Episode 40: Geology, gloom avoidance and government lobbying

Episode 40 (I can't quite believe we've made it to number 40) finds me in conversation with Dr Tim Bradshaw, Chief Executive of the Russell Group. We hear about Tim's very much unplanned career journey from a geology PhD to presenting to a US Senate Committee and then policy work in the House of Lords and the CBI before moving to a succession of roles in the Russell Group.

Tim advises that the Russell Group, which comprises 24 research intensive universities, is concerned primarily with helping members network, share information and best practice as well as engaging with government - mainly about improving the operating environment via intelligent regulation and sustainable funding - and with talking to the media, trying to get good stories out there, although it can be hard getting the papers interested in good news stories about HE.

We explore the challenges of persuading government to listen and note that, although matters can often seem gloomy for the sector, universities have made good progress on increasing research funding - for Tim this is a real success story in which the Russell Group played a part.

The way in which the media focuses on certain HE stories is a challenge but one area Tim thinks we could do better is in perhaps listening a little more to the concerns of Ministers, looking at where they have genuine issues and find ways to address these in order to avoid unwanted interference. Where there is proposed legislation, Tim suggests there may be ways to address this earlier to reduce its impact but also to give scope for influence and change in other areas.

Tim remains optimistic about the future for the sector, observing that we need to find a different economic way forward for the country now we no longer have a manufacturing base: the nation needs the ideas and talent which emerge from universities he argues. Finally we note that Ministers now and in the future need to better understand and value what universities deliver for the country and really do need to take a longer term perspective on such matters.

I do hope you enjoy the 40th edition.