Russell Group: Give us the Cash

In a news item that must match 'The Sun Rose this Morning' for it's shock value, the Chair of the Russell Group, and VC of a Russell Group university, said that the REF should ensure that QR funding is concentrated on Russell Group universities. Professor Michael Arthur used a HEPI conference last week to state his view. Criticising the outcome of RAE2008, which funded excellent research wherever it was found, he said that "if we carry on with that trend ... and take money away from those universities that have been highly successful in the past, we end up with a progression to mediocrity."

He went on: "How many well-funded research universities do we need? I don't believe it is 169. I'd like to suggest it is somewhere between 25 and 30." How many universities are there in the Russell Group? 20. We wait to see who the lucky 5-10 outsiders will be who are invited to share King Arthur's feast.