Coopers and Lybrand's dominance of the higher education consulting field is to be challenged. Management consultants KPMG have recruited Nigel Brown, former deputy provost of London Guildhall University and director of finance at the Higher Education Funding Council for England, to spearhead a new higher education operation. Mr Brown, who also worked as an adviser to the Dearing inquiry, will be based in KPMG's Birmingham office.