What are the Russell Group of Universities?



The Russell Group is an encyclopaedic term for a group of universities that works with a shared goal of offering a world-class research environment, superlative teaching and learning experience and robust industrial exposure.

Here’s what we’ll look at today:

  • What is the Russell Group?
  • List of Russell Group universities
  • What makes this group of universities unique?
  • Some interesting facts about the Russell Group of universities

What is the Russell group?


The Russell Group was established in 1994 to believe that “people and ideas are the keys to meeting the global challenge”, and this group comprises 24 leading universities in the UK. Russell Group helps in creating a dynamic economy, strong communities, and a better future for the UK through the world-class research and education it offers.

Russell Group of universities or RG universities are global leaders when it comes to research, employability, and student satisfaction rates. With the kind of robust research background and outcomes, Russell group of universities can be found at the top of university league tables. Also, If you look at the international and national rankings, you will find almost all the top-ranked universities in the UK as members of the Russell group.

Russel group of universities offer high-quality academic programmes across all the fields of studies, and with the kind of academic standards maintained at the universities, students find it easy to get placed after the successful completion of their course. The Russell Group of universities also focuses on policy development across multiple fields of higher education issues which are underpinned by a robust evidence base.


List of Russell Group universities


There are currently 24 universities that are part of the Russell Group:

  • University of Birmingham
  • University of Bristol
  • University of Cambridge
  • Cardiff University
  • Durham University
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Exeter
  • University of Glasgow
  • Imperial College London
  • King’s College London
  • University of Leeds
  • University of Liverpool
  • London School of Economics & Political Science
  • University of Manchester
  • Newcastle University
  • University of Nottingham
  • University of Oxford
  • Queen Mary, University of London
  • Queen’s University Belfast
  • University of Sheffield
  • University of Southampton
  • University College London
  • University of Warwick
  • University of York

Four out of the top 10 universities as per the QS world ranking 2020 comes under the Russell Group (Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, and UCL were the universities that made to the top 10 in the list ).

Based on academic merit and extracurricular activities, financial assistance, grants, bursaries and scholarship opportunities are provided for students in most of the Russell Group of universities.


What makes this group of universities unique?


  • The Russell Group became a significant part of the economy by contributing over £32 billion every year.
  • One in three students in the Russell Group universities receives bursaries or scholarships to help with their studies.
  • Russell Group institutions contributed 68% of the UK’s world-leading research and 68% of the UK’s research with an ‘exceptional effect’.
  • Russell Group institutions have more teaching staff available per student than other universities.
  • More than 34% of the students and faculty at the Russell Group Universities belong to non-UK nationalities.

Some interesting facts about the Russell Group of universities


  • The Russell Group is named after the location of the first meeting of the group, which took place at the Hotel Russell
  • Russell Group universities receive over three-quarters of all university research grant and contract income in the United Kingdom
  • Russell Group members award 60% of all the doctorates gained in the UK
  • The Russell Group university graduates hold more than 61% of all UK’s that require a university degree.

You May Also Like



Date added
08.02.2022

Filed under:

Global Ed

Subscribe!

No spam, just your favourite topics.

Choose Insight topics that you are interested in to subscribe for your personalized newsletter.

A world
of possibilities awaits.
Join the movement.
Find your perfect university,
in one of 40 countries all over the world
Prepare for the future,
whether at university, business or in employment
Secure your future,
through STEM courses
Connect with leading international companies
and unlock the potential of your team
Fill in the form, so we can contact
you and start our journey together.