Cambridge University is reportedly engaging with Reform UK as its leadership seeks to anticipate the potential impact of a party-led government modeled on former US President Donald Trump’s approach to higher education. According to leaked comments obtained by The Sunday Times UK, Professor Deborah Prentice, vice-chancellor of Cambridge, revealed that Russell Group universities and Cambridge officials have been holding discussions with key Reform figures. These conversations are seen as precautionary measures amid fears of a political backlash targeting elite institutions.
Prentice, a psychologist and the university’s principal administrative and academic officer, said it was “very clear” that Reform UK intends to mirror Trump’s strategy of using government influence to pressure universities over issues such as free speech, antisemitism, and immigration. At the last election, Farage’s party pledged to cut funding to universities perceived as undermining free speech. During a council meeting, Prentice indicated that a Reform representative had suggested plans to dismantle the Office for Students, the university regulator, prompting wry comments about the crowd suppressing their cheer.
Baron Smith of Finsbury, Cambridge’s newly elected chancellor, echoed similar concerns. He warned before last year’s general election that a Reform government could provoke a populist backlash against elite institutions in the UK, mirroring trends in the United States. “Populism is always driven by a wish to kick the elite,” Smith told Times UK. Cambridge, founded in the 13th century, routinely ranks among the world’s top universities, sharing fourth place with Oxford in the Times and Sunday Times University Rankings 2026. Its members have claimed 126 Nobel prizes, including for breakthroughs in the discovery of DNA’s structure.
British universities, though funded differently from US institutions, remain reliant on government funding and the student loans system. The extent of engagement between Cambridge and Reform UK officials is unclear, as the party has no designated education spokesperson and holds only five parliamentary seats. Farage, who did not attend university, has repeatedly criticized higher education, promising reforms such as scrapping student loan interest, shortening undergraduate courses, and reducing overseas student numbers. He has also claimed that universities propagate “left-wing bias” and “poison young people’s minds.”
Prentice, formerly provost of Princeton University, emphasized that discussions with Reform UK are part of broader sector-wide deliberations. She noted that Russell Group vice-chancellors and other senior academics have initiated conversations to understand the party’s intentions for higher education. Cambridge is also reportedly planning a dedicated session during its March governing body away day to review potential implications of a Reform government. The university stressed that any outreach has been informal and that engagement with political figures is a routine aspect of academic life.
In parallel, Cambridge has been exploring opportunities in the United States, seeking to attract top academics in light of Trump’s confrontations with elite American universities. Earlier this year, James Orr, associate professor of philosophy of religion at Cambridge, was appointed a senior adviser to Farage, reflecting ongoing intersections between the university and Reform UK initiatives.
