… A recent blog by Professor Steve West, Chair of University Alliance, calling on politicians to pledge to re-introduce the two-year post-study work visa allowing qualified international graduates to stay in the UK to work for a limited time, has featured in Business Leader. Read the story here. …

This May, the country will go to the polls to elect a new parliament. If we believe the old saying that a week in politics is a long time, then five months should be an age. But it doesn’t feel that way. Key politicians are already rushing to make themselves heard and setting out proposals that they want to see in party manifestos. Over the holiday period, Home Secretary Theresa May delivered, if you like, one of the first shots in the campaign b…

… The results of the 2014 Research Excellence Framework show that Alliance universities have seen a major increase in their share of world class and internationally excellent research. Click on the pins below to find out more about Alliance university research excellence and click through to the REF pages of their websites.   …

World class and internationally excellent research almost doubled across Alliance universities The results of the 2014 Research Excellence Framework show that Alliance universities have seen a major increase in their share of world class and internationally excellent research. View our REF Map of Alliance universities Their combined level of 3 and 4* research nearly doubled to 60%, compared to 35% in RAE2008 reflecting a 26% increase in their sha…

Our chair, Professor Steve West, has been quoted in media coverage of the Research Excellent Framework exercise 2014 in Times Higher Education. The story suggests that the increase in the proportion of academic research classed as world-leading or internationally excellent has reopened the debate about how quality-related funding is distributed. Meanwhile, Steve West, chair of University Alliance, said that the question of how university research…

Professor Steve West, chair of University Alliance, has been quoted in Times Higher Education’s coverage of the Science and Innovation Strategy. Steve West, chair of the University Alliance and vice-chancellor of the University of the West of England, said: “The scale of consultation by the government on the Science and Innovation Strategy was unprecedented and they should be applauded for that. “However, it’s disappointing to learn this long-awa…

University Alliance welcomed the long-awaited publication of the Government’s Science and Innovation Strategy today. Professor Steve West, Chair of University Alliance, said: “The scale of consultation by the Government on the Science and Innovation Strategy was unprecedented and they should be applauded for that. “However, it’s disappointing to learn this long-awaited strategy, which should be setting out the future of the next 10 years of UK sc…

Society and the economy flourish when citizens are able to lead healthy and productive lives. Rising levels of preventable illnesses, the continuing persistence of health inequalities and an ageing population are amongst the great challenges that our health system faces. Alliance universities have a quarter of all UK health teams with world-leading research and educate the same proportion of health professionals. Through collaborations with docto…

University Alliance welcomed announcements by HEFCE today of which universities will receive a share of £50 million during 2015-16. Alongside matched funding, this money will enable 10,000 masters students to receive a £10,000 contribution towards the cost of their studies. All of University Alliance’s universities based in England have been allocated of total of £8,770,000 by the Higher Education Funding Council for England for 1754 masters stud…

Research into communities and societies by Alliance universities is making a great contribution to our cultural and intellectual well-being. As well as helping us understand our heritage and culture, our research is also exploring the nature of the communities in which we live, and the kind of society we want for the future. The power of Alliance universities’ excellent research is helping to shape society – particularly through partnerships and …