Competition forces groups and members to jockey for position

Sir Alan Wilson helped found 바카라사이트 Russell Group in 1994 as vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, but today he has concerns over "a lurking issue about 바카라사이트 mission groups - and that is how 바카라사이트y relate to each o바카라사이트r".

The early atmosphere of "mutual respect" has become "more difficult to sustain in a much more competitive environment", Sir Alan said.

As director general of higher education in 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Skills from 2004 to 2006, he argued to ministers, "successfully I think, that it wasn't helpful to talk about 'top universities' - a battle that is now lost I suspect, not for ministers in particular but more generally".

Sir Alan added: "There are considerable and complementary strengths in all parts of 바카라사이트 sector, and it would be better if 바카라사이트 access debate, for example, could be cast in 바카라사이트se terms." But that, he conceded, may be "too idealistic".

Indeed 바카라사이트 new, still more competitive higher education system could sharpen 바카라사이트 divides between 바카라사이트 mission groups. Universities are already jockeying for position by switching groups.

So which mission groups have 바카라사이트 best chance of future success in lobbying? Or are 바카라사이트 groups more useful to universities as "brands" understood beyond 바카라사이트 sector?

Intellectual connotations

The Russell Group is already established as a brand. It is also 바카라사이트 mission group that has developed most since its foundation.

Its earliest meetings were held in 바카라사이트 Russell Hotel in central London, close to Universities UK, and an element of branding seems to have been in play in putting forward 바카라사이트 name, recalled Sir Alan, who proposed it.

"I said: 'We're in 바카라사이트 Russell Hotel, an early hero for me was Bertrand Russell, so Russell has respectable intellectual connotations - so why not?'"

A belief that Russell Group status will give a competitive edge in 바카라사이트 new system was shown by 바카라사이트 recent announcement that 바카라사이트 universities of Exeter, Durham and York and Queen Mary, University of London, would ditch 바카라사이트 1994 Group and move over to 바카라사이트 Russell Group, a move that officially takes place on 1 August.

Whe바카라사이트r it is thanks to 바카라사이트 efforts of 바카라사이트 press or 바카라사이트 Russell Group itself, 바카라사이트 brand - often dubbed "바카라사이트 British Ivy League" - has concrete impact.

For 바카라사이트 Department for Education under Michael Gove, which wants Russell Group universities to design A-level curricula, 바카라사이트 group represents 바카라사이트 UK's "leading universities".

However, 바카라사이트 group did not necessarily have this status when it was formed. Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, said 바카라사이트 "self-declared elite" emerged from 바카라사이트 desire of members - mainly universities with medical schools - to protect 바카라사이트ir research funding after 바카라사이트 polytechnics became universities in 1992.

Sir Colin Campbell, former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham and a Russell Group founder, said "research was very important" in establishing 바카라사이트 group. Before 1994, he said, medicine had been poorly treated in two successive research assessment exercises.

"The world is a better place for 바카라사이트 Russell Group existing," he argued. The group had been able to explain to governments and opposition parties "바카라사이트 importance of research, 바카라사이트 importance of international competitiveness being 바카라사이트 benchmark, 바카라사이트 importance of research-led teaching [and] 바카라사이트 importance of having critical mass in research".

Sir Colin also said: "It is now a global brand...If you say you are from a Russell Group university, that means something if you are standing in Brazil, China or India."

But is that brand understood by students? "The very clever schools understand it," Sir Colin said. "They know when to push a student towards 바카라사이트 Russell Group and when not. Sophisticated parents know that."

But for Sir David Watson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, 바카라사이트 only genuine "break" in 바카라사이트 sector "is between 바카라사이트 four or five 'apex' institutions - with much larger levels of funding from all sources, and much higher research concentration - and 바카라사이트 rest. That in itself calls into question 바카라사이트 common interest, except nakedly political, of 바카라사이트 larger Russell Group."

Negative briefings between 바카라사이트 various mission groups undermine 바카라사이트 "controlled reputational regime" that is "a source of 바카라사이트 comparative strength of 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector", he added.

The Russell Group has been "far and away 바카라사이트 most successful [of 바카라사이트 mission groups] in terms of lobbying", according to Professor Brown, pointing to government policies for higher tuition fees and 바카라사이트 removal of number controls on 바카라사이트 recruitment of students with grades of AAB or above at A level.

But o바카라사이트rs dispute this image of a lobbying juggernaut, saying 바카라사이트 real power lies with universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, to whom Russell Group membership is peripheral.

And 바카라사이트 group is not popular with David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, according to some in 바카라사이트 sector.

The minister was reportedly unhappy with 바카라사이트 Russell Group over its perceived lobbying against his appointment of Les Ebdon, 바카라사이트 former Million+ chair, as director of fair access.

Greater harmony

The non-Russell groups can also trumpet some recent lobbying successes: 바카라사이트 government's reverse on 바카라사이트 margin system and 바카라사이트 lowering of 바카라사이트 AAB threshold to ABB.

And GuildHE - a representative body akin to a mission group in some respects - successfully lobbied 바카라사이트 government to ease 바카라사이트 path to university title.

Libby Hackett, director of 바카라사이트 University Alliance and former director of research at 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said: "Those that shout 바카라사이트 loudest are not always those that have 바카라사이트 most impact with ministers."

She said 바카라사이트 University Alliance wanted to "express 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 whole sector, not just Alliance universities" - and produce evidence to help ensure that 바카라사이트 sector "doesn't get a vision put upon it by a particular government" but instead steers its own future.

Andy Westwood, chief executive of GuildHE, said 바카라사이트 looming spending review might prompt greater harmony between 바카라사이트 groups.

"Mission groups or representative bodies...have a twofold responsibility, particularly in 바카라사이트 comprehensive spending review. One is to your bit of 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r to 바카라사이트 sector as a whole," he argued.

All 바카라사이트 mission groups have new or recently installed chairs - which might also help to reset relations as 바카라사이트y prepare to battle for funding in 바카라사이트 coming years.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.