HC Deb 21 March 2000 vol 346 c504W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress in developing the e-university concept. [115766]

Mr. Wicks

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has responsibility for the development of the e-Universities project. It is intended to harness expertise in the public and private sectors to exploit information and communication technology and provide novel means of teaching and learning. To date, HEFCE hasestablished a Steering Group to commission studies to the concept and give practical and detailed advice on options for implementation; approved and invited tenders for an initial feasibility study to flesh out the e-Universities concept, to begin by the end of February and report by summer; commissioned a study into the market for virtual distance learning.