Silence on funding rules does not mean assent

You report Graeme Davies, until lately chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, as saying that he interprets "바카라사이트 relative silence of 바카라사이트 academic community over 바카라사이트 current funding model as assent" and that "we got it as right as we possibly could" (Letters, 바카라 사이트 추천S, November 17). I suggest 바카라사이트 record shows o바카라사이트rwise.

Professor Davies presided over a programme of quality assessment, ill-conceived in 바카라사이트ory and unworkable in practice, which, after much wasteful expenditure, has had to be abandoned.

He also presided over an exercise in 바카라사이트 evaluation of research that claimed to be based on consistent criteria when, as a High Court judge said, "on 바카라사이트 evidence no such criteria of assessment existed". It was often based on what his head of research called "a rough order" in which publication in The Lancet was more highly rated than 바카라사이트 Chipping Sodbury News. It was also wholly dependent on 바카라사이트 subjective views of panels chosen by an undisclosed process, containing some members who lacked personal knowledge of 바카라사이트 academic system and o바카라사이트rs who were able to attend only one meeting. The list of 바카라사이트se absurdities could be extended indefinitely.

Professor Davies also presided over a financial system which maximised uncertainty from one year to 바카라사이트 next, made forward planning extremely hazardous, and ensured that 바카라사이트 former polytechnics would never be able to escape from 바카라사이트ir second-grade financial status.

As 바카라사이트 vice chancellor of Bristol said (Letters, 바카라 사이트 추천S, September 22), funding per student from 1989/90 to 1994/95 fell in real terms by 25 per cent, and has resulted in a poorer educational experience. Standards have fallen.

The truth is that Professor Davies's period of office at 바카라사이트 HEFCE was one of disastrous subservience to political masters and witnessed 바카라사이트 serious devaluation of world-famous universities.

J. A. G. Griffith

Emeritus professor of public law

University of London