Caveat opportunists

John Curry poses an interesting question about the future of higher education in further education (Letters, 18 February). Undoubtedly, some universities will question the future of such partnerships, but I suspect that where they have been founded on strong, local and strategic foundations, they will endure. Where there have been opportunistic, solely funding-focused or long-distance partnerships, there may be trouble. Caveat emptor to institutions that entered into relationships for other than strategically focused reasons.

Ian Tunbridge OBE, Deputy vice-chancellor (external), Thames Valley University.