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1 December 2004

HEFCE welcomes request to provide advice on strategically important subjects

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has welcomed the request by Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke that it should provide advice on a range of high level strategic issues, including the provision of strategically important subjects.

In welcoming the invitation, Mr David Young, Chairman of the HEFCE, said:

'As well as providing funding to universities and colleges, HEFCE is working at a strategic level to address major policy issues affecting higher education, taking account of the introduction of variable fees in 2006.

'Although we are a national body looking at national strategic issues, we are also increasingly considering with our partners the regional implications of policy implementation and subject provision. Regional considerations will be an important part of our response to the DfES request.

'The question of strategically important subjects and the other important issues raised by the Secretary of State need to be addressed by the whole higher education sector and its stakeholders since this is not just about the adequacy of supply, but also about demand. We therefore look forward to entering into a strategic dialogue with universities, colleges, employers and other partners to consider these matters.

'Our approach will involve steering a difficult path which fully recognizes the autonomy of universities and colleges on the one hand, and takes account of national and regional interests on the other. These are not always mutually compatible.

'As we said at our recent annual meeting, the HEFCE Board intends to devote the greater part of its 'awayday' meeting in February to strategic issues including those arising from the introduction of variable fees. The Secretary of State's letter will be central to this discussion'.

DfES press release on courses of national strategic importance
[ MS Word 41K | Zipped Word 9K | Adobe PDF 19K | Zipped PDF 16K ]

Letter from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills
[ MS Word 35K | Zipped Word 9K | Adobe PDF 20K | Zipped PDF 17K ]