The Russell Group and Its Members (part 1) The Russell Group is an association of 24 research-intensive UK universities, established in 1994 and named after the Hotel Russell in London where founders met. These institutions receive over three-quarters of all university research funding, produce 60% of UK doctorates, and generate approximately £87 billion annually for the British economy. Together, they employ a quarter of a million people and educate over 500,000 students from more than 200 countries.