GuildHE

GuildHE is a British membership organisation representing the heads of higher education institutions – from some of the most recently designated universities and university colleges, specialist colleges and other bodies providing higher education programmes.

Their vision for the future is a sustainable, diverse and dynamic higher education sector that plays a full part in the development of a well-educated and socially inclusive nation and enhances the UK’s economic competitiveness. The key objective was for GuildHE to be seen to be an HE focused organisation that is worth being part of – one that has something worthwhile to say and is worth the time to listen.

GuildHE is one of the two formal representative bodies for Higher Education in the UK. It was founded in 1967 as the Standing Conference of Principals, registered as a company in 1992 and became GuildHE in 2006. The rationale for the name GuildHE was to emphasise the importance to their members of “ collective endeavour, mutual aid and shared vision”. The use of the term “Distinction Diversity” was “to increase awareness of the distinctive contribution made by their members to UK higher education.”

As one of the two representative bodies for higher education in the UK, GuildHE have regular contact with BIS and HEFCE and are included in major consultations on higher education. GuildHE is represented on a wide range of external bodies, including the British Council HE Forum and UCAS among others. As part of its lobbying work, GuildHE leads efforts to persuade the Government, politicians and official groups on issues around higher education. It meets with stakeholders, civil servants and other relevant contacts to discuss policy and current issues and exchange information. Alongside UUK, GuildHE established the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (LFHE) and provides funding to the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU).

As a membership organisation of heads of higher educational institutions and their staff, they work to make the case for institutional diversity and distinctiveness within the UK higher education sector, and to highlight the interests and strengths of their member HEIs to government, national and international agencies, employers, potential students, and the wider community. GuildHE represents its members’ views and and makes an evidence-based contribution to national policy development and debate concerning higher education. It seeks to provide a forum for the executive heads of member institutions to take action on matters of common concern, as well as being a primary source of professional support to its members via the services they provide.  It seeks to foster cultural engagement, knowledge creation and engagement in a global context.