The UK sector-wide Europe Unit was launched in January 2004 in response to the growing body of European legislation and policy initiatives currently affecting UK higher education.

The Unit is located at Universities UK in London and is funded by Universities UK, the three higher education funding councils for England (HEFCE), Scotland (SFC) and Wales (HEFCW), the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and GuildHE. The Unit works closely with the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (DBIS), the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government. The Unit is supported by a large number of UK HE organisations including the UK Research Office (UKRO), the Association of UK Higher Education European Officers (HEURO), the British Council, the British Academy, the Wellcome Trust, the National Union of Students and the University and College Union and the UK HE International Unit. The Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland is also kept informed of our work.

The Unit has three primary objectives. Firstly, it acts as a central observatory of European higher education and major research issues and informs all HEIs and stakeholders accordingly. Secondly, it seeks to co-ordinate UK involvement in European initiatives and policy debates. Thirdly, where possible, it produces collective UK statements in areas of EU policy and lobby on them appropriately. The policy positioning of the Unit is informed by a High Level Policy Forum and a European Co-ordinating Group: both comprising representatives from key sector organisations. For more detailed information, please visit the Europe Unit website. The site is updated regularly and contains all Unit publications including Europe Notes and the fortnightly European newsletter. Click here to subscribe to the fortnightly newsletter.

To contact the Europe Unit email: info@europeunit.ac.uk