| A | |
| AHRC | Arts and Humanities Research Council |
| AGR | Association of Graduate Recruiters |
| AHUA | Association of Heads of University Administration |
| AUA | Association of University Administrators |
| AUDE | Association of University Directors of Estates |
| AURIL | Association for Research and Industrial Liaison |
| AUT | Association of University Teachers - now the UCU (see below) |
| B | |
| BA | British Academy |
| BBSRC | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
| BIS | Department for Business, Innovation and Skills |
| BUFDG | British Universities Finance Directors Group |
| C | |
| CADISE |
Consortium of Art and Design Institutions in Southern England |
| CATS | Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme |
| CETL | Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning |
| CIHE | Council for Industry and Higher Education |
| CHEW | Chairs of Higher Education Wales |
| CUC | Committee of University Chairs |
| D | |
| DCELLS | Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills - Welsh Assembly Government |
| DCMS | Department of Culture, Media and Sport |
| DBERR | Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform - now BIS (see above) |
| DEL | Department for Employment and Learning - Northern Ireland |
| DIUS | Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills - now BIS (see above) |
| E | |
| ECU | Equality Challenge Unit |
| ESRC | Economic and Social Research Council |
| F | |
| FEC | Full Economic Cost |
| FE | Further Education |
| FSSG | Financial Sustainability Strategy Group |
| FTE | Full-time equivalent |
| H | |
| HE | Higher Education |
| HEA | Higher Education Academy |
| HEAR | Higher Education Achievement Report |
| HEFCE | Higher Education Funding Council for England |
| HEFCEAS | HEFCE Audit Service |
| HEFCW | Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |
| HEI | Higher Education Institution |
| HEIDI | Higher Education Information Database for Institutions |
| HEIF | Higher Education Innovation Fund |
| HEPI | Higher Education Policy Institute |
| HERRG | Higher Education Regulation Review Group |
| HERO | Higher Education and Research Opportunities |
| HESA | Higher Education Statistics Agency |
| HESMF | Higher Education Senior Managers Forum |
| HEW | Higher Education Wales |
| HOLIS | HESA Online Information Service |
| J | |
| JANET | Joint Academic Network |
| JCPSG | Joint Costing and Pricing Steering Group |
| JISC | Joint Information Systems Committee |
| JNCHES | Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff |
| JPPSG | Joint Procurement Policy and Strategy Group |
| L | |
| LSC | Learning and Skills Council |
| M | |
| MRC | Medical Research Council |
| N | |
| NAO | National Audit Office |
| NERC | Natural Environment Research Council |
| NIACE | National Institute for Adult Continuing Education |
| NUS | National Union of Students |
| NSS | National Student Survey |
| O | |
| OFFA | Office for Fair Access |
| OFSTED | Office for Standards in Education |
| OIA | Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education |
| OST | Office for Science and Technology |
| P | |
| PAC | Public Accounts Committee |
| PPARC | Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council |
| Q | |
| QAA | Quality Assurance Agency |
| QCA | Qualifications and Curriculum Authority |
| QCF | Qualifications and Credit Framework |
| QR | Quality Research, the research funding allocated according to RAE rankings |
| R | |
| RAE | Research Assessment Exercise |
| RCUK | Research Councils UK |
| RDA | Regional Development Agency |
| REF | Research Excellence Framework |
| S | |
| SCONUL | Standing Conference of National and University Libraries |
| SFC | Scottish Funding Council |
| SFA | Skills Funding Agency |
| SLC | Student Loans Company |
| SRHE | Society for Research into Higher Education |
| STFC | Science and Technology Facilities Council |
| T | |
| TRAC | Transparent Approach to Costing Methodology |
| TDA | Training and Development Agency (for Teachers) |
| U | |
| UCAS | Universities and Colleges Admissions Service |
| UCEA | Universities and Colleges Employers' Association |
| UCISA | Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association |
| UCU | Universities and Colleges Union |
| UKADIA | United Kingdom Arts and Design Institutions Association |
| UKCISA | United Kingdom Council for International Student Affairs |
| UKERNA | UK Educational Research Network Association |
| UPA | University Personnel Association |
| USI | Union of Students in Ireland |
| USS | Universities Superannuation Scheme |
| UUK | Universities UK |
| W | |
| WAG | Welsh Assembly Government |
| Y | |
| YPLA | Young People's Learning Agency |