UK universities get top scores in European autonomy study

UK universities are among the most autonomous in Europe, according to a study by the European University Association.

On a scorecard published on 15 November, the UK comes top for organisational autonomy, second for staffing autonomy, and third for both financial autonomy and academic autonomy. The UK is one of only five countries—alongside Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Portugal—where universities are free to select external members to join their governing bodies. It is also one of only seven countries where universities can open degree programmes without prior government accreditation.