Will ResearchPlus avoid pitfalls that brought down 1994 Group?

I am still not sure what the research plus university seeks to achieve and what niche in the market are they filling. The agenda appears somewhat ambiguous based on the information provided in this publication.

Yes I can't see this making much of a difference to them really. The previous configuration wasn't very effective. I think if there was a genuine and meaningful collaboration in terms of networks and projects and centres of specialism for example and even sharing of resources which sharpened a sense of purpose and identity then it might be valuable but it does look like a rather arbitrary gathering up of left over "off-cuts" (as the butchers would put it) left over from the enlarged RG of a few years ago. Just more broadly if the criteria for RG membership is "research intensive" then it should include all those Universities which meet the threshold.

You can paint cover your bull in yellow paint and rename it "tweety" - however it will never be welcome in the China shop.

The continual forelock-tugging to the Russell Group is part of the problem in UK education. We'd all do a lot better without it.

Do you know, in my experience opinion be divided as to the merits of the Russell Group Universities . Those within the Russell Group seem to think it is the "bees knees" of Universities, the "creme de la creme" as it were. Those outside of the Russell Group think is not all it is cracked up to be. It is funny that.