University English

About UE

University English, formerly The Council for College and University English (CCUE), was founded in 1993 to promote the study of English in higher education, and to provide opportunities for English lecturers to meet colleagues from other institutions and discuss matters of shared concern. University English is the main professional body consulted by funding bodies and other agencies when they wish to gauge the views of the English subject community.

University English holds two meetings a year, a two-day Annual General Meeting in Spring and a one-day Ordinary General Meeting in early December. All members are invited to these meetings. University English is run by an Executive Committee which meets more frequently to arrange these events, liaise with other professional organisations, and arrange consultations with its members. Elections to the Executive are held at the AGM. A full list of Executive officers and members, with contact details, can be found on the link to the right.

Because of its broad representation and policy of active consultation with members, University English has considerable influence in key areas of educational policy. For example:

  • University English had a formative influence on the membership of the REF 2014 panel and of previous RAE panels. Our recommendations help to shape the policy of the English sub-panel and to ensure that its deliberations remain in touch with a wide swathe of subject community opinion.
  • University English played a leading role in establishing the Subject Benchmark Group, whose membership was devised after consultation with University English members. This ensured the group was responsive to the needs of the subject community and that the benchmark statement was neither too restrictive nor prescriptive.
  • University English has remained in positive dialogue with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)and its forebears to ensure as far as possible that audit remains responsive to and informed of the concerns of the subject.
  • As a member of the Common English Forum, University English has participated in discussions with the Department for Education about the National Curriculum and reform of the school examination system, in particular the future of A Levels and GCSE.
  • University English is campaiging to defend the interests of English in changes resulting from the Browne Report and the 2011 White Paper on Higher Education.
  • University English is actively involved in the debate about Open Access publication, working alongside the English Association and other organisations.
  • For details of these and other activities, see our Current Consultations page.

Through its affiliation with the European Society for the Study of English, University English also provides a link to English lecturers in other countries. University English is represented upon the Board of ESSE, and the President of ESSE is regularly invited to speak at the AGM of University English.

Membership of University English is by departmental subscription. To take out a subscription, see the bottom of the home page.