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Is the Russell Groups the UK version of USA's Ivy league?

Till today i had never heard of this Russell Group but i have been told that it consists of 19 universities that are regarded as the best academically and have a great emphasis on research. Could anyone fill me in? Does that mean these unis are the most prestigious in the UK?

Reply 1

Spunky

14

The Russell Group is a group of universities that are "research-led", so not the same as the Ivy League really. Just like the Ivy League they're not necessarily the academically best universities. Here's a link to the Wikipedia page explaining more about the Russell Group.

Reply 2

bluenoxid

13

NKS

Till today i had never heard of this Russell Group but i have been told that it consists of 19 universities that are regarded as the best academically and have a great emphasis on research. Could anyone fill me in? Does that mean these unis are the most prestigious in the UK?

They are regarded as generally the best, but many universities are not on that list that I would put in a Top 10. Many of the minor universities have excellent courses that thrash the Russell Group unis in the reputation stakes.

Do not regard it as an IVY league and fail to take into account other universities especially if you are doing humanities.

Reply 3

Scuttle

Generally they are the 'better' universities, but the 1994 group is also quite good.
I seem to remember an Oxbridge admissions thing advising that if you didn't get into Oxbridge, go to either a Russel or 1994 Group uni. That is obvious really since there are about 30-40 odd unis between them and they are all decent.

Anyway, as for Ivy League, not at all.
The Ivy league refers to an old sporting league between universities, and was based upon prestige rather than academics.
Oxford and Cambridge are the only universities with any hardcore prestige to them in this country, and so the only ones that are comparable in my opinion.
There are lots of universities in the states that are better than the Ivy league, known as the Public Ivy, which are, as the name would suggest, not private.

Reply 4

kellywood_5

17

All the Russell Group unis have very good reputations, but so do those in the 1994 group and some others that aren't in either. The thing to remember is that the Russell Group unis are really strong in research, but this doesn't matter much to undergraduates. I agree with Scuttle that the only UK unis that can be seen as the equivalent to the US Ivy League are Oxford and Cambridge, because they're the only ones that are really prestigious both in the UK and internationally.

Reply 5

TnuC

Durham's not in it :eek:

Reply 6

HBK89

4

No, Durham's in the 1994 Group of "small, research-lead universities".

Reply 7

Oldmannow

18

i think OP should read Wiki about what Ivy League is all about :wink:

Reply 8

Scuttle

TnuC

Durham's not in it :eek:

So what does it tell you? That the Russel group does not form an exhaustive list of the best universities.
Also let's not forget that both groups (Russel and 1994) were created at the same time, and I don't beleive much if any crossover has occured even though in the last 13 years there has no doubt been big changes in which uni's are doing the most research.

Reply 9

ChemistBoy

16

Scuttle

So what does it tell you? That the Russel group does not form an exhaustive list of the best universities.
Also let's not forget that both groups (Russel and 1994) were created at the same time, and I don't beleive much if any crossover has occured even though in the last 13 years there has no doubt been big changes in which uni's are doing the most research.

In the last thirteen years between the russel and the 1994 group? No, not really. Russel group universities are much bigger, doesn't make them any better, but it does me that their research income is bigger and their research output is greater.

Reply 10

Scuttle

ChemistBoy

In the last thirteen years between the russel and the 1994 group? No, not really. Russel group universities are much bigger, doesn't make them any better, but it does me that their research income is bigger and their research output is greater.

Oh okay, I just thought that with some of the 1994 group having similar student levels they might have caught up.

Warwick are in both though, but they are money grabbing bastards*.

*Warwick may not actually be money grabbing bastards.

Reply 11

ChemistBoy

16

Scuttle

Oh okay, I just thought that with some of the 1994 group having similar student levels they might have caught up.

Well we are talking about the big guns in the russel oxbridge, imperial, LSE, Manchester, etc. Big research income.

Warwick are in both though, but they are money grabbing bastards*.

*Warwick may not actually be money grabbing bastards.

Warwick are money grabbing bastards, along with nottingham one of the most commercialist institutions in the sector.

Reply 12

Scuttle

ChemistBoy

Well we are talking about the big guns in the russel oxbridge, imperial, LSE, Manchester, etc. Big research income.

Warwick are money grabbing bastards, along with nottingham one of the most commercialist institutions in the sector.

Haha, I knew they were, but I was covering my arse because I've been getting hit with a lot of negative rep for nothing recently.

And I see what you mean now, the big guns rarely change as with most aspects of university there is a vicious cycle. If Imperial have the most money for research now, they get the contracts next year, and the next, and the next.
Oxbridge is the most prestigeous this year, so next year all the best students apply and on it goes.

Reply 13

The Boosh

17

the russell group is just an advocacy group for universities, in the same way that the 1994 group or the coalition of modern universities are advocacy groups. the russell group universities are the larger universities and produce more research only because of their size. to claim that it is prestigious is misleading, and so is calling the ivy sports league presitgious.

Reply 14

Mubsy

I wouldn't say that all the unis in the RG could be considered amongst th best academically in the UK. For example at Liverpool Leeds and Sheffield, the highest entry requirements are only required for subjects like Medicine, Dentistry, Law and Vet Sci whereas you could probably gain admission to other subjects with meagre grades like BCC. It's the hardly the case that most degree courses at these unis would ask for ABB and above like say for instance at Bristol, Nottingham, Durham, perhaps Manchester, Bath and St Andrews where the entry standards are pretty high.

However the real strength of these universities as pointed out by their membership to the RG is their reputation for research which is tbh conducted by post grads and let's be fair is not really going to have a major impact on the undergrads.

Reply 15

The Boosh

17

but the russell group doesnt consist of the best universities for research - just those that produce more research because of their nature, and let's be honest here, quantity does not imply quality.

Reply 16

NKS

OP

British Bulldog

It's the hardly the case that most degree courses at these unis would ask for ABB and above like say for instance at Bristol, Nottingham, Durham, perhaps Manchester, Bath and St Andrews where the entry standards are pretty high.
.

I dont understand why in the list of universities you spontaneously given notts, durham and manchester why is southampton never included. As far as i know its on par at least with these universities and highly regarded in areas such as law, medicine and engineering especially. I just wanted to know why some people dont recognise Southampton as high

or exeter...

i wonder the same thing, i think its because its not seen as traditional. But its still as good as a uni like manchester. I would put them about the same level.

Reply 19

john171

11

The Boosh

but the russell group doesnt consist of the best universities for research - just those that produce more research because of their nature, and let's be honest here, quantity does not imply quality.

Well you know what the Russians say: "Quantity has a qualitiy all of it's own."

Is the Russell Groups the UK version of USA's Ivy league?

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