Russell Group’s Director General Dr Wendy Piatt comments on QS World University Rankings

23-9-2013 — /EuropaWire/ — Following the publication of the QS World University Rankings for 2013, Dr Wendy Piatt, Director General of the Russell Group, said:

“Russell Group universities continue to be ranked amongst the best in the world, with four in the top six and 17 in the top 100. Their focus on research excellence and high-quality teaching means the UK performs formidably well against other nations in spite of its size.

“But whilst funding announced in the recent Spending Review is welcome, public expenditure on higher education in the UK remains far less than the United States, China and other Western European countries. If our universities are to compete in the future they need the Government to provide light-touch regulation and continued investment, and to be welcoming to genuine international students.

“It is worth again highlighting that the process of ranking universities is fraught with difficulties and they should not be used alone in judging the quality of an institution.”

Notes to Editors

1. The full rankings can be found here: http://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings
2. According to the OECD report Education at a Glance, the UK’s total investment in higher education is 1.4% of GDP: half that of the USA, and below the OECD average. UK public investment in higher education is 0.7% of GDP, below the OECD and EU 21 averages, lower than Brazil, Russia or any Western European country for which data was available. It is on a par with Slovakia and Chile.Read more in the full report: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2013_eag-2013-en
3. Read our policy report Jewels in the Crown: the importance and characteristics of the UK’s world-class universities

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