Following the agreement in principle reached by the UK and EU regarding the Windsor Framework, representatives of the UK, Irish and wider European research, innovation and business communities have signed a joint statement urging rapid progress on UK association to EU programmes, including Horizon Europe, Copernicus and Euratom:
With this Joint Statement, we – the undersigned European university umbrella organisations – want to express our concerns on the lack of progress and clarity regarding the association of the United Kingdom and Switzerland to the Horizon Europe research framework programme. Two years have passed since the start of the programme without any progress and the delay is causing damage to existing research partnerships between EU, UK, and Swiss knowledge institutions
Universities are major players in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), bringing in over a billion pounds in international business investment every year through their R&D and contributing to the government’s Science Superpower agenda. But often the shape, scale and impact of this investment is hard to describe at a sector level due to incomplete data and the variety of ways in which universities work with overseas business partners.
New polling, commissioned from Public First by Universities UK, has revealed that the UK public doesn’t see reducing legal migration as a priority compared to other pressing issues, and are not in favour of cutting the number of international students.
Universities often take a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to drug use or drug abuse. But there’s not much evidence to show that the fear or threat of being kicked out of uni works. If current drugs policies aren't working, what would?
UK universities have invested significantly in domestic widening participation initiatives. Significant progress has been made, but many inequalities in access still regrettably persist. Whilst widening participation traditionally focuses on a variety of domestic demographics according to need, we should not forget that many other marginalised people around the world also have immediate needs. One organisation supporting this goal, Ashinaga, explain their work and the importance of a global perspective in widening participation.
To confront increasing regional inequality, flagging productivity and an ever-widening skills gap, universities and local businesses need to work together better. University Enterprise Zones (UEZs) offer a promising solution.
In a recent speech, the Secretary of State for the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology outlined the department’s “singular goal” of leading the UK to science and technology superpower status by 2030. In the run up to the Spring Budget, Universities UK (UUK) in its latest report calls on the government to invest in University Enterprise Zones and use the UK’s pioneering universities to drive SME growth and rebuild the economy.
IHEF returned to our screens on 28 Feb and 1 March – filled with sharp insights into the future of international higher education. Our IHEF 2023 partner AECC Global shared powerful keynote on their exclusive insights and data. Here, they delve into the importance of human connections in our increasingly digital world.
Following the March 2023 Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) meeting, we wish to provide a progress update on three of the key commitments we made within the interim joint statement (dated 17 February 2023). These commitments were:
Universities UK (UUK), on behalf of USS employers, has today issued a joint statement with the University and College Union (UCU) outlining how both parties are working together on the future of USS benefits.
Responding to the announcement made in the Spring Budget of funding for investment zones, Professor Steve West CBE, President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of UWE Bristol, said:
The University of Kent has been tackling the cost of living crisis through their student food bank, The Campus Pantry. We spoke with Kent Union President Zaid Mahmood about how students can access this service and how other universities can get involved.
Professor Dame Sally Mapstone FRSE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of University of St Andrews, has been elected as the next President of Universities UK (UUK).
The role runs for two academic years from 1 August 2023 and is elected through a ballot of UUK’s 140 members.
Research and innovation collaboration with countries across the globe is of fundamental importance if the UK wants to become a science superpower. This includes developing equitable partnerships with countries in the Global South. Through ODA funding, the UK is able to collaborate with these countries to solve global challenges.