Guild HE - The Guild Higher Education Group

What is the Guild Higher Education Group?

The Guild Higher Education Group, also known as Guild HE, is a group representing 19 UK universities and colleges. The Guild has a focus on smaller institutions, especially those offering courses in agriculture, art and design, drama, music and teacher training. Guild HE was formerly known as the Standing Conference of Principals (SCoP).

Purpose of the Guild HE

Article _guildhe 02 The Guild exists to represent its member institutions at the highest levels, lobbying and influencing government policy on education. The Guild also works to ‘make the case for educational diversity and distinctiveness’ within the education sector as a whole.

The Guild HE also works as a collaborative body, sharing best practice and providing a forum for member institutions to discuss and address issues of common concern.

The Guild HE vision

The Guild believes in a diverse and sustainable higher education sector that works to broaden access to higher education and deliver well educated and socially inclusive graduates that can play a full and valuable role in the development of the UK and world economies.

An education knowledge base

To provide a strong, evidence based case for its lobbying and policy influence, the Guild has created an extensive knowledge base, which is available to all of its members. This Guild resource gathers data, information and statistics from a wide range of sources, including UCAS, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and various funding and research agencies within the education and business sectors. The Guild HE also commissions its own in-house research.

This information is distributed to members through regular reports and newsletters, as well as through a member’s only area of the Guild HE website.

Guild HE Networks

Alongside its main committee, which discusses issues of general importance to member institutions, the Guild has a number of specialist networks, which focus on specific areas of education. These include:

Admissions
Estates management
Finance
HR
International issues
Press and PR
Quality management

These networks are formed by appropriate representatives from each institution, such as college heads of finance, HR teams and marketing departments. Members of these networks not only meet to share best practice and discuss issues, but also represent the Guild as specialists at various conferences, consultations and lobbying exercises.

Guild HE Members

There are 19 full members of the Guild HE Group, and 8 associate members.

The 19 full members are:

Details of these colleges and universities can be found in the table below.

The 8 associate members of the Guild HE Group are:

Institution in the Guide HE group	Location	Proportion of graduates in work or in further study*	Profile	Academic focus	Student facilities	Recent news
Arts University Bournemouth	Bournemouth, south coast of England	96%	Devoted to creative subjects, including design, arts, media and performance. Offers more than 20 degree courses in these specialist areas	Specialist arts teaching offering courses in art, film, fashion, performance, photograph, architecture, acting, textiles	Arts Pavilion, Museum of Design in Plastics and The Gallery showcase creative design and innovation	Granted university status in December 2013. Voted best Creative University in the Which guide to universities 2012
Bishop Grosseteste University	Lincoln	98%	Traditionally focused on education and teacher training but now offers wider range of courses.	Nearly 60% of students are over the age of 21. Rated top in the UK for Drama (student satisfaction score)	Modern refurbished library open 24/7 in term. Virtual blackboard, the Venue (theatre) and a quirky tea shop.	Granted university status in December 2013.
Buckinghamshire New University	High Wycombe and Uxbridge (split campus)	91%	Attained university status in 2007. Built and developed major facilities including the Gateway building, which houses music and video production studios and a fitness centre.	Around 50 undergraduate full time degree courses plus part time. Arts, Business, Education, Law, Nursing, Media, Social sciences, Sports, Aviation	Student Union offers ‘The Big Deal’ which provides free entertainment, free sports and events	Upgrade of facilities, including student accommodation in progress and due for completion Sept 2014
Central School of Speech and Drama	Camden, London: University of London’s Drama Conservatoire	95%	Offers 16 full time undergraduate courses with an arts performance focus.	Acting, Drama, Theatre, Media degrees available at this specialist institution for performing arts and theatre.	Near to the Hampstead Theatre and the Roundhouse. Top notch facilities including the Pscenium Arch Theatre, rehearsal and performance studios.	Awarded the title of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in December 2012
Falmouth University	Falmouth, Cornwall; Woodlane Campus in Falmouth and Tremough Campus in Penryn	93%	Regarded as an innovator as a specialist institution in the arts.	Specialist in design, art, writing, media and performance.	Major development of facilities ongoing for completion in 2015.	Recently given a high ranking as a university for international students. Granted university status December 2012
Glyndwr University / Prifysgol Glyndwr	Wrexham but some campus facilities located throughout North Wales	92%	Specialist business, enterprise and innovation university.	All courses have a focus on enterprise and business, with high relevance to business and industrial applications.	Centre for Creative Industries, Centre for the Child, Family and Society are situated at the Wrexham campus. The university’s Advanced Composite Training and Development Centre are at Airbus in Broughton.	Research at Glyndwr University was described as ‘massively impressive’ by Business Secretary Mr Vince Cable in March 2013.
Harper Adams University	Near Newport, Shropshire, half way between Shrewsbury (west) and Stafford (East)	97%	Specialises in agricultural studies, rural and land-based studies, food related degrees, animal husbandry, engineering and agricultural business.	Agriculture and related subjects. Combines theory and practical, hands-on experience.	University farm education and crop centre, Engineering and Design Centre (Bamford Library), Companion Animal House, Countryside and Environment Resource Centre.	Awarded full university status in December 2012.
Leeds College of Art	Leeds, West Yorkshire, close to Leeds University and Leeds Trinity University	NA	Focus on art and practical subjects, including engineering and jewellery making.	Full time and part time courses in arts related, creative subjects. Postgraduate and short courses.	Extensive workshops and studios, fully equipped to industry standard, including printmaking, film, video and audio, 3D workshops and woodworking.	New courses for 2013 included Illustration BA (Hons) and Animation BA (Hons).
Leeds Trinity University	Leeds, West Yorkshire, close to Leeds University and Leeds College of Art	95%	Originally a teacher training college, Leeds Trinity still has an education focus but also offers courses in creative subjects, marketing and management and sports and health sciences.	Strong on theology and religious studies, which reflects its links with the Catholic Church.	Community spirit with tutors very involved in supporting students. Leeds Centre for Victorian Studies, Department for Children, Young People and Families and strong primary education dept.	One of the first universities in the UK to offer an undergraduate courses in Sports Journalism and Forensic Psychology.
Newman University	Birmingham	97%	A Catholic university with a continuing ethos based on traditional Catholic education values.	Offers theology, chaplaincy but a range of other subjects including Criminology, Media and Communication and Drama.	Has strong partnerships with other organisations, including charities, businesses and community groups to offer experience as well as academic teaching.	Obtained full university status in February 2013
Norwich University of the Arts	Norwich	92%	Arts and design and media – creative courses for undergraduates and postgrads.	Courses include Animation, Fashion, Fine Art, Architecture, Graphic Design, Photography and Illustration.	State-of-the-art digital design centre in the centre of Norwich – the Monastry Media Lab. The Garth – centre for photography and the Guntans studios for Fashion and Design.	Celebrated being awarded full university status in January 2013
Ravensbourne	Greenwich, London	91%	Specialist university focused on design and digital media.	Vocational degrees with courses including Architecture and Interior Design, Film, TV and Broadcasting, Photography, Animation, Web Media, Music and Sound.	Has invested £16 million in a high definition facility for digital broadcast that is industry standard. A designated Skillset Media Academy (one of 17 in the UK).	In 2011, won the Royal Institute of British Architects awards.
Regent's University	London	n/a	Regent's University is one of the UK's most respected private universities. A not for profit organisation	Business, fashion and design, psychotherapy and counselling psychology, film, media and performance	Situated in Regent’s Park with access to all that London has to offer.	Became Regent’s University London in 2013
Rose Bruford College	Bexley, South East London	89%	A specialist theatre school located just 25 minutes by train from the West End	Theatre and the performing	Modern theatre facilities, including a 330-seat theatre-in-the-round, a 100-seat flexible theatre, rehearsal rooms, recording studios	In 2013, alumni have performed at Shakespeare’s Globe and even won an Olivier Award.
Royal Agricultural University	Cirencester	96%	The UK’s leading centre for the study of agriculture.	Agriculture, food production and supply, equine management, land management, international food and agribusiness	Includes three working farms and a large stables for hands on study	Awarded university status in 2013 after 170 years as a college.
Southampton Solent University	Southampton	92%	A new university, formed in 1989 which achieved university status in 2005	Known for its maritime courses, the creative industries and sport	Advanced manufacturing centre extensive maritime facilities broadcast standard studios	£100m investment programme between 2010 and 2020.
St. Mary's University College Belfast	Part of Queen’s University Belfast	96%	Catholic school. College of Queen’s University Belfast. Teaches in English and Irish.	Four courses in education and liberal arts	Shares many facilities with Queen’s University, while retaining its own identity and exclusiveness.	Celebrated 100% student satisfaction in BEd courses in 2012
St. Mary's University College Twickenham	Twickenham, South London	96%	Distinguished history dating back to 1850, but very modern outlook	Sport, media arts, education, religion & history	Superb sports facilities, used as Olympic pre training for China, South Africa, Ireland and Japan.	Many alumni made the 2012 British Olympic Team including athletes such as Mo Farrah and Jo Pavey
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts	Liverpool	91%	Famous performing arts college, founded by Sir Paul McCartney opened in 1996	Drama, dance, music, arts management, theatre and performance technology	Excellent facilities mean huge over subscription with just 4% of applicants successful	Purchased the former Liverpool College of Art building for £3.7million to expand teaching space
University College Birmingham	Birmingham	93%	City centre college awarded university status in 2012	Hospitality, tourism and leisure management	Many real-life work training facilities, such as bakeries, restaurants and sport therapy clinics, which are open to the public	Brand new £25m college site for 2013
University for the Creative Arts	Farnham, Surrey	88%	A specialist college for the Creative Arts including art, design, architecture, media and communication.	Strong focus on the arts as a career, with industry links and staff who are working arts practitioners.	Students union. Excellent performance studios and modern media facilities
University of Chichester	Chichester	95%	A former teacher training college which became a full university in 2005	Primary focus on Teacher Training. Other courses include sport, health, performing arts and social studies.	Extensive library, media centre and The ShowRoom multi-purpose lecture, rehearsal and performance studio	New university sports dome. £4m new accommodation blocks. Awarded £8m by HEFCE in 2013.
University of St Mark & St John	Plymouth	94%	Combines two former London teaching colleges with 175 years experience. Moved to Plymouth in 1973.	Specialises in sport, education, language and linguistics, journalism and the creative arts	Superb sports centre, journalism and media centre and digital music studios
University of Winchester	Winchester	94%	Founded in 1840 as a teacher training college. Achieved full university status in 2005.	Primary teacher training, along with business, history, performing arts and creative writing.	Student Centre offers a wide range of academic and career support as well as leisure facilities.	£9.5m University Centre, £3.5m Winchester Sports Stadium
University of Worcester	Worcester	94%	Has awarded degrees since 1996 and became a full university in 2005. Originally a teacher training college est. 1946	Focus on teaching and early years education, along with a wide range of other courses from nursing to management	New library ‘The Hive’ includes 12 miles of historical records. All halls have internet access.	£60m joint university and public library. New City Campus in 2010
Writtle College	Near Chelmsford, Essex	93%	A well established agricultural college with 120 years experience. Set within a 220 acre private estate.	Animal and Equine Sciences, Conservation, Horticulture, Agriculture, Floristry and Sport	Impressive facilities include the Titchmarsh Centre for Animal Studies and an equine Olympic-size indoor school.
York St John University	York	92%	Achieved university status in 2006. Formerly a teacher training college with over 150 years of history.	Specialist in Qualified Teacher Status courses, along with BASES accredited sports degrees.	Well established student union with a range of clubs and societies. Excellent sports facilities	Brand new £15m De Grey Building, 57 acre site purchased for redevelopment