The Group of Eight

GCRIUN ✅ I am on my way back to Helsinki from the annual meeting of the Global Network of Research-Intensive University Networks (GCRIUN), held this year at the impressive Institution of Civil Engineers in London and hosted by the Russell Group. ✅ Tim Bradshaw, Jess Cole and their team prepared an outstanding agenda, addressing some of the most pressing issues facing research-intensive universities today. Our discussions focused on demonstrating the value of research-intensive universities in times of rising populism; the implications of artificial intelligence for research integrity; research and commercialisation; association to the EU’s forthcoming tenth Framework Programme for Research and Innovation; and country reports from the UK, US, Canada, Japan, Australia and Germany, complemented by an EU update. ✅ With Tim Bradshaw attending his final meeting of the network as CEO of the Russell Group, the occasion also invited reflection. During dinner last night, I found myself thinking back to 2012, when I took the initiative to establish this global collaboration as LERU celebrated its 10th anniversary in Barcelona. Since that first gathering, we have met annually in person — except during the Covid years — bringing together our sister organisations worldwide: the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Group of Eight (Go8) in Australia, the U15 in Canada, the U15 in Germany, the RU11 in Japan and the Russell Group in the UK. ✅ Over the years, this network has become a trusted space where we reflect on shared challenges, exchange best practices, assess geopolitical developments, draft joint statements and, above all, learn from and support one another in defending excellent research and innovation globally. ✅ Tim has been an unwavering pillar of this group — experienced, deeply connected, strategic, witty and forward-looking. We will miss him dearly. It was equally wonderful to reconnect with long-standing colleagues and strong contributors such as Barbara Snyder (AAU), Vicki Thomson (Go8) and Jan Wöpking (German U15), and to welcome newer counterparts Robert Asselin (Canadian U15) and Toshiharu Saiki (RU11 Japan). ✅ At times, our meetings may sound almost self-therapeutic — but they are in fact an essential mechanism for staying attuned to global developments, understanding their implications for all of us, and identifying how we can collectively respond to both challenges and opportunities. ✅ Satisfied and grateful, I am now flying back. Thank you to all who make this network such a valuable and enduring collaboration. Tim Bradshaw Jess Cole Jan Wöpking Vicki Thomson Barbara Snyder Robert Asselin Toshiharu Saiki Friederike Schröder Linda Doyle Bart Valkenaers Russell Group of Universities League of European Research Universities (LERU) U15 Canada German U15 Peter-Paul Verbeek Michael Schaepman Peter Mathieson Sari Lindblom

As this year’s Global Research-Intensive Universities Network meeting wraps up in London, The Group of Eight CE Vicki Thomson and German U15’s MD, Dr Jan Woepking, chat about this year's learnings, the importance of global research collaboration and how the current global geo-political and societal climate is changing the research landscape at our universities across the GRIUN network. GRIUN members are the Russell Group of Universities in the UK, The Association of American Universities (AAU), the League of European Research Universities (LERU), U15 Canada, Japan’s U11, German U15 and the Group of Eight Australia. We are value’s aligned universities representing the 158 top research unis across our countries. We educate over 5.6 million students and secure the equivalent of US103.7 billion in R&D funding each year. We share common challenges and opportunities. And we are stronger when we work together. Thank you to The Russell Group for hosting this year and to our GRIUN colleagues for a fantastic collaboration. #GRIUN #HigherEducation #ResearchUniversities #ResearchCollaboration #GlobalResearch

A great day’s conversations today at the Global Research-Intensive Universities Network meeting at the Russell Group of Universities HQ here in London. Together, GRIUN members represent the top research-intensive universities in Europe, the UK, the USA, Germany, Japan and Australia. The opportunity to get together to discuss the challenges and opportunities our members and their societies are facing in this increasingly complex global environment - and look for shared solutions – is truly invaluable. Looking forward to day two! Vicki Thomson The Group of Eight Association of American Universities (AAU) League of European Research Universities (LERU) German U15 U15 Canada #GRIUN #HigherEducation #ResearchUniversities #ResearchCollaboration

The Group of Eight CE Vicki Thomson tells us about the excellent conversations on day one of the Global Research-Intensive Universities Network (GRIUN) meeting – this year being hosted by the Russell Group of Universities in London. It's clear from the day's discussions that there are a lot of commonalities in the challenges and opportunities being faced by the European, UK, US, German, Canadian, Japanese and, of course, Australian research-intensive universities represented here - like research funding, defence and security concerns, government policy and our student profiles. We also had an update from the European Union Delegation in the UK on the world's largest research and innovation fund, Horizon Europe, and the opportunities for non-EU countries to participate. The Go8 says that in this increasingly volatile and complex world, Australia needs to be at the Horizon Europe table to deepen our research collaborations with trusted global partners. Association of American Universities (AAU)League of European Research Universities (LERU) German U15 U15 Canada European Australian Business Council (EABC) European External Action Service #GRIUN #HigherEducation #ResearchUniversities #ResearchCollaboration #HorizonEurope

On the eve of the Global Research-Intensive University Network meeting – in London for 2026 - The Group of Eight CE Vicki Thomson and The Russell Group of Universities CEO Dr Tim Bradshaw discuss the importance of the network for solving the big challenges that we face today. GRIUN represents 158 universities from Australia’s Group of Eight, the United Kingdon’s Russell Group of Universities, The Association of American Universities (AAU), Japan RU11, German U15, U15 Canada and the League of European Research Universities (LERU). Collectively GRIUN universities educate 5.6 million students, award 90 thousand PhDs each year, employ more than 1.7 people and are awarded US$103.7 billion in R&D grants and contracts. #HigherEducation #ResearchandDevelopment #GRIUN #ResearchIntensive

A very important meeting here in London between the leading research-intensive universities of the three AUKUS partner nations and the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on AUKUS, Sir Stephen Lovegrove. It’s vital that conversations between AUKUS leaders like Sir Stephen and the universities that perform the lion’s share of the university-based defence research in our respective nations happen. Our research-intensive universities are national assets for resilience, defence and national security and discussions like this one ensure that we continue to play the role of delivery partners in the advanced capability development that AUKUS will require. Huge thanks to Sir Stephen for his time. Together, the Russell Group of Universities, The Association of American Universities (AAU) and The Group of Eight have collaborated through more than 187,000 research links. Vicki Thomson Tim Bradshaw Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) UK Ministry of Defence #DefenceResearch #AUKUS #NationalSecurity

Great to have The Group of Eight Deputy Vice-Chancellors (Research) at Go8 HQ for their first meeting of the year. Go8 universities invest more than $10 billion a year in Research & Development in Australia. We conduct 70% of all university-based research in the country and are responsible for more than 20% of ALL Australia’s research output. These are the Go8 leaders with their fingers on the pulse of all of that, What a team! Vicki Thomson Anton Middelberg FTSE FNAI Julie Cairney Sue Harrison Robyn Ward Bronwyn Fox AO Mark Cassidy Matthew Brown Lachlan Blackhall Anna Nowak

Well said Neena Mitter. Trust really is the hidden infrastructure of the research system and integrity is strategic, not procedural. This is exactly the conversation the sector needs to be having. It is why The Group of Eight established the Go8 National Security and Defence Committee, co-chaired by Rick Burr and Paul Symon to help us bridge the gap - real or perceived - between Government and our universities when it comes to conversations around research integrity and security.

The Group of Eight Expert Committee on Combatting Antisemitism met at Go8 HQ in Canberra. The Committee was joined by the Go8 Chair,Professor Deborah Terry & Deputy Chair Sharon Pickering alongside members of the expert advisory committee which is chaired by Alan Finkel and includes the National President of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students,Jeremy Suss . As university leaders we are unequivocal in our commitment to combat antisemitism. Our Univeristies must be places where students and staff feel safe , respected and supported – and where hateful conduct is confronted and addressed, not excused or ignored. This is sustained necessary work and the committee is focused on practical action and meaningful outcomes. Paul Symon Diane Smith-Gander AO Australasian Union of Jewish Students