The new secretary of state responsible for universities, Lord Mandelson, has his hands full with the cost of providing student support, the dearth of university places this summer, and planning for the review of tuition fees and the higher education framework. And another row is brewing – between university groups over research policy and funding. Vice-chancellors across the sector […]
This summer there will be an extra 40,000 unsuccessful university applicants than in 2008. This is because we have seen an 8 per cent hike in applications, but institutions won’t recruit more students than they did last year for fear of being fined. If restrictions were lifted, universities could admit 10,000-15,000 more students, provided there was additional funding. If […]
University Alliance represents 22 major, dynamic, business-like universities at the heart of the sector which deliver world-leading research with impact and are actively business-focussed. Alliance universities educate 26% of all UK students and achieve some of the highest graduate-level employment rates. These universities offer a research- informed, academic learning environment and a culture of entrepreneurialism, […]
The University Alliance has chosen Oxford Brookes University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Janet Beer, to succeed Professor John Craven, Vice Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, as chair of the group. Established in 2007, the Alliance group comprises a mixture of pre and post 1992 universities, which are not members of the other mission groups; the […]
Tomorrow, the broad principles determining what funding universities receive next year will be set. The final allocations for university funding in 2009-10 are not due until 4 March, but vice-chancellors are already lobbying for their financial futures. Around £1.5bn a year in research funding is at stake as officials at the Higher Education Funding Council for England […]
The 24 University Alliance members welcome the release of the RAE results. The results show very strong and widespread excellence in research across the Alliance, and particularly demonstrate the success of selective investment in a wide range of research activities. The University Alliance includes pre 1992 universities with significant strengths across a range of units of assessment, specialist institutions that […]
Tim Wilson, vice-chancellor of Hertfordshire, calls for the creation of a new generation of commerce-friendly universities. It has been heartening for academe to hear Government and Opposition acknowledge so clearly the contribution of universities to economic and social wellbeing. But there can be no doubt that a major challenge remains as we pursue a high-skills, […]
Letters & Opinions, March 16, 2007 You report that Russell Group universities are increasingly becoming the major providers of single honours language programmes (“Study deserts blight UK”, February 9), and this is a likely consequence of the reduction in the number of students wanting these degrees. Yet such programmes thrive in a number of University […]
A fourth university mission group, the University Alliance, was formally launched today to represent the interests of 24 institutions. Previously convened informally as the Alliance of Non-Aligned Universities, which was formed last year, the new group comprises a mixture of pre and post 1992 universities, which are not members of the other mission groups; the Russell Group, the […]