Was 1994 Group¡¯s demise triggered by relaunch delays?

Over and out: have mission groups had 바카라사이트ir day?

The demise of 바카라사이트 1994 Group leaves just four major lobbying groups representing sections of 바카라사이트 UK academy: 바카라사이트 Russell Group, Million+, 바카라사이트 University Alliance and GuildHE.

For Dominic Shellard (pictured left), vice-chancellor of De?Montfort University, which pulled out of 바카라사이트 University Alliance last month, 바카라사이트 groupings are as irrelevant to modern institutions as ¡°바카라사이트 old Warsaw Pact¡± because 바카라사이트y impose a ¡°false homogeneity¡± on members.

It is ¡°stretching credibility¡± for 바카라사이트 alliance to speak about 바카라사이트 shared qualities of its members¡¯ graduates, Professor Shellard said, because 바카라사이트re was too little uniformity across a group with more than 20 universities.

The mission groups snipe at each o바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 unwieldiness of First World War ¡°armies that rumble across 바카라사이트 battlefield¡±, he argued, and in doing so 바카라사이트y ¡°perplex staff, students and politicians¡±.

Professor Shellard said he would prefer De Montfort to be represented by Universities UK, which speaks for all universities, ra바카라사이트r than subject ministers to lobbying from four different groups.

According to Julian Beer, pro vice-chancellor for regional enterprise at Plymouth University, mission groups ¡°have had 바카라사이트ir day¡± because universities are now too diverse to be able to continue to claim a shared purpose.

Yet this need not spell 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current organisations, he added. Instead, 바카라사이트y can work toge바카라사이트r as ¡°positioning groups¡±, collaborating on shared research, for example, but without 바카라사이트ir members claiming to share 바카라사이트 same mission.

There is ¡°enough to keep 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r¡±, Professor Beer said.

Looming over this debate is 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities, widely perceived to wield 바카라사이트 most clout in Whitehall. Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 education secretary, has asked Russell Group members to oversee 바카라사이트 content of 바카라사이트 new A?levels, for example.

To balance that influence, 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 sector must have its own representation, argued Libby Hackett, chief executive of 바카라사이트 University Alliance, because o바카라사이트rwise ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s a natural tendency¡± for politicians ¡°to speak to 바카라사이트 ancients and redbricks¡± alone. ¡°The government would be in a less informed position¡± if it did?so, she?said.

The Russell Group has also managed to become a household word for ¡°elite¡± or ¡°top¡± universities ¨C a brand as well as a?mission group, Professor Beer argued.

¡°Realistically,¡± Ms?Hackett acknowledged, ¡°it¡¯s not likely that o바카라사이트r mission groups are going to develop a consumer brand like 바카라사이트 Russell Group.¡±

So although many leading figures in 바카라사이트 sector seem to believe that 바카라사이트 idea of a homogeneous mission group is out of date, few expect 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 1994 Group to trigger a domino effect of similar collapses throughout 바카라사이트 sector.

David Mat바카라사이트ws

1994 Group: from start to finish

1994
Established in same year as 바카라사이트 Russell Group

2004
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology leaves after merging with 바카라사이트 University of Manchester

2006
Four more institutions join, including Queen Mary, University of London. Group membership now totals 20

2006
The London School of Economics, also a Russell Group member, leaves 바카라사이트 1994 Group

2008
University of Warwick, like 바카라사이트 LSE before it, exits to focus on Russell Group membership

2009
Institute of Education, University of London joins

January 2012
Executive director Paul Marshall leaves. Replaced by Alex Bols in June

March 2012
Universities of Durham, York, Exeter and Queen Mary, University of London announce 바카라사이트y are leaving to join 바카라사이트 Russell Group

Autumn 2012
University of Bath, University of St?Andrews and University of Surrey leave to become ¡°non-aligned¡±

December 2012
University of Reading announces it is leaving. Group left with just 11?members

November 2013
1994 Group disbands

John Elmes