Muscatelli’s term as Russell Group chair has not produced fireworks, neither should we expect it to have done. The group wields influence by projecting an air of unassailable excellence – its responses and statements stick to a rigid party line. But behind the scenes, Muscatelli is active and resourceful in lobbying both the Westminster and Scottish governments, working with the latter on its Brexit advisory group.
In an increasingly diverse sector, the Russell Group still holds power as a proxy for a certain kind of traditionally focused institution – one that’s continued dominance of state research funding has parlayed into a shorthand for lazy journalists, uninformed ministers, and below-the-line web commentators for “the good kind of university”.
How good such universities are in terms of the student experience, the civic mission, and – frankly – their treatment of staff during this year’s pension dispute, is an open question. The Russell Group’s advocacy of the restoration of maintenance grants was a rare – and calculated – policy position taken at odds with government policy. In usual times its value to members is as a powerful brand for recruitment and reputation, albeit an extremely expensive and often aspirational one.