Following its departure from the 94 Group, Bath has shocked the sector by applying to join Million+ rather than the Russell Group.
‘Membership of the Russell Group does not reflect the type of university we are, nor sit well with the future direction of the University’s strategy,’ said Bath’s VC, Prof Glynis Breakwell. ‘The Russell Group is perceived as too ‘Old Skool’, and we feel the future lies with Million+’.
However, it is still uncertain whether Million+ will accept Bath’s membership application. ‘To be honest, I’m not sure we want them,’ said Million+ Chair, VC of the University of East London, and former Avengers star Prof Patrick McGhee. ‘Current members will have to vote on whether we want to admit a pre-92 institution to be in our gang.’
Other universities have tried and failed to join Million+. It is understood that, when upstarts Exeter, York, Durham and QMUL joined the Russell Group in March this year Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial tried to jump ship and join the elitist Million+, but were refused.
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