The Russell Group represents 24 leading UK universities. We believe people and ideas are the key to meeting global challenges. Retweets are not endorsements.
🧵NEW analysis by
@LondonEconomics
shows
@RussellGroup
universities drive economic growth across the UK 📈
In 21/22, our members contributed nearly £38bn & employ over ¼ million people through research, innovation & the creation of new business 💡
(1/5)
Read our response to the Sunday Times article on International Foundation Year programmes at Russell Group universities. These are different to degree programmes, have separate admissions processes and, crucially, different entry requirements
The Home Office’s No Deal visa for EU nationals is ill-conceived and would discriminate against Scottish
#universities
and EU students on medicine and engineering courses. Time to scrap it
@UofGlasgow
@UofGVC
@EdinburghUni
🇬🇧🇪🇺Following the agreement in principle reached by the UK & EU regarding the Windsor Framework, we're joining representatives of the UK, Irish and wider European R&D communities in urging rapid progress on UK association to EU programmes, including
@HorizonEU
📣
@UniofNewcastle
Vice Chancellor Professor Chris Day has been named as the new Chair of the Russell Group & will take over from
@OfficialUoM
’s Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell later this year.
Today we are launching an ambitious action plan to transform opportunities for disadvantaged & underrepresented students. It sets new commitments Russell Group unis are making to students as well as recommendations for Govt and
@officestudents
#RGPotential
Pleased to have
@OfficialUoM
VC Nancy Rothwell as our new Chair as universities look ahead to their vital role in the UK's future & prepare to welcome students back to campus. Watch her video message:
"English student loans have been cut in real terms and are not enough for some to live on" ⬇️💷
We agree w/
@MartinSLewis
. Universities are providing extra support to students but maintenance must rise in line with inflation.
More analysis & examples👉
The budget is just 6 weeks away. Today I sent the Chancellor,
@Jeremy_Hunt
a letter, on his request, to ask that he fixes:
- Unfair Child Benefit rules penalising single income families
- The Lifetime ISA penalty hitting young 1st time buyers
- Above inflation mid-contract…
📢"Association to Horizon Europe is tremendous news for UK science, research and innovation.
"The research community on both sides of the Channel will spare no effort in making our association a success."
Read our CEO Dr Tim Bradshaw's comments in full👇
Great news on fast-track visa route for researchers making UK an attractive destination for global talent.
We look forward to working with
@BorisJohnson
,
@patel4witham
,
@andrealeadsom
&
@JoJohnsonUK
for a system that bolsters UK's leadership in research.
We're calling for ministers to drop post-Brexit plans for a £30k salary threshold for international staff. Salary is not a proxy for skill & as we mark
#IWD2019
it's worth noting it could discriminate against part-time workers who are predominantly women
Good to get more detail from
@AngelaRayner
on what the university admissions system would look like under a Labour Government.
We appreciate the clear commitment to working with the sector, schools & others on the detail of these proposals and look forward to engaging on this.
Under Labour’s plans, students will apply for their university or higher education place after receiving their results in A-Levels or other qualifications.
"Science isn’t something you learn in the textbook. The real magic of science is discovering something you didn’t know before.” Read
@OfficialUoM
's Nancy Rothwell's interview in today's Times:
‘A landmark moment’ for the UK’s fight against
#COVID19
: today we welcome the news that
@MHRAgovuk
has authorised the safe & effective
#OxfordVaccine
for emergency use in the UK >>
Good summary of our work with
@MartinSLewis
and
@MoneySavingExp
in the
@DailyMirror
, writing that the current statements "should go in the bin" - our new Graduate Contribution Statement is a step in the right direction towards greater transparency,
It is with sadness that we hear of the death of Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, who also served as Chancellor at
@Cambridge_Uni
and
@EdinburghUni
. Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family.
Jo Johnson is right that higher education is one of the UK's most globally competitive industries. International students contribute to a diverse student body and a thriving society, culture and economy – on campus, in local regions and across the whole UK
Today, the Russell Group published its joint statement on environmental sustainability, setting out its commitment, across its 24 leading universities, to tackle climate change. Read it in full:
Our response to
#Augar
review: it’s imperative the next PM provides students, businesses & universities with a cast-iron guarantee that, in the event of a fee cut, teaching grants will fully cover the funding shortfall & meet future demand for higher education places.
Congratulations to
@UniOfYork
as it opens its new Institute of Mental Health Research. It shows research isn't just about new tech but finding solutions and ways to help people with deal with challenges that we all face in our every day lives
#WorldMentalHealthDay
This
#WorldMentalHealthDay
, we’re launching our new Institute of Mental Health Research.
Bringing together researchers and health service partners, the Institute will improve the lives and care of people affected by mental health difficulties.
We support the package of measures that have been developed with
@UniversitiesUK
on behalf of the sector to stabilise the HE sector and enable universities to play a critical role in rebuilding the nation. You can read our full response here:
Prof Lucy Carpenter
@UniOfYork
was given the Rosalind Franklin Award from the Royal Society for "her scientific achievement, her suitability as a role model and her project proposal to promote women in STEM". Watch her
@royalsociety
lecture:
#IWD2021
Our new report, Realising Our Potential: Backing Talent and Strengthening UK Research Culture and Environment, is based on interviews and conversations with over 100 representatives and researchers at all career stages. Read now:
#ResearchCulture
Important campaign launched
@UniversitiesUK
today,calling for the UK gov to commit to continue funding study abroad opportunities for UK students, even if the UK can't negotiate continued participation in the Erasmus+ programme
#SupportStudyAbroad
More👉
Earlier this week we wrote to EU President
@vonderleyen
urging her to confirm UK association to Horizon as the benefits it will bring to all parties are too important to be used as part of a negotiation. Read our letter here
Regional spotlight: In Northern Ireland
@QUBelfast
is at the heart of a digital security cluster, boosting skills and bringing jobs to the region:
#LevellingUp
Today’s
#REFresults
once demonstrate the UK’s status as a science superpower. Russell Group universities are at the heart of this, producing more world-leading research than ever before & across all disciplines.
#REF2021
Read more here
We've signed a declaration with
@German_U15
pledging our joint commitment to promoting cutting-edge research, innovation and student education post
#Brexit
- read more here
Europe’s top research universities pledge to keep delivering the benefits of collaboration for their communities & call on EU not to put limitations on how they work together in
#HorizonEU
. Read their joint statement here:
Any funding settlement must support a full range of academic disciplines. Arts, humanities & social sciences degrees are highly valued by business and public sector employers. It’s vital for the UK these subjects are sustainable to teach & courses remain open to students
#Augar
People & ideas from across the EU help make UK universities world leaders in research and teaching.
@Independent
daily edition is today highlighting new analysis from
@Hollie_Chandler
on the impact of
#Brexit
uncertainty on EU academic staff
All students should have equal opportunities to access the benefits of higher education. These new initiatives from
@UniofOxford
will help ensure every academically exceptional student in the country knows that they have a fair chance of a place at the uni
#access
@LucianHudson
By 2023, one in four of our undergraduates should be from the UK’s most under-represented backgrounds.
We’ve introduced two new programmes, Opportunity Oxford and Foundation Oxford, to make that happen.
Click the link to learn more:
A return to in-person teaching is low risk and could provide an important boost to students' mental health, employability, and widen their opportunities:
Dr Emily Oliver’s
@_EJOliver
work
@DurhamUni
focuses on inclusion, working with communities to support physical and mental health, using sport to help groups who may be excluded from standard approaches or services:
#IWD2021
Good to see growing recognition that international students should be able to stay & work in the UK for longer after studying. If implemented, would make the UK more competitive & benefit our economy & society.
From
@UofGVC
, an
#RGNewYear
wish for science to help break the pandemic, underlining the importance of research and collaborative innovation for the world:
🌎🧬🧪🌍🥼🧬🧪🌏
The message from the research & business communities on both sides of the channel is clear – the value of UK association to Horizon goes far beyond financial returns for all sides so we would urge the UK & EU to get a deal over the line as soon as possible
🚨🇬🇧🇪🇺🧫🔭🔬⚗️🧬🇪🇺🇬🇧🚨NEW. Nobel laureate Sir Paul Nurse and Royal Society Sir Adrian Smith leads calls EU and UK to sort out Horizon deal — industry and unis also calling for action — as talks get bogged down. Via
@fr
@clivecookson
@AndyBounds
University leaders across the country have signed an open letter highlighting the risks to EU staff, students and research funding in the event of a no deal
#Brexit
Our President and Vice-Chancellor Nancy Rothwell has signed an open letter to politicians warning of the risks for research, staff and students if the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 29 March 2019.
Read more:
Our universities are committed to protecting free speech, and academic freedom, which are crucial to the UK university experience and set out in law. Read our statement released today:
Helen Sharman, a chemistry graduate from
@sheffielduni
, is Britain’s first astronaut and spent 8 days in space in May 1991. She is now a UK Outreach Ambassador at
@imperialcollege
and has supported the UK Space Agency’s education and outreach activities
#iwd2019
We have always believed the UK's full association to
#Horizon
Europe is a win for everyone involved. We hope this latest development lead to a solution and urge all parties to find a way to unlock the huge benefits it will bring for both sides
Great to see
@MartinSLewis
make the case for our redesigned
#StudentLoan
statement on
#victorialive
- it’s a contribution (over a certain salary threshold) not a debt and shouldn’t be a barrier to students.
Could cuts to research risk the UK's international reputation for science? Richard Dawson spoke on
#R4Today
about at-risk projects like this, which are tackling crucial global sustainability challenges:
Our experts are helping make sure communities around the globe have access to safe and secure drinking water, as well as reducing pollution in the world's waterways. This
#WorldWaterDay
, learn more about our vital research 🌊 👉
Thank you to
@UniversitiesUK
and
@nusuk
for today's report on BAME attainment, which is timely and important and will now be read across UK universities with great care
#closingthegap
🚨 New report
Universities UK and
@nusuk
believe UK universities must commit to ending the BAME student attainment gap
Five steps have been identified for universities to improve BAME student outcomes
Find out what they are 👉
#ClosingtheGap
📽️our chair Prof Nancy Rothwell of
@OfficialUoM
tells
@CommonsSTC
R&D isn't a cost, it's an investment: "there's very, very good evidence that the returns are huge". Find out more in our
#SpendingReview
briefing
#research
Our CEO Dr Tim Bradshaw responds in
@thetimes
today to claims that overseas recruitment makes it harder for British youngsters to secure a place. In fact, international fees have helped our universities expand places for UK students over the past decade
Universities must be places where free debate & the exchange of ideas can thrive – but claims that "cancel culture" led to hundreds of speaker events being blocked by universities do not stack up.
Read our CEO Dr Tim Bradshaw’s letter published in the Times today
#FreeSpeech
'If you’re going to have an economy based on ideas & innovation, at some point you have to decide if you want to invest & prioritise that.'
Our Chief Exec Tim Bradshaw in
@pmdfoster
Big Read on financial sustainability of HE sector & why a discussion is needed. Check it out ⬇️
🚨🚨when ministers aren’t bashing UK universities they love to boast about them. Rightly. But unless something changes on funding there will be a lot less to boast about in 10 years time. /1
Here’s why via
@ft
Big Read…
Amazing effort from
@UniOfYork
getting goodie bags that include activities, games, hobbies and campus walks out to students, helping to keep the brightness shining during lockdown.
Another
#UoYLockdownLoot
is on it's way!
If you are part of on-campus accommodation your colleges will contact you about how to get your hands on one of these goodie bags.
@UniOfYork
@yorkunisu
Diabetes nursing professor Maggie Shepherd
@UniOfExeter
is one of the Women in Global Health’s 100+ Outstanding Women Nurses and Midwives and wants nurses and midwives to become future health leaders.
Read more:
#IWD2021
@NIHRresearch
@Exeter_Diabetes
Alongside our colleagues
@sciencecampaign
@CR_UK
, we hope to see Horizon association – already agreed in principle – confirmed as soon as possible so both sides can unlock the benefits of the UK becoming a full associate member:
European science partnerships & Erasmus+ have helped make the UK a world leader in research and teaching. It’s crucial the
#NextPrimeMinister
does everything possible to ensure we can continue to work closely with our EU partners.
Research has no borders. We should fund our existing European science and education partnerships in full- deal or no deal- committing to paying into Horizon 2020, Erasmus + in full- association to Horizon Europe not open yet but we should do so when we can ASAP
#supportresearch
Innovating and adapting during the pandemic to teach the next generation of clinicians,
@UniofExeter
is using a combination of VR, hands-on and academic learning to help students improve their clinical skills in diagnostic radiography:
Today we are publishing a joint statement on contractual & working practices for staff at our universities. We are determined to ensure working practices & employment models are fit for purpose, recognising the diverse needs of staff, students & institutions themselves.
Professor and
@wellcometrust
Fellow Muzlifah
Haniffa is pioneering the applications of single cell genomics technologies to understand tissue homeostasis, immunity and disease pathogenesis at
@UniofNewcastle
#IWD2021
Dr Victoria Goodyear at
@UniBirmingham
is looking at the health effects of social media on young people and is committed to ensuring her research is both accessible and useful to diverse groups of people. Check out UoB's
#IWD2021
events:
Guten morgen from Berlin! Today Russell Group Vice Chancellors meet with their German counterparts to strengthen ties. Joint statement to be published this afternoon
@German_U15
@UofGVC
International students bring a range of cultural, social and economic benefits to the are some important words from
@Lord_Bilimoria
in a Lords debate on why international students are so vital. Read our briefing here
We’re delighted to welcome
@prof_chrisday
of
@UniofNewcastle
as our new chair today.
Watch our interview to find out more about Chris and his priorities for research-intensive universities.
The Government has said free movement will end after Brexit.
#RussellGroup
is calling for a
#EuropeanSkillsPermit
to attract European talent and help rebuild confidence in the immigration system
Our researchers are remarkable.
From developing vaccines to reducing plastic waste, their work is vital.
We're providing greater job protection to thousands of highly skilled university workers impacted by
#coronavirus
.
#UnleashingInnovation
We welcome the Government’s commitment to cutting red tape in research, innovation & education and look forward to working with
@officestudents
,
@NIHRresearch
&
@UKRI_News
to reduce bureaucracy so universities can focus on high-quality teaching & research
We are calling for the government to make up the lost university funding in full.
Otherwise this will be a false victory for students who will only see reduced funding for their teaching, equipment and support services.
Our universities offer a wide range of qualifications and it's great to see
@QMUL
working with Goldman Sachs to launch a new Global Markets degree apprenticeship, offering students a chance to gain four years of work experience:
A message from our Chair Prof Sir Anton Muscatelli
@UofGVC
: "Students receiving their results this summer have dealt admirably with an unprecedented set of circumstances and should be very proud of what they have achieved." Read in full:
#ResultsDay2020
Great to see the ways
@UofGlasgow
and
@EdinburghUni
are working with
@IntoUniversity
to support young people and communities with after-school support, mentoring with students and professionals, aspiration-raising workshops and work experience opportunities:
#RGPotential
Today is an important milestone in
#WideningAccess
to university for our young people.
In launching this
@IntoUniversity
Centre, we are firmly restating our commitment as an anchor institution in our city, empowering young people to reach their full potential. 1/2
Today we are joining leading UK businesses, minds and charities in calling on the next PM to put research at the heart of their plan for UK prosperity
#NextPrimeMinister
#SupportUKRandD