GuildHE has marked its 20th birthday with a reception in Parliament, using the opportunity to emphasise the importance of the wider value of higher education.

With over 50 of its distinctive members present, GuildHE’s Chief Executive, Dr Brooke Storer-Church, highlighted how the institutions in the room were supporting the new Government’s focus on supporting local communities and people not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Former Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham, and GuildHE Board member, Professor Anthony McClaran, chaired the event and commented: 

“Often the unsung heroes, GuildHE’s members drive innovation in technical, vocational and professional education, offering high quality pathways into education. We bridge the skills gap, while making vital contributions to local communities, regional and the national economy. Embedded in our communities and practical education is what GuildHE members do.”

GuildHE’s CEO Dr Storer-Church added:

“At GuildHE, we know that the value of higher education extends beyond graduate salary measures to every person, every home, every business and every community in the UK. 

"Higher education is not just an individual benefit; it is a collective national asset whose relevance to us is all the clearer as we wrestle with the dogmatic introduction of generative AI technologies and the increasing pace of climate change.

"Our sector has expanded considerably to hold a wide variety of institutions from large-scale, multi-faculty universities to our smallest, specialist institutions. GuildHE has the privilege of being the most diverse representative body in higher education, representing institutions very large and very small, public and privately-funded, urban and rural, those that are practice-based and those that are fully online. We see how this diverse mix of institutions delivers to the government's ambitions to foster innovation, expand access, develop regions and contribute to public services in order to enhance our communities.  

"Without institutions like those we represent, we cannot and will not secure the better future we all want.”

Julia Buckley MP, who sponsored the event, thanked GuildHE for organising it, saying that Parliamentarians were keen to hear the views of the HE sector and reflect these to the Government.

 

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Notes for Editors

  • For photos and further information contact Chris Watt, Head of Public Affairs, via [email protected].
  • GuildHE is one of three formal representative bodies in higher education, representing around 70 diverse institutions. Our members are small and large, rural and urban, practice-based and online, publicly and privately funded. Members are renowned for their practical, industry-relevant education, research and innovation - which meet critical skills needs for the 21st century, while making a significant contribution to regional growth, industry development and the national economy. The diversity of our membership enables us a unique and valuable perspective into the challenges and opportunities within, and for, the sector at any given time.