MillionPlus

{{Short description|Association of modern universities in the UK}}

{{Infobox organization

|image =

|caption =

|formation = {{start date and age|1997}}

|type = Association of UK universities

|headquarters =

|leader_title = Chair

|leader_name = Graham Baldwin

|leader_title2 = Chief Executive

|leader_name2 = Rachel Hewitt

|name = MillionPlus

|location = United Kingdom

|membership = 23

|website = {{official URL}}

}}

MillionPlus, formerly known as million+, the Campaign for Mainstream Universities, and the Coalition of Modern Universities (CMU), is a membership organisation, which aims to promote the role of "modern universities" in the UK higher education system; it describes itself as "The Association for Modern Universities in the UK".{{cite web|url=http://university.which.co.uk/advice/choosing-a-course/what-is-the-million-group|title=What is the Million+ Group?|website=Which? University)|date=30 October 2012|author=Laura Kennedy|accessdate=27 August 2016}}{{cite news|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/mar/04/university-mission-groups-comment|title=University mission groups: what are they good for?|author=Peter Scott|date=4 March 2013|accessdate=27 August 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.millionplus.ac.uk/who-we-are/our-role|title=Who we are: Our role|website=Million+|accessdate=27 August 2016}} MillionPlus is not for profit and funded by subscriptions from its members, currently 23 UK universities.{{cite web|url=http://www.millionplus.ac.uk/who-we-are/members|title=Who we are: Members|website=Million+|accessdate=5 April 2019}} While all of the member institutions are "new" universities, many have long histories as colleges and polytechnics.

Overview

Formed in 1997 as the Coalition of Modern Universities, the name was changed in 2004 to the Campaign for Mainstream Universities. In November 2007, the organisation was rebranded to million+.{{cite web|title=University Challenge|url=http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/education-advice-and-help/university-options/university-challenge.html?Itemid=132|publisher=The Good Schools Guide|accessdate=23 May 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231035737/http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/education-advice-and-help/university-options/university-challenge.html?Itemid=132|archivedate=31 December 2010}} This name was chosen to reflect the fact that the member institutions educate over a million students. In April 2016,{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} the organisation rebranded again to MillionPlus.

MillionPlus is involved in the political debate about the role and contribution of universities to the economy and society, where it is seen as representing the post-1992 universities, known as 'new' or 'modern'. As such, it is frequently quoted in the media on higher education topics, such as the Government's green paper on higher education reform,{{cite news|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/higher-education-green-paper-concerns-over-tef-timetable-and-fee-caps|work=Times Higher Education|author=Ellie Bothwell|title=Higher education Green Paper: Concerns over TEF timetable and fee caps|date=15 January 2016}}{{cite news|work=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/government-s-higher-education-green-paper-is-met-with-a-negative-response-from-students-and-student-a6723991.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/government-s-higher-education-green-paper-is-met-with-a-negative-response-from-students-and-student-a6723991.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Government's higher education green paper is met with a negative response from students and student groups|author=Aftab Ali|date=6 November 2015}} reform of the external examination system,{{cite news|work=Times Higher Education|title=Universities oppose external examining reforms|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/universities-oppose-external-examining-reforms|date=30 November 2015|author=Chris Havergal}} and the economic diversity of the student population.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/education-36024081|work=BBC News|title=Wealthy students keep getting richer|author= Sean Coughlan|date=16 April 2016}}

The group is chaired by Professor Rama Thirunamachandran, Vice-Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University.

The Chief Executive is Rachel Hewitt.{{cite web|url=http://www.millionplus.ac.uk/who-we-are/governance|title=Who we are: Governance|website=Million+|accessdate=27 August 2016}}

Member institutions

{{Location map+|United Kingdom|AlternativeMap=United_Kingdom_relief_location_map.jpg|alt=Map of the UK with location of Million+ universities highlighted|caption=Locations of MillionPlus universities.|float=right|width=300|places=

{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=56.46|long=-2.97|position=bottom|label=

Abertay

}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=52.21|long=0.12|position=top|label=

Anglia Ruskin

}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=51.51|long=-0.13|position=top|label=

London

|mark=City locator 11.svg|marksize=12}}

{{Location map~|United Kingdom|lat=51.38|long=-2.44|position=top|label=

Bath Spa

}}