Academic Mission Statements: an exercise in negotiation

English educational legislation in the 1980s and early 1990s occasioned major reforms in the funding and management of post-compulsory educational institutions. Out went largely autonomous Universities, Polytechnics answerable for their actions to local government, and independent Colleges of Higher Education; in came Higher Education Funding Councils and Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). After legislation in 1992, all were able to call themselves universities. Driving this redefinition of educational realities was a view that higher education had been too long 'provider centred' rather than 'customer centred', that it had to expand and change to take fully into account the new needs of industry, business and the professions. It had to become a more responsible user of public funds, to demonstrate it was capable of managing them effectively and efficiently, and provide value for money. Higher education had to become 'business like'. This article examines one facet of the transformation through which English higher education is still passing. It analyses the Mission Statements which all HEIs have had to produce, to determine in what ways they position the HEIs, represent what they do, and relate them to other participants 'in the wider community'.