Statement on Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) report

25 September 2007

Dr Wendy Piatt, Director General of The Russell Group, said: "The Russell Group welcomes HEPI’s latest report on student experience as improving information on the number of hours studied by UK students.  We welcome the findings which include:

• Raw average amount of teaching received by those studying at Russell Group universities is higher than average for other universities.
• Students in Russell Group universities spent more time on average on their studies than others.  

"However, the UK rightly operates an outcome-based model of higher education where qualifications are awarded based on achieving a certain standard or level of achievement.  In such a system, measuring the number of hours studied – a measure of input not output – is not a particularly effective indicator of the health of the UK higher education system as the HEPI report accepts that there is no necessary connection between these two things.

"Different learners require different levels of input.  The Russell Group of Universities admit high-achieving, well-prepared, self-motivated students and we encourage them to work effectively and efficiently through directed self-learning.  The combined teaching and world-class research environment at our universities ensures that we continue to produce capable, self-motivated, innovative graduates of the highest standard."

Nores:

1. The purpose of The Russell Group is to provide thought leadership and strategic direction for 20 major research intensive universities of the UK; we aim to ensure that policy development in a wide range of issues relating to higher education is underpinned by a robust evidence base and a commitment to civic responsibility, improving life chances, raising aspirations and contributing to economic prosperity and innovation.

2. Formed in 1994 at a meeting convened in the Hotel Russell, London, the Group is composed of the Vice-Chancellors/Principals of the Universities listed opposite. In 2004/5, Russell Group Universities accounted for 65% (over £1.8billion) of UK Universities' research grant and contract income, 56% of all doctorates awarded in the United Kingdom, and over 30% of all students studying in the United Kingdom from outside the EU. In the 2001 national Research Assessment Exercise, 78% of the staff in Grade 5* departments and 57% of the staff in Grade 5 departments were located in Russell Group Universities, and in 2004/5 Russell Group Universities were allocated approximately 64% of the total quality-related research funding (QR) allocated by the Funding Councils.