Universities UK is an advocacy organisation for universities in the United Kingdom. It began life as the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom (CVCP) in the nineteenth century when there were informal meetings involving vice-chancellors of a number of universities and principals of university colleges. The current president is Dame Julia Goodfellow, vice-chancellor of the University of Kent. The current Chief Executive is Nicola Dandridge CBE.