Universities & Education

Our Universities & Higher Education group includes over 150 lawyers based in our offices in the UK, Middle East and Asia Pacific. We draw on the full resources of Pinsent Masons to cover the range of legal disciplines.  We advise both UK and international institutions - whether publicly funded or private, charitable or for-profit.

UK universities are at an evolutionary turning point.  The era of generous state support is over.  As the funding of HE transforms, students and student demand will have a greater influence on the shape of the sector and of individual institutions.  The UK government is using policy changes and legislation to create a more favourable environment for private, for-profit and international institutions to set up in competition with existing, state supported and charitable universities.

UK universities are strongly autonomous institutions with the ability to develop their own institutional and collective strategies in response to this changing environment.  Strategic thinkers will see opportunities to make significant operational reforms which will stand them in good stead for the challenges of the future.

At the same time, there is increasing interest by reputable international institutions in entering the UK market.  We have helped two of them to do so, and to establish themselves as charities.  We also advise UK institutions on HE collaborations and joint ventures with partners worldwide.