§ 19. Ian LucasTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the process for awarding university status to higher education colleges. [23851]
§ Margaret HodgeThe criteria and processes for the award of university title to higher education colleges were revised in 1999 following full consultation with the academic community and others. I am satisfied that they are working effectively balancing, as they must, the legitimate wishes of some colleges to become universities with the need to protect the reputation of the United Kingdom university title.