Essential research

Your note about the regulations for degree-awarding powers and university title perpetuates a confusion ("Title up for grabs", August ).

You say that for the title of university "institutions will not be required to carry out research". In fact, the new feature of the regulations is that institutions will not be required to hold independent research degree-awarding powers. It would be hard for institutions to meet the new criteria for university title unless staff were involved in research, and colleges likely to form the "new generation of universities" are all research-active, with many subject areas funded through the research assessment exercise and large numbers of research students.

Paul Light
Principal
University College Winchester