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The Academic Mission Statements of Higher Educational Institutions in England have become a tool for asserting their autonomous role. The role of these institutions has been redefined by legislation in the 1980s and 1990s. They are expected to be more customer oriented. The Mission Statements are used as a way to clarify the role these organizations play in post-compulsory education.

British economics has been influenced by work done in the Commonwealth, Europe, and especially the US. This cross-pollenization occurred slowly. In the 1940s, economists at the three most highly regarded schools of economics were isolated from each other and from the international community of economists. In the 1950s, this began to change with collaborative efforts in mathematical and applied economics. British economists looked to the US for leadership in graduate training. The newer universities emphasized technical prowess on the American model.

London--In recent years, Britain's system of higher education has gone through perhaps the most wrenching, radical changes of any in Europe. In an effort to broaden access to what had [...]

The 2001 Research Assessment Exercise in British universities is discussed. Topics include accountability, UK higher-education policy, the scientific model of research, debates over the nature of research, and effects on research quality.

The Excellence Challenge, a 3-year, 190 million (pounds sterling) government program, aims to increase enrollment of the underprivileged and gifted from target schools at universities from 45.12 percent to 60 percent by 2004. Some universities report difficulty with this target since the gifted poor frequently join the workforce early. The article details the progress being made by University of the West of England, Bristol, Unviersity of Sheffield, and Oxford Brookes University.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Times Higher Education Supplement, an overview is provided of the development and change in British higher education. The change is summed up in the term 'nationalisation,' which has resulted in more than 50 percent of Britain's youth receiving higher education.

Research assessment exercises at British universities were developed as a means to distribute research funds. Successful candidates tend to have staff who have made speeches at important conferences, top research publications, and major income from research grants during the period of assessment.

At their annual residential meeting in Southampton in September 2001, British heads of university will discuss the current state of higher education in the UK. According to Sir David Watson, the chairman of the Universities UK's longer-term strategy group, it is more expensive to maintain higher education as it is, than it would be to change it.

The extent to which universities attract and retain students from under-represented neighbourhoods is analysed. The high success rate of Paisley University is contrasted with older universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol and Durham.

Many European students choose to study in Britain while the number of British students who study in other European countries is declining. This imbalance has many higher-education officials in England worried about the financial status of their institutions. The Erasmus program, developed by the European Union to encourage exchange, has been open to institutions in Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

A major report on British higher education has urged the end of free tuition, more concentration of research funds in elite universities, and a shift in 'dual track science funding [...]

It is misguided to state that information technology will transform the learning process. It is certain that the teaching and learning experience in higher education establishments will undergo changes, but there will be few cases of real transformation. Believing that a transformation will take place could make it a reality, and this would have very serious consequences for the higher education system in the UK.

New Solutions is a team of more than 100 officers from student unions, which has published a paper about student finance with a view to reviving discussions on the issue. The items covered in the paper include issues such as financial difficulties for students, quality of education, the size of the student population, National Union of Students policy, guiding principles for solving the student finance problem, and action to be taken.

The UK Department of Employment has initiated a scheme called Enterprise in Higher Education (EHE) to bring students skills which will be useful in their working lives. Initial funding from the department was matched by funds from employers and universities, the project began in 1987 and was to run for five years. The skills acquired included good communication, making decisions and solving problems and planning a career.

Martin Hughes, John Duffy, and Sally Hunt, the three candidates to be general secretary of the Association of University Teachers, discuss their platforms. The three answered questions regarding their priorities for the office and their positions regarding higher education in the UK.

Retired educationist Roy Niblett is 95 years old and recently published his memoir, titled 'Life, Education, Discovery.' He believes that higher education in the UK is not producing well-rounded students because it is increasingly focused on economic demands, and that the teacher training system is not working properly.

In celebration of the Times Higher Education Supplement's thirtieth anniversary, an overview is provided of the growth of higher education in Britain since 1971. Changes include the growth of the student population by 400 percent, and the doubling of the number of universities.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the publication of the Times Higher Education Supplement, an overview is provided of higher education in Britain since 1971, along with developments in history over the same period. Revolution is no longer in the forefront of the student imagination, and new generations are disillusioned with politics.

Lecturers at UK's Nottingham University have criticized the introduction of compulsory personal and academic records for all undergraduates as unnecessary red tape. The idea is part of a scheme introduced at five universities by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

A county court ruled in October 2001 that former student Dapo Ogundipe had a reasonable chance of success in his race discrimination case against Durham University, thus thwarting Durham's attempts to quash the Nigerian student's allegations. Ogundipe claimed his failure of three exam papers was the result of racial discrimination.

Britain's lecturers' union, as well as its National Union of Students, Association of University Teachers have criticized a move by Universities UK (UUK) to introduce an 'independent review' system into universities. UUK plans to introduce independent ombudsmen to review student complaints.

The chief executive of the UK's Universities and Colleges Admission Service, Tony Higgins, has been criticised by schools and admissions tutors for misleading them. Higgins said students who do not declare AS-level results risk affecting their university admission chances, whereas admission tutors say individual universities make admission decisions.

A biography is presented of Mexican percussionist Alonso Mendoza, who is the musician-in-residence at Leicester University in the UK. In additioning to running workshops that celebrate cultural diversity, Mendonza is researching African music at the University of London.

At their annual residential meeting in Southampton in September, Britain's vice-chancellors will be advised to look beyond students with A-levels for their future intakes, if they are to attain the targets set by the government's expansion scheme. Students with non-traditional qualifications should be considered.

A report by Brian Ramsden on the state of higher education in Britain, will provide vital information to heads of British universities when they meet at their annual residential meeting in Southampton in September 2001. The report concludes that high school education must improve to increase participation in higher education, and higher education needs to be rationalized.

John Randall, the former chief executive of Britain's Quality Assurance Agency has listed the weaknesses of some of the top British universities. According to Randall, Leeds University is an example of a major university that has poor management, standards of student assessment, and teaching quality.

Issues concerning the anticipation by colleges in the United Kingdom that they will have to face a student shortfall and an excess of courses on offer for the 2001-2002 academic year are discussed. Problems related to marketing and programme design are blamed for the prediction.

The education of prisoners in Britain is examined in detail. The experiences of higher education teachers of prisoners is also explained.

Six UK universities are facing huge funding gaps and are fighting for their survival. The six, which are all thought to be new universities set up after 1992, have been put under emergency funding-council supervision and must present recovery plans by the first week of Apr, 2001.

College student drop-out rates in England appear to be rising, but the performance of English institutions is better than that of those in many other countries. There has also been an increase in number of students admitted who are not well-prepared, and this will tend to push up drop-out rates unless standards fall. There is a need to ensure that students are well prepared, and so schools should be improved. Students in higher education could also be awarded interim qualifications, so that drop-outs have gained some qualification and can return to education more easily.