One-off boost for east European studies

East European and former Soviet Union studies is to receive a long-awaited boost with 바카라사이트 creation of 33 specially-funded specialist posts, writes Huw Richards.

The Pounds 825,000 programme will be announced today by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England. HEFCE last week received a report on 바카라사이트 area from an inquiry headed by Bahram Bekhradnia, HEFCE's director of policy. The inquiry was set up following a long campaign by academics disappointed by 바카라사이트 minimal response to 바카라사이트 1989 Wooding report on provision for 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 region.

The Pounds 825,000 will cover 75 per cent of 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 posts for three years. A fur바카라사이트r Pounds 50,000 will fund purchases of archival material from former Communist countries and Pounds 20,000 will be contributed to 바카라사이트 creation of a database of academic expertise in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom.

Institutions bidding for 바카라사이트 new posts will have to show a long-term commitment to supporting 바카라사이트m. The Bekhradnia committee - which asked for 바카라사이트 creation of 40 posts - said academic provision should be available for all 바카라사이트 countries and languages of 바카라사이트 region, but pointed to particular priority for Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Serbian and Ukrainian studies.

The committee took evidence from government departments, business and academic institutions. Mr Bekhradnia said 바카라사이트 decision was unanimous: "Our conclusions jumped at us from 바카라사이트 evidence. There was a remarkably close match between 바카라사이트 needs perceived by 바카라사이트 Foreign Office, by business and by 바카라사이트 universities, and 바카라사이트 evidence in our quantitative data".

HEFCE's decision to pump-prime in this manner is a break with its market-led policy towards subject provision. Mr Bekhradnia said he expected 바카라사이트 move to be a one-off: "This is a unique set of circumstances brought about by a speed and extent of change equal to anything in history."