Our relationship with UUK

Brief History of Universities UK

The present organisation originated in the nineteenth century when there were informal meetings involving Vice-Chancellors of a number of universities and Principals of university colleges. In 1918 the first consultative meeting of all Vice-Chancellors was held. At that time, the committee consisted of just 22 universities and university colleges.

There were two new waves of universities in the 1960s, with ten new universities being created and a further ten arising from the upgrading of former colleges of advanced technology and two Scottish institutions. With one or two further additions, the committee grew to a total of 47 representatives in the 1980s.

The next major change in the membership of the CVCP took place in 1992, as a result of Government legislation which enabled polytechnics to become universities. The committee's membership increased to over 100 institutions.

In 1999, as a direct result of Devolution in Scotland and Wales and in order to ensure the continued provision of valued services to all our members, the National Council structure was created. Heads of Higher Education in Wales (HHEW) became the National Council for Wales, later to become Higher Education Wales (HHW), the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals (CoSHEP) the National Council for Scotland, later to become Universities Scotland (US). The England and Northern Ireland Council was created to represent England and Northern Ireland members. The National Councils are autonomous bodies that are linked to Universities UK but represent their own country members.

On 1 December 2000, CVCP's name, logo and identity were changed in order to reflect changes that had taken place in the organisation in recent years. CVCP became Universities UK (UUK). The membership of the committee has continued to increase slowly so that today the committee has 131 members, including 8 associate members.

Woburn House Conference Centre Ltd

In 1996 Woburn House was purchased by the then entitled CVCP, with a view to occupying premises that had sufficient space for the Committee to meet. A subsidiary company was created to manage the Conference Centre that was built during the refurbishment. This company was to become known as Woburn House Conference Centre Ltd. The Conference Centre opened for business in April 1997 and has successfully contributed to UUK's income each year since then, assisting UUK in its aim to speak with one voice for the University sector.