Ten?UK?universities have formed a new research-focused mission group?in a fresh attempt to hand a ¡°collective voice¡± to institutions outside the Russell Group.

ResearchPlus will bring together ¡°research-focused universities that are currently under-represented in the national conversation¡± to help deliver the UK¡¯s research and innovation agenda and strengthen the higher education sector.

The founding universities are the universities of Essex, Hull and Sussex; Keele and Ulster universities; the Open University; and four University of London members: Brunel, City St George¡¯s, Royal Holloway and SOAS.

Sasha Roseneil, the vice-chancellor of Sussex, told Times Higher Education that there was a ¡°very real need¡± for a new mission group.

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¡°A significant number of research-focused universities are not aligned to any university mission group, which means that we have lacked a voice in articulating our strengths, our potential, and our needs,¡± she said.

¡°This means that the country is not making the most of the UK¡¯s research and innovation capabilities and capacities.¡±

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ResearchPlus will ¡°give visibility and profile to universities that constitute a critical element of the UK¡¯s research and innovation system, and that deliver vital research-informed education and advanced skills¡±, she added.

The announcement comes in the same week as the government?published its new industrial strategy, which highlighted key growth sectors for the UK economy and recognised the role of universities in contributing to these.

ResearchPlus said in a statement that its members ¡°will play a vital role in delivering the ambitions of the Industrial Strategy across all eight high-growth sectors¡±.

Universities have?repeatedly been told?to focus on vocalising?how they can support the government¡¯s key missions?if they are to be granted further funding and support as the sector plunges deeper into financial crisis.

The new organisation said that higher education is ¡°stronger¡± thanks to the mission groups that already exist, but that there is ¡°no collective voice or visibility for the research-focused universities outside the Russell Group¡±.?

¡°We see this as a problematic gap and a weakness in the system,¡± ?authored by the founding members and published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) says.

¡°Our collaboration seeks to address this in a complementary way that will enable us to work better with each other and with existing groups across the national research and innovation system.¡±?

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Several of the founding universities, including Essex, Royal Holloway, SOAS and Sussex, were formerly members of the now-defunct 1994 Group, a mission group for research-intensive universities that disbanded in 2013.

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Many of the former members of this group including the universities of Exeter, Warwick and York as well as Queen Mary University of London went on to join the Russell Group.

In the absence of any alternative research-intensive grouping, the now 24-strong Russell Group has since established itself as the premier brand in UK higher education, boosting its members¡¯ reputations and allowing them to grow both domestic and international student numbers, as well as research funds.?

Those left outside have repeatedly expressed concerns about the power of the self-selecting grouping, with high-quality courses offered in other parts of the sector struggling to compete.

To succeed, ResearchPlus will need to avoid some of the pitfalls of the 1994 Group, which many felt tried too hard to ape the Russell Group, without finding its own distinctive voice.

A spokesperson for?the organisation said: ¡°Through the creation of a new collaborative, ResearchPlus, leading research-focused universities can make a stronger collective contribution to public and policy debates on research and innovation, research-informed higher education, and advanced skills, supporting policymakers and public goals.¡±

They said that the intention is to grow the group beyond the founding?10 members and to ¡°develop a programme of work and activities to support our goals¡±.?

Peter Kyle, secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, said the formation of the new group is an ¡°exciting opportunity¡± to bring ¡°top talent together¡±.?

¡°By strengthening collaboration between universities, industry and government we can break down barriers to opportunity and work together to drive the economic growth that is central to the government¡¯s Plan for Change.¡±

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helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com