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.Ìý
Our policy work has been influential in shaping developments across several areas, including:Ìý
- funding of universitiesÌý
- legislation protecting student interests and regulating higher educationÌý
- development of immigration policyÌý
- efforts to remain attractive to international studentsÌý
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.Ìý
Recent prioritiesÌý
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. Ìý
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Other topics we’ve focused on: Ìý
- helping universities address the UK’s skills challengesÌý
- removal of barriers created by inequalityÌý
- ensuring funding is sustainableÌý
- enhancing value for students in the UK, including:Ìý
- making progress on tackling grade inflationÌý
- reforms for a fairer admissions systemÌý
- a sustainable approach to maintaining high-value coursesÌý
Our activities
Our other activities include:Ìý
- securing conditions for university-based research and innovation to thrive and growÌý
- attracting international students and staffÌý
- monitoring and managing security-related risks for international researchÌý
- demonstrating the contribution of universities to tackling the climate emergencyÌý
- enhancing free speech and academic freedomÌý
- protecting the financial sustainability of universitiesÌý
- ensuring universities are central to delivering a highly skilled workforceÌý
- tackling harassment and hate crime in universitiesÌý
- improving admissions access and participationÌý
- ensuring universities support businesses and drive innovationÌý
- protecting and enhancing the quality of universities’ teachingÌý
- securing an effective regulatory environmentÌý
- helping universities contribute to the post-pandemic economic and social recoveryÌýÌý
- supporting the mental health of students and staffÌý
For more detail on our policy work, including information, guidance and recommendations to universities and policy makers, see our recent publications.ÌýÌý
