§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education will be formally awarded university status. [42488]
§ Dr. HowellsCheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education has not yet applied for university status. The Government have agreed with the recommendation of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education that there should be no immediate change to the current criteria for university status. Under these criteria an institution should normally have a track record of satisfactorily maintaining degree standards for at least three years following the award of taught and research degree awarding powers. Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education obtained taught course degree awarding powers in 1992 and research degree awarding powers in February 1998.