s submission to the Spending Review

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

    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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    'Let's Get Technical: The First 100 Days'
  7. Business leaders tell Chancellor: Keep graduate visa to protect UK’s research and innovation

    18 leaders from Chambers of Commerce and business networks from across the UK have collectively written to the Chancellor to warn against watering down or scrapping the graduate visa route. The letter, which was coordinated by the University Alliance group of universities, has also been signed by leaders from the Russell Group and Universities UK. The letter has been sent ahead of the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the graduate visa rou…

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  8. Letter in the Financial Times: what’s miss­ing in the con­ver­sa­tion about uni­versit­ies

    In a letter to the Financial Times, University Alliance CEO Vanessa Wilson talks about what’s missing in the conversations about the current challenges facing the higher education sector. “Robert Shrimsley’s piece on the crisis in higher education (Opinion, January 18) summarises the financial challenges facing universities in England well. There’s something missing however in the conversation about the value of universities, w…

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  9. ‘Let’s Get Technical’: University Alliance publishes five policy asks for the next Government

    Note: in July 2024, following the election of a new Labour government, University Alliance has published an updated publication Let’s Get Technical: The First 100 Days. This sets out our recommendations for the government’s first 100 days in office, and in the long-term. University Alliance, an association of the UK’s leading professional and technical universities, has today (Friday 29 September) published ‘Let’s Get Technical: How to harness th…

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    Film students photographed - the Let's Get Technical campaign image
  10. University Alliance ‘relieved’ as UK re-joins Horizon Europe

    University Alliance has responded to the announcement that the UK is to re-join Horizon Europe. Commenting on the news, Vanessa Wilson, CEO of University Alliance, said: “We are delighted and relieved that, after many years of uncertainty, the UK has associated fully with Horizon Europe. Collaborations with international partners are vital to harnessing the country’s research and innovation capability, and Horizon has always offered the best poss…

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    Vanessa Wilson