HC Deb 05 August 1975 vol 897 cc142-3W
Dr. Hampson

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science at which universities and polytechnics computer-based resource-use projects are being conducted under the auspices of the OECD's Centre for Research and Innovation; if he will give details of the nature and extent of each project; and when he expects to be able to assess the results.

Mr. Mulley

Two resource-use projects within the framework of the OECD Centre for Educational Research and Innovation programme are currently being supported by the Department. Neither is fully computer-based. The projects are:—

  1. (a) the development of performance indices for the teaching function in higher education, led by the University of Technology, Loughborough, with Lanchester Polytechnic as its principal collaborator; DES support is about £10,000.
  2. (b) resource allocation formulae and performance indices in central services of universities and polytechnics, led by the University of Leeds with Huddersfield Polytechnic as its principal collaborator; DES support is about £10,000.

Final results from these two projects are not expected before late 1976.

Computer-based planning models were developed, with DES support, three years ago at the University of Lancaster and the University of Bradford as part of a cost-effectiveness study under OECD-CERI auspices. The results of these projects were published by OECD under the titles "Planning University Development" and "Costs and Potential Economies" respectively.