The University Alliance is a non-political, non-partisan group of universities that work together to promote, on behalf of their members, the public benefit that universities can offer to the economy, to society and to prosperity.
The University Alliance is a significant bloc in the British University system, representing around 25% of all students, and 45% of all part time students. What’s more, their practical approach means that one in four Art and Design students choose Alliance Universities. Together the University Alliance group universities attract around £317m of research funds per year.
The University Alliance was formed in 2006 and represents 24 member universities across the United Kingdom, from Glasgow in the north to Plymouth in the South, from Cardiff in the West to Lincoln in the East, as well as the nationwide Open University.
The University Alliance is headed by Professor Steve West, who is currently Vice- Chancellor of the University of the West of England. The 24 universities within the group are listed below and the table that follows provides more details:
University |
Details |
Bournemouth University | www.bournemouth.ac.uk |
University of Bradford | www.bradford.ac.uk |
Cardiff Metropolitan University | www3.cardiffmet.ac.uk |
Coventry University | www.coventry.ac.uk |
De Montfort University | www.dmu.ac.uk |
Glasgow Caledonian University | www.gcu.ac.uk |
University of Greenwich | www2.gre.ac.uk/ |
University of Hertfordshire | www.herts.ac.uk |
University of Huddersfield | www.huddersfield.ac.uk |
Kingston University | www.kingston.ac.uk |
University of Lincoln | www.lincoln.ac.uk |
Liverpool John Moores University | www.ljmu.ac.uk |
Manchester Metropolitan University | www.mmu.ac.uk |
Northumbria University | www.northumbria.ac.uk |
Nottingham Trent University | www.ntu.ac.uk/ |
Open University | www.open.ac.uk |
Oxford Brookes University | www.brookes.ac.uk |
Plymouth University | www.plymouth.ac.uk |
University of Portsmouth | www.port.ac.uk |
University of Salford | www.salford.ac.uk |
Sheffield Hallam University | www.shu.ac.uk |
Teesside University | www.tees.ac.uk |
University of the West of England | www.uwe.ac.uk/ |
University Alliance group universities all share the same belief in innovation and enterprise. They focus strongly on links with business and industry, to ensure that courses are appropriate to the needs of the economy, and that graduates have the best possible prospects, not only to gain employment, but also to fulfil their potential to themselves and the UK economy as a whole.
Alliance universities link their courses and their research to the real world, with practical solutions and applicable innovations at the heart of everything that they do:
Clearly, the focus on practical, industry facing education has a significant impact on students while they are still studying, as well as vastly improving their future employment prospects.
The University Alliance works with government and industry at the highest levels to promote its solutions to the many social and economic challenges facing the UK today. The University Alliance Policy Centre delivers evidence-based research and puts forward policies that will benefit society and the economy.
The University Alliance divides its mission statement into seven areas of activity:
The University Alliance believes that university should deliver a practical and real world based education that will prepare you well for your career ahead. These are far from the academic ivory towers that you will find at some institutions, where learning is for learning’s sake, away and apart from the realities of life.
A degree from a University Alliance university will equip you with the skills, knowledge and innovative approach that you need to succeed in your chosen field. Moreover, they will deliver these attributes in a way that is highly relevant to prospective employers, enhancing your job prospects and truly preparing you for the world of work.
The University Alliance offers unrivalled industry links, not just towards the end of your course, but throughout your studies. The University Alliance puts this education and industry partnership at the core of everything that they do, ensuring that their courses meet the ever changing demands of the economy and its component industries.
In these challenging economic times, many employers simply do not have the time or the money to spend turning bright academics into practical workers. The University Alliance delivers what these employers need from day one – highly educated, highly skilled, yet highly practical workers.
1 Complete University Guide rankings 2013