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{{Short description|British association of universities}}{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}

factoids

|region_served= United Kingdom

• University of Birmingham
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• Cardiff University
• Durham University
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Exeter
• University of Glasgow
• Imperial College London
• King’s College London
• University of Leeds
• University of Liverpool
• London School of Economics
• University of Manchester
• Newcastle University
• University of Nottingham
• University of Oxford
• Queen Mary University of London
• Queen’s University Belfast
• University of Sheffield
• University of Southampton
• University College London
• University of Warwick
• University of York

{edih}

• Tim Bradshaw(chief executive)
• Chris DayNEWS,www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-universities-2023-9-newcastle-vice-chancellor-becomes-russell-group-chair/, Research Professional News, 4 September 2023, Emily Twinch, Newcastle vice-chancellor becomes Russell Group chair, (chair 2023–2026)

}}|website = {{Official URL}}}}The Russell Group is a self-selected association of twenty-four public research universities in the United Kingdom. The group is headquartered in Cambridge and was established in 1994 to represent its members’ interests, principally to government and Parliament. It was incorporated in 2007.WEB,russellgroup.ac.uk/about/, About, Russell Group, 29 October 2018, Its members are often perceived as being the UK’s best universities, but this has been disputed.WEB, Universities vie for the metric that cannot be measured: prestige, Paul, Blackmore,www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2016/mar/29/universities-vie-for-the-metric-that-cannot-be-measured-prestige, The Guardian, 29 March 2016, The Russell Group has successfully stage-managed the position that it is seen as comprising the best universities. Some are and some aren’t, but by and large this is nonsense. However, parents increasingly say they want their child to go to one.Universities in the United Kingdom#Categorisation by age and location, Pre-92 head., {{As of|2017|post=,}} Russell Group members receive over three-quarters of all university research grant and contract income in the United Kingdom.WEB,russellgroup.ac.uk/media/5524/rg_text_june2017_updated.pdf, Russell Group, 29 October 2018, Profile, June 2017, 6–7, Russell Group members award 60% of all doctorates gained in the United Kingdom. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, Russell Group universities accounted for 65% of all world-leading (4*) research conducted in the UK, and 91% of the Russell Group’s research was judged to be world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).WEB, Russell Group universities produce more world-leading research than ever before,russellgroup.ac.uk/news/russell-group-universities-produce-more-world-leading-research-than-ever-before/, 2022-06-09, Russell Group, en, In the 2023 Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF), of the 20 English Russell Group universities which were assessed, 7 hold gold awards (35%) and 13 silver (65%). This compares to proportions across 128 higher education institutions of which 29% hold gold, 62% silver, and 9% bronze.NEWS, McCabe, Grace, What is the TEF? Results of the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023,www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/tef-2023-results, Times Higher Education, 18 December 2023, Their graduates hold 61% of all UK jobs that require a university degree, despite being only 17% of all higher education graduates.PRESS RELEASE, Graduates in the UK Labour Market – 2017, Office for National Statistics, 24 November 2017,www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/graduatesintheuklabourmarket/2017, 12 January 2019, WEB,www.gov.uk/government/news/government-publishes-destination-data-for-the-first-time, Government publishes destination data for the first time, 12 July 2012, Department for Education, 13 January 2019, The Russell Group is named after the location of the first informal meetings of the Group, which took place at the Hotel Russell in Russell Square, London.NEWS,www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17341478, Four universities join elite Russell Group, 5 September 2012, BBC News, 12 March 2012,

History

The Russell Group of universities was formed in 1994 by 17 British research universities – Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial College London, Leeds, Liverpool, London School of Economics, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton, University College London and Warwick, who originally met at Hotel Russell shortly before meetings of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (now Universities UK) in nearby Tavistock Square, close to the University of London buildings and, particularly, Senate House. With the exception of Warwick (established in the 1960s), the founder members of the group were all universities or university colleges prior to World War I, including most of Britain’s ancient universities and “redbrick universities”. In 1998, Cardiff University and King’s College London joined the group.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=409118, Do you want to be in my gang?, 1 January 2013, Times Higher Education, 19 November 2009, In March 2001, the Russell Group decided against selecting a preferred option for the future funding of higher education, stating that endowments, a graduate contribution, increased public funding and top-up fees should all remain options.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=158251§ioncode=26, Russell Group keeps funding options open, 5 September 2012, Times Higher Education, 23 March 2001, In December 2005, it was announced that the Russell Group would be appointing its first full-time director-general as a result of a planned expansion of its operations, including commissioning and conducting its own policy research.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=200241§ioncode=26, Russell Group seeks leader to oversee its expanded role, 5 September 2012, Times Higher Education, 9 December 2005, In November 2006, Queen’s University Belfast was admitted as the twentieth member of the group.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=206624§ioncode=26, Queen’s gets key to Russell club door, 5 September 2012, Times Higher Education, 9 November 2006, In the same month Wendy Piatt, the then deputy director in the Prime Minister’s strategy unit, was announced as the group’s new Director General and chief executive.In March 2012, it was announced that four universities – Durham, Exeter, Queen Mary University of London; and York – would become members of the Russell Group in August of the same year. All of the new members had previously been members of the 1994 Group of British universities.In January 2013, it was announced that the Russell Group would establish an academic board to advise the English exams watchdog Ofqual on the content of A-Levels.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=422488&c=1, Russell Group to advise on A-level content in post-16 shake-up, 27 January 2013, Times Higher Education, 23 January 2013, In 2019 the group launched a website “Informed Choices” to advise school children on which A-level subject choices were useful for various degree courses, replacing an earlier teachers’ guide of the same name from 2011 that had identified a list of “facilitating subjects’.NEWS, Daily Telegraph, 23 May 2019, Bright teenagers risk having university plans ‘scuppered’ by bad A-levels advice, Russell Group warns, Camilla Turner, WEB,www.rsb.org.uk/images/Russell%20Group%20-%20Informed%20Choices.pdf, Informed choices, 22 March 2023, Russell Group,

Organisation

{{Location map+|United Kingdom| alt=Map of the UK with location of Russell Group universities highlighted|caption=Locations of Russell Group universities|float=right|upright=1.8|places={{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=51.76|long=-1.25|position=bottom|label=Oxford}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=52.21|long=0.12|position=top|label=Cambridge}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=51.51|long=-0.13|position=right|label=London|mark=City locator 11.svg|marksize=12}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=53.47|long=-2.23|position=top|label=Manchester}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=52.94|long=-1.20|position=right|label=Nottingham}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=51.46|long=-2.60|position=bottom|label=Bristol}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=53.81|long=-1.55|position=top|label=Leeds}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=53.38|long=-1.49|position=right|label=Sheffield}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=52.45|long=-1.93|position=left|label=Birmingham}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=50.93|long=-1.40|position=right|label=Southampton}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=53.41|long=-2.97|position=left|label=Liverpool}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=54.98|long=-1.62|position=top|label=Newcastle}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=52.38|long=-1.56|position=bottom|label=Warwick}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=55.95|long=-3.19|position=top|label=Edinburgh}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=55.87|long=-4.29|position=bottom|label=Glasgow}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=51.49|long=-3.18|position=top|label=Cardiff}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=54.58|long=-5.93|position=top|label=Queen’s}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=53.95|long=-1.05|position=right|label=York}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=54.77|long=-1.57|position=left|label=Durham}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=50.74|long=-3.53|position=left|label=Exeter}}{{Location map~|United Kingdom|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png|marksize=1|lat=51|long=-11(Education in London#Research>London:) Imperial King’s LSE QMUL UCL|position=right}}default_width=400}}

Objectives

The Russell Group states that “its aim is to help ensure that our universities have the optimum conditions in which to flourish and continue to make social, economic and cultural impacts through their world-leading research and teaching.“It works towards this by lobbying the UK government and parliament; commissioning reports and research; creating a forum in which its member institutions can discuss issues of common concern; and identify opportunities for them to work together.

Leadership

The Russell Group is led by Chief Executive Tim Bradshaw and chaired by Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle.{| class=“wikitable” Russell Group chairs 2000–2026! Name !! Dates !! InstitutionColin Lucas >| OxfordMichael Sterling >| BirminghamMalcolm Grant >| UCLMichael Arthur (physician)>Michael Arthur 2009–2012 LeedsDavid Eastwood >| BirminghamDavid Greenaway (economist)>David Greenaway 2015–2017 NottinghamAnton Muscatelli >| GlasgowNancy Rothwell >| ManchesterChris Day (hepatologist)>Chris Day 2023–2026 Newcastle

Members

The Russell Group currently has twenty-four members,NEWS,www.theguardian.com/education/2012/mar/12/russell-group-four-more-universities, 12 March 2012, Russell Group extends membership to four more universities, The Guardian, 9 October 2015, of which twenty are from England, two from Scotland, and one from each of Wales and Northern Ireland. Of the English members, five are from Greater London; three from the Yorkshire and the Humber region; two from each of the North East, North West, West Midlands, South West and South East regions; and one from each of the East Midlands and East regions. Four Russell Group members are constituent colleges of the University of London and a fifth London institution, Imperial College London, was part of the University of London until 2007.The table below gives the members of the group, along with when they joined, their student and staff numbers, and their latest Teaching Excellence Framework overall rating (non-English universities were not assessed).{| class=“wikitable sortable“! scope=“col” | University! scope=“col” | Year of joining! data-sort-type=“number” | Undergraduate students (2021/22)WEB, Where do HE students study? {{!, HESA |url=https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-study#provider |access-date=31 January 2023|publisher=Higher Education Statistics Agency}}! data-sort-type=“number” | Postgraduate students (2021/22)! data-sort-type=“number” | Total students (2021/22)! data-sort-type=“number” | Total academic staff (2022/23)WEB,www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/staff/working-in-he, Who’s working in HE?, 30 January 2024, Higher Education Statistics Agency, ! data-sort-type=“number” | TEF awardWEB,tef2023.officeforstudents.org.uk, Office for Students, 28 September 2023, Teaching Excellence Framework 2023 Outcomes, (File:Shield of the University of Birmingham.svg|14px) University of Birmingham|1994|25,150|12,840|37,990|3,195Silver† (File:Shield of the University of Bristol.svg|14px) University of Bristol|1994|23,055|8,425|31,485|2,830Silver (File:Coat of Arms of the University of Cambridge.svg|14px) University of Cambridge|1994|13,645|8,960|22,610|4,935Gold*(File:Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg|14px) Cardiff University|1998|23,765|10,220|33,985|2,540|{{n/a}}(File:Durham shield.png|14px) Durham University|2012|17,395|4,835|22,230|1,745Silver(File:University of Edinburgh arms.svg|14px) University of Edinburgh|1994|26,000|15,245|41,250|4,200|{{n/a}}(File:University of Exeter arms.svg|14px) University of Exeter|2012|23,755|8,710|32,465|2,320Gold*(File:Shield of the University of Glasgow.svg|14px) University of Glasgow|1994|23,460|19,520|42,980|3,155|{{n/a}}(File:Shield of Imperial College London.svg|14px) Imperial College London|1994|11,740|9,730|21,470|3,715Gold(File:Shield of King’s College London.svg|14px) King’s College London‡|1998|23,225|18,270|41,490|3,850Silver(File:Shield of the University of Leeds.svg|14px) University of Leeds|1994|27,015|10,175|37,190|3,040Silver†(File:Shield of the University of Liverpool.svg|14px) University of Liverpool|1994|22,265|6,415|28,680|2,440Gold(File:London School of Economics Coat of Arms.svg|14px) London School of Economics‡|1994|5,575|7,400|12,975|1,095Silver(File:Shield of the University of Manchester.svg|14px) University of Manchester|1994|30,900|15,505|46,410|4,195Silver(File:University of Newcastle Coat of Arms.svg|14px) Newcastle University|1994|20,760|6,520|27,280|2,525Silver†(File:Shield of the University of Nottingham.svg|14px) University of Nottingham|1994|28,690|8,570|37,260|2,870Silver(File:Coat of arms of the University of Oxford.svg|14px) University of Oxford|1994|15,685|11,610|27,290|6,005Gold*(File:Queen Mary, University of London Crest-2.png|14px) Queen Mary University of London‡|2012|17,430|8,615|26,045|2,065Silver†(File:Queen’s University Belfast arms.svg|14px) Queen’s University Belfast|2006|17,970|7,325|25,295|1,775|{{n/a}}(File:Shield of the University of Sheffield.svg|14px) University of Sheffield|1994|20,040|10,820|30,860|2,855Silver(File:Shield of the University of Southampton.svg|14px) University of Southampton|1994|15,110|8,685|23,795|2,060Silver(File:UCL_Crest.svg|14px) University College London‡|1994|23,800|23,030|46,830|6,460Silver(File:Shield of the University of Warwick.svg|14px) University of Warwick|1994|18,955|9,870|28,825|2,270Gold*(File:University of York coat of arms.svg|14px) University of York|2012|15,350|8,070|23,420|1,810GoldNotes:‡ Member institution of the University of London, awarding its own degrees

• Achieved ‘Gold’ rating in all three categories of the assessment

† Achieved overall ‘Silver’ rating with one category rated ‘Bronze’

Status

Research

In 2022/23, following the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), the English universities of the Russell Group saw their share of recurring research funding from Research England drop by 2.71 percentage points from the 2021/22 funding (based on the previous 2014 REF) to 68.21 per cent, although most institutions saw a rise in actual funding levels due to an overall increase in funding. The top 19 English institutions in terms of funding continued to all be from the Russell Group, with the top 20 being rounded off, as before, by Lancaster. The LSE was, as in previous REF rounds, the exception, ranking 31st in terms of funding (down from 23rd in 2021/11) and seeing a nine per cent fall (£1.7 million) in its allocation.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.com/news/post-92s-gain-research-funding-expense-golden-triangle, Post-92s gain research funding at expense of ‘golden triangle’, 4 August 2022, Tom Williams, Times Higher Education, In 2015/16, following the 2014 REF, the 19 English universities with HEFCE research funding allocations (excluding transitional funding) in excess of £20 million were all members of the Russell Group. The only English Russell Group institution to receive an allocation below £20 million was the LSE (£18.6 million), which ranked 22nd behind the Universities of Leicester and Lancaster (both on £19 million).NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.com/news/winners-and-losers-in-hefce-funding-allocations/2019306.article, Winners and losers in Hefce funding allocations, 26 March 2015, Times Higher Education, Paul Jump, In 2010/11, 19 of the 20 UK universities with the highest income from research grants and contracts were members of the Russell Group.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.com/sites/default/files/breaking_news_files/university-financial-health-check-2016-uk-institutions-finances-2014-2015.pdf, University financial health check 2014-5, 2 June 2016, Times Higher Education, 2 June 2016, In terms of total research funding allocations from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in 2007/8, the top 15 universities were all Russell Group institutions.NEWS,education.guardian.co.uk/higher/specialreport/table/0,,2023291,00.html, The Guardian, London, Hefce funding allocations 2007–08: All institutions, 23 May 2010, LSE was 21st, due to its focus on less costly social sciences research. Queen’s University Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh, were not included in this table, as they are not English institutions. The Russell Group institutions received 82% of the total HEFCE research funding allocation.The research funding figures depend on factors other than the quality of research, in particular there are variations due to institutional size and subject spread (e.g. science, technology and medicine tend to attract more money).In 2008, 18 of the then 20 members were positioned in the top 20 of Research Fortnight’s Research Assessment Exercise ‘Power’ Table. The other two places were occupied by Durham University and Queen Mary University of London, which were not then Russell Group members but have since joined. The two Russell Group institutions outside the top 20 were QUB (21st) and the LSE (27th), while the other two universities to have since joined were York (22nd) and Exeter (25th).WEB,www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=36755, 剁䔰㠠偯睥爠呡扬, 4 August 2012, dead,www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=36755," title="web.archive.org/web/20120609102926www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=36755,">web.archive.org/web/20120609102926www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=36755, 9 June 2012, In the equivalent table for the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, the 24 Russell Group members occupied the top 24 positions, with the University of Lancaster in 25th being the highest-ranked non-Russell Group university.NEWS,www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/ng-interactive/2014/dec/18/university-research-excellence-framework-2014-full-rankings, The Guardian, University Research Excellence Framework 2014 – the full rankings, 17 December 2014,

Rankings

{{See also|Rankings of universities in the United Kingdom}}In 2023, all eight UK universities in the ARWU top 100, seventeen of the eighteen in the QS top 100 (the other place being occupied by the University of St Andrews), and all ten in the THE top 100 are members of the Russell Group. The Russell Group provides seven of the top ten in the Complete, Guardian, and Times/Sunday Times.{| class=“wikitable sortable” style="text-align: left;”! width=200px | University! data-sort-type=“number” | ARWU 2023 (Global)WEB, Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023,www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2023, Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, 15 August 2023, ! data-sort-type=“number” | QS 2024 (Global)WEB,www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2024, QS World University Rankings 2024, Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd., 27 June 2023, ! data-sort-type=“number” | THE 2024 (Global)WEB,www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/world-ranking#!/length/25/locations/GBR/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats, THE World University Rankings 2024, Times Higher Education, 28 September 2023, 28 September 2023, ! data-sort-type=“number” | Complete 2025 (National)WEB,www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings, Complete University Guide 2025, The Complete University Guide, 14 May 2024, 14 May 2024, ! data-sort-type=“number” | Guardian 2024 (National)WEB,www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2023/sep/09/the-guardian-university-guide-2024-the-rankings, Guardian University Guide 2024, The Guardian, 9 September 2023, 11 September 2023, ! data-sort-type=“number” | Times/Sunday Times 2024 (National)WEB,www.thetimes.co.uk/uk-university-rankings, Good University Guide 2024, The Times, 15 September 2023, 15 September 2023, | University of Birmingham| 151–200| 84| 101| 12| 37| 22| University of Bristol| 88| 55| 81| 16| 17| 16| University of Cambridge| 4| 2| 5| 1| 3| 3| Cardiff University| 151–200| 154=| 190| 27| 29| 25|Durham University| 301–400| 78| 174| 6| 7| 7| University of Edinburgh| 38| 22| 30=| 15| 14| 13| University of Exeter| 151–200| 153| 177=| 14| 18| 11| University of Glasgow| 101–150| 76=| 87=| 29| 13| 12| Imperial College London| 23| 6| 8| 5| 5| 5| King’s College London| 59| 40| 38=| 24| 23| 27| University of Leeds| 151–200| 75| 129| 23| 27| 24| University of Liverpool| 101–150| 176=| 168=| 18=| 36| 29=| London School of Economics| 151–200| 45| 46| 3| 4| 4| University of Manchester| 41| 32| 51| 22| 24| 23| Newcastle University| 201–300| 110| 168=| 26| 67| 37| University of Nottingham| 101–150| 100=| 130=| 30| 59| 32| University of Oxford| 7| 3| 1| 2| 2| 2| Queen Mary University of London| 201–300| 145=| 135| 50| 73| 46| Queen’s University Belfast| 301–400| 202| 201–250| 25| 50| 31| University of Sheffield| 151–200| 104| 105| 18=| 21| 18| University of Southampton| 151–200| 81=| 97=| 20| 20| 17| University College London| 17| 9| 22| 9| 8| 6| University of Warwick| 101–150| 67| 106=| 10| 9| 9| University of York| 301–400| 167| 147| 17| 19| 15

Selectivity

All but two of the universities in the Russell Group are part of the Sutton Trust’s group of 30 highly selective universities, the Sutton 30 (the absent members being Queen Mary University of London and Queen’s University Belfast).REPORT, Degree of Success: University Chances by Individual School,www.suttontrust.com/our-research/degree-success-university-chances-individual-school/, 8 July 2011, The Sutton Trust, 28 July 2020, The Sutton 13 group of the 13 most highly selective universities only includes one non-Russell Group member, the University of St Andrews.REPORT, Earnings by Degrees, Sutton Trust,www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Earnings-by-Degrees-REPORT-1.pdf, 16–17, 18 December 2014, 2 April 2016, The top 10 by average UCAS points of new undergraduate students in 2021–22 included three non-Russell Group universities: St Andrews (1st: 212 points), Strathclyde (2nd: 210 points), and Aberdeen (joint 10th with Durham: 185 points). The top 10 by lowest offer rate to new undergraduate students in 2023-24 included three non-Russell Group universities: St Andrews (4th; 26.6%), St George’s (9th; 41.4%) and University of the Arts London (10th; 44.8%). The average offer rate, including conditional and unconditional offers, across ‘higher tariff’ UK institutions (as defined by UCAS) was 59.7% in 2023.{| class=“wikitable sortable” style="text-align: left;”! University! data-sort-type=“number” | Average Entry TariffaWEB, Complete University Guide 2024 – Entry Standards,www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings?tabletype=full-table&sortby=entry-standards, 8 June 2023, ! data-sort-type=“number” | Offer Rate (%)bWEB, 2023 entry UCAS Undergraduate reports by sex, area background, and ethnic group, 30 April 2024,www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-end-cycle-data-resources-2023/2023-entry-ucas-undergraduate-reports-sex-area-background-and-ethnic-group, UCAS, 30 April 2024, | University of Birmingham| 158| 65.4| University of Bristol| 174| 58.0| University of Cambridge| 209| 24.4| Cardiff University| 153| 70.9| Durham University| 185| 62.0| University of Edinburgh| 197| 37.4| University of Exeter| 164| 82.0| University of Glasgow| 209| 63.6| Imperial College London| 206| 33.1| King’s College London| 171| 38.5| University of Leeds| 162| 56.9| University of Liverpool| 147| 72.1| London School of Economics| 195| 20.6| University of Manchester| 167| 53.3| Newcastle University| 151| 79.2| University of Nottingham| 154| 71.1| University of Oxford| 205| 19.7| Queen Mary University of London| 151| 61.4| Queen’s University Belfast| 156| 70.7| University of Sheffield| 157| 75.3| University of Southampton| 156| 71.7| University College London| 190| 27.0| University of Warwick| 173| 62.7| University of York| 157| 78.9Notes:a The average UCAS tariff achieved by new undergraduate students entering the university in 2021–22. This is based on qualifications achieved, for example A-levels: A* = 56, A = 48, B = 40 UCAS points; IBO Certificate in Higher Level: H7 = 56, H6 = 48, H5 = 32.WEB,www.ucas.com/file/603496/download?token=cBYDgpzT, UCAS, May 2021, UCAS Tariff tables, 2 February 2023, b The average offer rate for June deadline undergraduate applicants (all ages) in 2023.

Finances

The Russell Group accounted for 49.1% of the income of the higher education sector in the UK in 2013–14, having risen from 44.7% of the total in 2001–02. Over the same period the total income of Russell Group universities rose by 69.9% in real terms, compared to a sector average of 54.4%.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.com/news/russell-group-pulls-further-away-in-funding-race, Russell Group ‘pulls further away’ in funding race, Times Higher Education, 9 December 2015, Chris Havergal, Russell Group universities are also seen as “particularly creditworthy” due to their membership of the group, allowing them to borrow money at low interest rates.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.com/news/russell-group-membership-a-badge-of-quality-for-bond-investors, Russell Group membership a ‘badge of quality’ for bond investors, 11 February 2016, John Morgan, Times Higher Education, The total annual income for Russell Group members for 2020–21 was £20.30 billion of which £4.77 billion was from research grants and contracts, with an operating surplus of £1.15 billion. Russell Group universities hold a total endowment value of £6.18 billion (exclusive of colleges) and net assets of £31.52 billion. The table below is a record of each Russell Group member’s financial data for the 2020–21 financial year.{| class=“sortable wikitable“!University!data-sort-type=“number” |Government funding body grants (£m)!data-sort-type=“number” |Teaching income (£m) !data-sort-type=“number” |Teaching income as % of total income!data-sort-type=“number” |Research income (£m) !data-sort-type=“number” |Research income as % of total income!data-sort-type=“number” |Total income (£m)!data-sort-type=“number” |Operating surplus (£m) !data-sort-type=“number” |Surplus as % of total income!data-sort-type=“number” |Endowment value (£m)!data-sort-type=“number” |Total net assets (£m)University of BirminghamHTTPS://WWW.BIRMINGHAM.AC.UK/DOCUMENTS/FINANCE/UOB-ANNUAL-REPORT-AND-ACCOUNTS-2020-21-ACCESSIBLE.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 42, |93.1|389.6|50.3%|168.3|21.7%|774.1|35.6|4.60%|134.5|1,252.2University of BristolHTTPS://WWW.BRISTOL.AC.UK/MEDIA-LIBRARY/SITES/FINANCE/DOCUMENTS/UOB%20AR%20FS%202021%20WEB.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 42, |119.9|349.8|46.5%|176.4|22.6%|752.0|85.3|11.34%|91.3|1,190.1University of Cambridge‡HTTPS://WWW.CAM.AC.UK/SYSTEM/FILES/UNIVERSITY_OF_CAMBRIDGE_GROUP_ANNUAL_REPORTS_FINANCIAL_STATEMENTS_2020-21.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022, University of Cambridge, |212.9|332.1|16.5%|580.4|28.8%|2,019.1|119.8|5.93%|2,031.0|5,283.0Cardiff UniversityHTTPS://WWW.CARDIFF.AC.UK/__DATA/ASSETS/PDF_FILE/0011/2592218/CU_ANNUALREVIEWACCOUNTS2021_FINAL.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 14, |109.5|306.9|50.9%|112.6|18.7%|603.4|31.3|5.19%|45.5|678.7Durham University‡HTTPS://ISSUU.COM/COMMUNICATIONSOFFICE/DOCS/2022_ANNUAL_REPORT_CUR0222199_DIGI PUBLISHER=DURHAM UNIVERSITY, 5 March 2022, |43.0|241.3|61.4%|51.2|13.0%|393.2|19.8|5.04%|98.2|476.6University of EdinburghUNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH URL=HTTPS://WWW.ED.AC.UK/FILES/ATOMS/FILES/202007_UOE_ANNUAL_ACCOUNTS_2021_29.PDFACCESS-DATE=5 MARCH 2022, |236.3|435.0|37.0%|324.0|27.6%|1,175.6|130.0|11.0%|565.2|2,406.2University of ExeterHTTPS://WWW.EXETER.AC.UK/MEDIA/UNIVERSITYOFEXETER/FINANCESERVICES/PDFS/ANNUALREPORT2020-2021.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 29, |59.4|287.5|57.2%|94.6|18.8%|503.1|—9.7|—1.93%|49.5|513.5University of GlasgowHTTPS://WWW.GLA.AC.UK/MEDIA/MEDIA_830192_SMXX.PDF ACCESS-DATE =5 MARCH 2022 PUBLISHER = UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW, 5, |198.4|288.9|35.7%|173.3|21.4%|809.4|116.3|14.4%|225.2|1,008.0Imperial College LondonHTTPS://WWW.IMPERIAL.AC.UK/MEDIA/IMPERIAL-COLLEGE/ADMINISTRATION-AND-SUPPORT-SERVICES/FINANCE/PUBLIC/ANNUAL-REPORT-AND-ACCOUNTS-WEB-2020-21.PDF PUBLISHER=IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON, |156.0|383.5|35.8%|363.0|33.9%|1,072.0|23.1|2.15%|202.1|1,878.8King’s College LondonHTTPS://WWW.KCL.AC.UK/ABOUT/ASSETS/PDF/STATEMENTS/FINANCIALSTATEMENTS2021.PDFACCESS-DATE=5 MARCH 2022, King’s College London, |145.5|505.5|50.5%|187.9|18.8%|1,002.0|36.4|3.63%|300.6|1,489.2University of LeedsHTTPS://WWW.LEEDS.AC.UK/DOWNLOAD/DOWNLOADS/ID/2969/ANNUAL_REPORT_AND_ACCOUNTS_2020-21.PDFPUBLISHER=UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, 5 March 2022, |96.2|405.7|54.0%|130.1|17.3%|751.7|—8.1|—1.08%|90.5|737.5University of LiverpoolHTTPS://WWW.LIVERPOOL.AC.UK/MEDIA/LIVACUK/FINANCE/ANNUAL,ACCOUNTS,20-21.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 20, |78.7|303.7|50.8%|112.5|18.8%|597.4|29.0|4.85%|190.2|801.5London School of EconomicsHTTPS://INFO.LSE.AC.UK/STAFF/DIVISIONS/FINANCE-DIVISION/ASSETS/ANNUAL-ACCOUNTS/PDF/20-21-LSE-FINANCIAL-STATEMENTS.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 30, |37.0|250.7|64.1%|32.8|8.4%|391.1|56.9|14.6%|240.8|757.2University of ManchesterHTTPS://DOCUMENTS.MANCHESTER.AC.UK/DISPLAY.ASPX?DOCID=58270PUBLISHER=UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER, 5 March 2022, |138.1|577.9|52.5%|237.0|21.5%|1,101.6|63.6|5.77%|242.2|1,857.3Newcastle UniversityHTTPS://WWW.NCL.AC.UK/MEDIA/WWWNCLACUK/WHOWEARE/FILES/INTEGRATED%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%202020-21.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022, Newcastle University, |81.2|276.3|52.8%|99.6|19.0%|523.6|4.7|0.90%|101.8|503.2University of NottinghamHTTPS://WWW.NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK/FABS/FINANCE/DOCUMENTS/FINANCIALSTATEMENTS/STRATEGIC-REVIEW-AND-FINANCIAL-STATEMENTS-2021.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 34, |102.0|387.7|55.9%|114.9|16.6%|694.0|14.0|2.02%|72.3|524.4University of Oxford‡HTTPS://WWW.OX.AC.UK/SITES/FILES/OXFORD/OXFORD%20UNIVERSITY%2C%20FINANCIAL%20STATEMENTS%202020-21.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022, University of Oxford, |203.8|418.5|18.6%|647.8|28.8%|2,249.8|95.0|4.22%|1,149.0|5,071.8Queen Mary University of LondonHTTPS://FINANCE.QMUL.AC.UK/MEDIA/FINANCE/FINANCIALSTATEMENTS/QMUL-FINANCIAL-STATEMENTS-2020-21-V8-FINAL.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 28, |76.0|272.9|53.3%|114.7|22.4%|512.5|71.3|13.9%|41.3|533.5Queen’s University BelfastHTTPS://WWW.QUB.AC.UK/DIRECTORATES/FINANCEDIRECTORATE/VISITORS/FILESTORE-VISITORS/FINANCIAL-STATEMENTS/FILE,1253542,EN.PDF ACCESS-DATE = 5 MARCH 2022 PAGE = 35, |109.9|143.4|36.2%|88.6|22.4%|395.8|22.3|5.63%|70.0|536.4University of SheffieldHTTPS://WWW.SHEFFIELD.AC.UK/MEDIA/28819/DOWNLOAD?ATTACHMENT ACCESS-DATE= 5 MARCH 2022PUBLISHER=UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD, |96.1|370|49.9%|163.0|22.0%|741.0|32.4|4.37%|46.7|1,229.8University of SouthamptonSOUTHAMPTON FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2021 PUBLISHER = UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON, 27, |84.2|237.0|43.3%|119.7|21.9%|547.7|5.0|0.91%|14.9|499.4University College LondonHTTPS://WWW.UCL.AC.UK/FINANCE/SITES/FINANCE/FILES/UCL_ANNUAL_REPORT_AND_FINANCIAL_STATEMENTS_FOR_THE_YEAR_ENDED_31_JULY_2021.PDFACCESS-DATE=5 MARCH 2022, UCL, |221.4|732.9|46.1%|475.7|29.9%|1,591.7|109.8|6.90%|163.3|1,613.7University of WarwickHTTPS://WARWICK.AC.UK/SERVICES/FINANCE/RESOURCES/ACCOUNTS/ACCOUNTS_202021_-_WITH_COVER.PDF PUBLISHER=UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK, 5 March 2022, |66.8|389.7|55.8%|139.8|20.0%|698.2|76.7|11.0%|7.0|384.1University of YorkANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTSPUBLISHER=UNIVERSITY OF YORK, 5 March 2022, |47.5|229.1|56.8%|69.8|17.3%|403.6|—6.3|—1.56%|8.0|289.5Notes:‡ exclusive of colleges

Criticisms

’Elite’ status questioned

In a statement made in 2014 to the Higher Education Policy Institute, David Watson of the University of Oxford suggested that the Russell Group’s claim to represent 24 ‘leading universities’ was “a real stretch”. In the context of the Russell Group’s reputation in the sector, he continued: “particularly dangerous, I think, is the bottom half of the Russell Group…The problem with the Russell Group is that it represents neither the sector as a whole [nor], in many cases, the best of the sector”. Performance in research intensity showed that there were dozens of other UK universities “above the bottom Russellers”.NEWS, Morgan, John, Sir David Watson: Russell Group is not all it’s cracked up to be,www.timeshighereducation.com/news/sir-david-watson-russell-group-is-not-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/2012364.article, 14 December 2016, Times Higher Education, Times Higher Education, 3 April 2014, A Durham University academic, Vikki Boliver, published a report in 2015 claiming that the prestigious position of the Russell Group was not based on evidence, but rather successful marketing. Only the universities of Oxford and Cambridge were significantly more elite than the majority of “old” universities when a grouping analysis was performed using data on academic selectivity, research activity, teaching quality, socio-economic exclusivity and economic resources. The other 22 members of the Russell Group sit in a second tier of universities along with 17 other “old” universities (Aberdeen, Bath*, Dundee, East Anglia*, Goldsmiths*, Heriot-Watt, Kent, Lancaster*, Leicester*, Loughborough*, Reading*, Royal Holloway*, St Andrews*, SOAS*, Strathclyde, Surrey* and Sussex*), mostly comprising former members of the defunct 1994 Group (shown by asterisks). Another 13 “old” universities and 54 “new” universities made up a third tier, with a fourth tier of 19 “new” universities. Within each tier, the differences between the institutions were less significant than the differences between the tiers.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.com/news/most-russell-group-universities-little-better-than-other-pre-92s, Most Russell Group universities ‘little different to other pre-92s’, Times Higher Education, 19 November 2015, Chris Havergal, JOURNAL,dro.dur.ac.uk/14978/, Are there distinctive clusters of higher and lower status universities in the UK?, Oxford Review of Education, 41, 5, 608–627, V. Bolivar, Taylor & Francis, 30 September 2015, 10.1080/03054985.2015.1082905, 143154842, This reflected an earlier result from 2010 that, when the “Golden Triangle” universities (defined in the study as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, LSE, and UCL) were omitted, the remaining (then) members of the Russell Group were outperformed by the (then) members of the 1994 Group.NEWS,www.timeshighereducation.com/news/data-disprove-case-for-distributing-research-funds-on-historical-basis/410949.article, Data disprove case for distributing research funds on historical basis, 25 March 2010, Zoë Corbyn, Times Higher Education, The analysis, due to be published on 25 March, uses citation data to show that when the five “golden-triangle” institutions – the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London and the London School of Economics – are removed from the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities, the 1994 Group of smaller research-led universities outperforms it., Ant Bagshaw from the Wonkhe think-tank has criticised the use of Russell Group membership as a proxy for selectivity in official Department for Education reports and statistics, as better measures of selectivity are available from UCAS data. He states that the idea that “Russell Group membership is synonymous with ‘best{{’“}} is “persistent, but unverified”. He also notes that this may lead to less scrutiny of the performance of non-Russell Group selective universities with respect to widening participation and improving access.WEB,wonkhe.com/blogs/its-time-to-stop-conflating-the-russell-group-with-the-best/, Wonkhe, It’s time to stop conflating the Russell Group with the ‘best’, Ant Bagshaw, 14 July 2017, 30 July 2017,

Protectionism

The Institute of Economic Affairs has argued that the Russell Group acts out of protectionist interests. It is claimed that this will “restrict competition, discourage innovation and encourage inefficiency, thereby depriving students of lower prices and/or greater choice”.Institute of Economic Affairs: James Stanfield

Tuition fees

The Russell Group was prominent in the debate over the introduction of tuition fees, a measure which it strongly supported – much to the dismay of the universities’ students’ unions. Indeed, members of the group argued that even the fees proposed by the controversial Higher Education Bill would not be sufficient to cover the rising cost of undergraduate teaching, and successfully argued for the right to charge variable fees at much higher rates, so-called top-up fees.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}

Sustainability

The twenty-four universities in the Russell Group are responsible for around half of the Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions of the UK university sector.UK Higher Education Statistics Agency.www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/estates{{Better source needed|reason=This links to data, not an analysis of that data, so this claim may constitute original research.|date=November 2021}} The Group as a whole has been criticised for an inconsistent and inadequate response to the need to identify emissions and take reduction measures.Bill Spence (19 April 2021). “Elite universities are falling short on their green promises” Times Higher Education. An Environmental Sustainability Network was announced by the Russell Group in December 2019;Russell Group December 2019, Joint statement on environmental sustainability. as of November 2021 no outcomes from this had been announced.

Widening access

Analysis by the Labour Party in 2018 found that the number of students from disadvantaged areas has only increased by one percentage point since 2010.NEWS,www.theguardian.com/education/2018/aug/15/government-accused-of-total-failure-to-widen-elite-university-access, Government accused of ‘total failure’ to widen elite university access, 14 August 2018, Jessica Elgot, The Guardian, In 2015, Durham academic Vikki Bolívar published a paper, Lies, damned lies, and statistics on widening access to Russell Group universities, criticising the statistical analysis in the Russell Group publication Opening Doors. This had said that “real progress has been made over the last few years” in widening access, but Bolívar highlighted four areas where the statistics used to justify this claim were misleading. She also pointed out that there was “a growing body of statistical research evidence which indicates that one important barrier to widening access at Russell Group universities is that applicants from less advantaged social backgrounds are less likely to be offered places at these universities than comparably qualified applicants from more advantaged social groups” that had not been mentioned in the Russell Group report.JOURNAL,dro.dur.ac.uk/18034/, Lies, damned lies, and statistics on widening access to Russell Group universities., Boliver, V., 2015, Radical Statistics, 113, 29–38, {| class=“sortable wikitable”www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-sector-level-end-cycle-data-resources-2022/2022-entry-ucas-undergraduate-reports-sex-area-background-and-ethnic-group, 2023, UCAS, 29 January 2023, !! colspan=3|POLAR4 Q1 (lowest participation 20% neighbourhoods)! colspan=3|POLAR4 Q5 (highest participation 20% neighbourhoods)! University! Offer rate differencea! Flagb! % of all offers! Offer rate differencea! Flagb! % of all offers|Birmingham| +2.3| +| 9.2| +0.9| +| 39.8|Bristol| +5.6| +| 7.3| -1.9| -| 48.3|Cambridge| +1.2| | 5.4| -0.2| | 50.2|Cardiff| -1.6| | 9.4| +0.6| +| 37.4|Durham| +37.4| +| 12.3| -12.7| -| 38.4|Edinburgh| +6.8| +| 6.1| -1.4| -| 49.9|Exeter| +7.9| +| 6.9| -3.2| -| 46.3| Glasgow| +3.2| +| 5.8| +0.3| | 47.6|Imperial | +6.8| +| 7.4| -2.1| -| 44.0|King’s | +6.6| +| 7.1| -1.4| -| 41.3|Leeds| +8.9| +| 10.4| -2.2| -| 42.1|Liverpool| +1.0| | 10.9| +0.7| +| 37.9|LSE| +21.6| +| 9.0| -4.3| -| 44.0| Manchester| +4.9| +| 10.3| -0.4|| 40.2|Newcastle | -0.2|| 9.3| +0.4|| 41.5| Nottingham| +1.0|| 8.6| +0.6| +| 42.8|Oxford| +8.3|| 8.2| -2.2| -| 47.2|Queen Mary| +1.0|| 5.0| -0.2|| 37.5|Queen’s Belfast| -3.5| -| 9.4| +0.8|| 38.5| Sheffield| -1.6| -| 10.8| +0.9| +| 37.7|Southampton| -0.4|| 7.9| +0.9| +| 41.3|UCL| +4.9| +| 6.3| -0.2|| 48.9| Warwick| +2.0| +| 7.0| +0.5|| 43.8|York| +0.8|| 10.3| +0.1|| 37.9| All higher tariff providers| +4.4| +| 8.6| -1.0| -| 42.1| All UK providers| 0.6|| 11.6| -0.2|| 32.0a – difference between the actual offer rate and the offer rate expected if predicted grades and subject choice were the only factorsb – indicates significantly higher (+), significantly lower (-) or no significant difference from expected rate (blank)

See also

• Association of American Universities – group of US research universities
• Imperial Universities – group of older universities in Japan
• Institutes of National Importance – premier universities in India
• National Institutes of Technology – 31 leading public engineering universities in India.
• Golden Triangle – informal grouping of universities in London and southeast England
• Doxbridge - informal grouping of older collegiate universities in England
• SKY (universities) – group of Korean universities
• C9 League – The Chinese Ministry of Education’s formal grouping of elite universities in China
• TU9, alliance of nine leading Technical Universities in Germany
• Group of Eight (Australian universities), formal group of eight universities in Australia
• Ancient universities Oxbridge, Scottish, and Irish Universities formed before the year 1600 with undergraduate MA awarding powers
• Armorial of UK universities

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

• {{Official website}}

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