Our policy work is co-developed with members and wider stakeholders – from students and staff, to anyone with an interest in seeing universities succeed. We also help universities develop their own responses and approaches through guidance and advice.
Our policy work has been influential in shaping developments across several areas, including:
- funding of universities
- legislation protecting student interests and regulating higher education
- development of immigration policy
- efforts to remain attractive to international students
Our guidance in areas such as security, mental health, creating safe and inclusive campuses has helped keep UK universities at the forefront of best practice.
Recent priorities
In the last two years, supporting universities during Covid-19 disruptions has been our biggest priority. We’ve worked in partnership with universities to understand their needs and make sure government policy aids them in supporting students, while continuing to deliver world class research.
Other topics we’ve focused on:
- helping universities address the UK’s skills challenges
- removal of barriers created by inequality
- ensuring funding is sustainable
- enhancing value for students in the UK, including:
- making progress on tackling grade inflation
- reforms for a fairer admissions system
- a sustainable approach to maintaining high-value courses
Our activities
Our other activities include:
- securing conditions for university-based research and innovation to thrive and grow
- attracting international students and staff
- monitoring and managing security-related risks for international research
- demonstrating the contribution of universities to tackling the climate emergency
- enhancing free speech and academic freedom
- protecting the financial sustainability of universities
- ensuring universities are central to delivering a highly skilled workforce
- tackling harassment and hate crime in universities
- improving admissions access and participation
- ensuring universities support businesses and drive innovation
- protecting and enhancing the quality of universities’ teaching
- securing an effective regulatory environment
- helping universities contribute to the post-pandemic economic and social recovery
- supporting the mental health of students and staff
For more detail on our policy work, including information, guidance and recommendations to universities and policy makers, see our recent publications.
