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University Alliance (UA) is an association of
British universities Universities in the United Kingdom have generally been instituted by royal charter, papal bull, Act of Parliament, or an instrument of government under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 or the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. De ...
which was formed in 2006 as the ''Alliance of Non-Aligned Universities'', adopting its current name in 2007. Its membership is made up of technical and professional universities with a mission to drive growth and innovation in Britain's cities and regions through research, teaching and enterprise activity, with a particular focus on links with business and industry and
applied research Applied science is the use of the scientific method and knowledge obtained via conclusions from the method to attain practical goals. It includes a broad range of disciplines such as engineering and medicine. Applied science is often contrasted ...
with real-world impact.


Overview

Alliance institutions educate almost a quarter of UK
undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...
students, including 25% of those on
STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
courses and 41% of all part-time students. They deliver 39% of the UK's
sandwich degree A sandwich degree, or sandwich course, is an academic degree or higher education course (also known as tertiary education) involving practical work experience in addition to academic study. The work experience is often referred as an industrial pla ...
s with a year's experience in industry and maintain links with over 16,000 businesses, including 11,000
SMEs Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) systems store energy in the magnetic field created by the flow of direct current in a Superconductivity, superconducting coil which has been Cryogenics, cryogenically cooled to a temperature below ...
. It is the only UK university association or grouping which is above benchmark on both
access Access may refer to: Companies and organizations * ACCESS (Australia), an Australian youth network * Access (credit card), a former credit card in the United Kingdom * Access Co., a Japanese software company * Access Healthcare, an Indian BPO se ...
and retention of students. A large proportion of courses (43%) offered by Alliance universities are
accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
by
professional bodies A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...
. In 2015, University Alliance launched the ''Doctoral Training Alliance'', the UK's largest multi-partner doctoral training programme building on its members' research strengths and industry-focused ethos. The initial programme in applied biosciences for
health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
was followed with further programmes, focused on
energy In physics, energy (from Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια, ''enérgeia'', “activity”) is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of heat a ...
and
social policy Social policy is a plan or action of government or institutional agencies which aim to improve or reform society. Some professionals and universities consider social policy a subset of public policy, while other practitioners characterize soci ...
. In 2018, with a €6.5million award from the
European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
, this programme was expanded to include international students, with the launch of the extended Doctoral Training Alliance, ''DTA3/COFUND'.'' In 2017 it began a ''Teaching Excellence Alliance'' programme focused on
professional development Professional development is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degrees to formal coursework, attending conferences, and informal learning Informal learning is characterized "by a low degree of planning and ...
, sharing best practice and innovation in industry-engaged teaching and developing students'
social capital Social capital is "the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively". It involves the effective functioning of social groups through interpersonal relationships ...
. Alliance universities employ over 20,000 research staff and account for more than a fifth of teams undertaking world-leading (4*) research in
health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
, general engineering and
art and design A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design'' ...
, according to the most recent
Research Excellence Framework The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a research impact evaluation of British higher education institutions. It is the successor to the Research Assessment Exercise and it was first used in 2014 to assess the period 2008–2013. REF is underta ...
. In student enterprise, 40% of the UK's successful graduate start-ups – those surviving beyond three years – come from Alliance graduates and collectively graduate start-ups from Alliance universities employ more than 8,000 people and account for £172m in annual turnover. University Alliance has an ongoing partnership with the
Australian Technology Network The Australian Technology Network (ATN) is a network of six Australian universities, with a strong history of innovation, enterprise and working closely with industry. ATN traces its origins back to 1975 as the Directors of Central Institutes of ...
group of universities, following a memorandum of understanding signed in 2013. In 2017 a delegation took place to strengthen links between the two groups. A pitchbook document promoting UK excellence in degree-level technical and professional education to international audiences was published by University Alliance in October 2017, developed in collaboration with the
British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...
, the
Department for International Trade The Department for International Trade (DIT) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of Government of the United Kingdom, His Majesty's Government responsible for striking and extending trade agreements between the U ...
and the
UK government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_es ...
's GREAT Britain campaign.


Policy

In 2016 University Alliance published a series of reports on the leadership role of universities as 'anchor institutions' in their cities and
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
, supporting
health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
and
wellbeing Well-being, or wellbeing, also known as wellness, prudential value or quality of life, refers to what is intrinsically valuable relative ''to'' someone. So the well-being of a person is what is ultimately good ''for'' this person, what is in th ...
,
life chances Life chances (''Lebenschancen'' in German) is a theory in sociology which refers to the opportunities each individual has to improve their quality of life. The concept was introduced by German sociologist Max Weber in the 1920s. It is a probabilis ...
,
skills A skill is the learned ability to act with determined results with good execution often within a given amount of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills. For example, in the domain of wo ...
, widening participation in HE and
innovation Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entity ...
. In February 2017, University Alliance put forward proposals on
lifelong learning Lifelong learning is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated"Department of Education and Science (2000).Learning for Life: Paper on Adult Education Dublin: Stationery Office. pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons ...
, calling on the government to take steps to ensure people can benefit from educational opportunities at all stages of life. Following this, ministers announced funding for pilot projects to test new approaches to lifelong learning in the March 2017 Budget. Its policy work has also focused on the role of universities in supporting the UK's industrial strategy and nurturing arts, culture and the creative economy. University Alliance's proposals for accelerated degrees and for the creation of Research England within
UKRI UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom that directs research and innovation funding, funded through the science budget of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial St ...
with
knowledge exchange Knowledge transfer is the sharing or disseminating of knowledge and the providing of inputs to problem solving. In organizational theory, knowledge transfer is the practical problem of transferring knowledge from one part of the organization to ...
explicitly recognised within its remit have been adopted by the government as part of the Higher Education and Research Act. The organisation has also shaped the design and methodology of the next
Research Excellence Framework The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a research impact evaluation of British higher education institutions. It is the successor to the Research Assessment Exercise and it was first used in 2014 to assess the period 2008–2013. REF is underta ...
, ''REF 2021'', following a government-commissioned review by Lord Stern. Following the
EU referendum This is a list of referendums related to the European Union, or referendums related to the European Communities, which were predecessors of the European Union. Since 1972, a total of 48 referendums have been held by EU member states, candidate st ...
, in August 2016 University Alliance highlighted the need for an effective post-Brexit replacement for EU Structural Funds as the UK leaves the EU, with £100m of ERDF and ESF monies focused on boosting skills and raising productivity in less prosperous regions being channelled each year through universities. This was subsequently reflected in the recommendations of the House of Commons Education Committee's report ''Exiting the UK: Challenges and Opportunities for UK Higher Education'' in April 2017 and in UK government proposals for a 'Shared Prosperity Fund'. University Alliance has also undertaken policy work to understand and define teaching excellence in the context of professional and technical education: a collection of essays published by the organisation in 2017, ''Technical and Professional Excellence: Perspectives on Learning and Teaching'' included contributions from the National Union of Students,
Confederation of British Industry The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is a UK business organisation, which in total claims to speak for 190,000 businesses, this is made up of around 1,500 direct members and 188,500 non-members. The non members are represented through the 1 ...
,
British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...
Chief executive Sir Ciarán Devane,
Office for Students The Office for Students (OfS) is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Education, acting as the regulator and competition authority for the higher education sector in England. In February 2021, James Wharton, Baron Wharton of Yarm ...
Chair Sir Michael Barber and others. In December 2017 the findings of ''The Hidden Story'', an AHRC-funded study on university
knowledge exchange Knowledge transfer is the sharing or disseminating of knowledge and the providing of inputs to problem solving. In organizational theory, knowledge transfer is the practical problem of transferring knowledge from one part of the organization to ...
with the creative industries were published, having been undertaken by Alliance universities. It mapped the ways in which
higher education institution Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
s support the sector and build cultural infrastructure contributing to understanding of this activity and how it can be measured. University Alliance contributed to ''Vocation, Vocation, Vocation'', a report on BTEC qualifications as a route into HE, published by the
Social Market Foundation The Social Market Foundation (SMF) is an independent British political public policy think-tank based in Westminster, London. It is one of the 'Top 12 Think Tanks in Britain' and was named 'UK Think Tank of the Year' by Prospect in 2012. Its pur ...
in association with
Pearson Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education *Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC *Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based int ...
in January 2018. In the foreword to the report, University Alliance Treasurer and Vice-Chancellor of
Nottingham Trent University Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is a public research university in Nottingham, England. It was founded as a new university in 1992, although its roots go back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design, w ...
Prof Edward Peck emphasised the contribution which vocational qualifications had made to
social mobility Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, households or other categories of people within or between social strata in a society. It is a change in social status relative to one's current social location within a given society ...
, meeting employers' skills needs and as a preparation for technical and professional degree courses. Tackling barriers to the expansion of
degree apprenticeship In 2015, the UK Government rolled out the degree apprenticeship programme which was developed as part of the higher apprenticeship standard. The programme is the equivalent of a master's or bachelor's degree which offers a level 6 – 7 qualificat ...
s has been a key area of focus for University Alliance, with the organisation hosting a speech by Education Committee Chair and former Skills Minister Robert Halfon MP in April 2018 addressing this. In its June 2018 report ''Ladders of Opportunity'' the organisation highlighted the role of universities in delivering education from Level 4 and Level 5 (sub-degree qualifications) up to Level 8 (postgraduate) of the
Qualifications and Credit Framework The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) was the national credit transfer system for education qualification in England, Northern Ireland and Wales until October 2015.. The replacement was the Regulated Qualification Framework. The QCF rep ...
(QCF). The report made a series of recommendations, including greater recognition of achievement at Level 5 within degrees, of experiential learning after completing a degree and greater flexibility in funding and in the delivery of the final year of a degree.


Events

University Alliance holds an annual summit in June hosted by a member institution. In 2017 the event was held at the
University of Salford , caption = Coat of ArmsUniversity of Salford , mottoeng = "Let us seek higher things" , established = 1850 - Pendleton Mechanics Institute 1896 – Royal Technical Institute, Salford 1967 – gained ...
's
MediaCityUK MediaCityUK is a mixed-use property development on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. The project was developed by Peel Media; its principal tenants are media organisations and the Quayside MediaCi ...
campus with speakers including
Greater Manchester Mayor The Mayor of Greater Manchester is the directly elected metro mayor of Greater Manchester, responsible for strategic governance in the region that includes health, transport, housing, strategic planning, waste management, policing, the Greater ...
Andy Burnham Andrew Murray Burnham (born 7 January 1970) is a British politician who has served as Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. He served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2007 to 2008, Culture Secretary from 2008 ...
and former UK Ambassador to the EU Sir Stephen Wall, and in 2016 at
Coventry University , mottoeng = By Art and Industry , established = , type = Public , endowment = £28 million (2015) , budget = £787.5 million , chancellor = Margaret Casely-Hayford , vice_chancellor = John Latham , students = () , undergr ...
with
Education Select Committee The Education Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Education and any ass ...
Chair Neil Carmichael and
Ryan Shorthouse Ryan Shorthouse is a British writer, thinker and entrepreneur. He is the founder and Executive Chair of Bright Blue, an independent think tank for promoting Liberal Conservatism. Life and career Ryan Shorthouse was chief executive of Bright Bl ...
, Chief Executive of
Bright Blue Bright Blue was a South African band that was prominent on the progressive scene in the final years of apartheid. The band's name "reflected the paradox of being bright in a very blue time" but was also a tribute to Chelsea FC. They are best ...
among those addressing the event. In 2018, at
Oxford Brookes University Oxford Brookes University (formerly known as Oxford Polytechnic (United Kingdom), Polytechnic) is a public university, public university in Oxford, England. It is a new university, having received university status through the Further and High ...
speakers included former Home Office and
DEFRA DEFRA may refer to: * Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, United States law * Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, United Kingdom government department {{Disambiguation ...
Permanent Secretary A permanent secretary (also known as a principal secretary) is the most senior Civil Service (United Kingdom), civil servant of a department or Ministry (government department), ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day ...
Dame Helen Ghosh, Director of Fair Access and Participation Chris Millward and Alison Johns, Chief Executive of AdvanceHE. In September 2016, University Alliance held a conference with the
Higher Education Academy Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recogniti ...
focused on research-informed teaching and how it could best be reflected in the newly created
Teaching Excellence Framework The Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) is a controversial government assessment of the quality of undergraduate teaching in universities and other higher education providers in England, which may be used from 2020 to determine ...
. The organisation held a discussion event in the Houses of Parliament on
lifelong learning Lifelong learning is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated"Department of Education and Science (2000).Learning for Life: Paper on Adult Education Dublin: Stationery Office. pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons ...
in February 2017 with Universities APPG Chair Roberta Blackman-Woods MP and former Universities Minister Lord Willetts. University Alliance held its first student enterprise competition in May 2017, a ''Dragon's Den''-style contest with students putting forward new business ideas to win investment from a pool of £5,000 hosted at the
University of Salford , caption = Coat of ArmsUniversity of Salford , mottoeng = "Let us seek higher things" , established = 1850 - Pendleton Mechanics Institute 1896 – Royal Technical Institute, Salford 1967 – gained ...
. A follow up competition was held in June 2018.


Members


Leadership

The association is headed by the Chair (Professor
Debra Humphris Debra Humphris is an English academic and nurse who has been the vice chancellor of the University of Brighton since 2015. Biography As a registered nurse, Humphris worked at the South Thames regional health authority and St George's Hospita ...
), Deputy Chair (Professor Alistair Fitt) and the Treasurer (Professor Steven Spier) who are elected and serve in office for a period of three years.


Chair


Chief executive


References


External links


University Alliance Official Website
{{University associations and groupings in the United Kingdom College and university associations and consortia in the United Kingdom Organisations based in the City of Westminster Organizations established in 2009 2009 establishments in the United Kingdom