Separate but equal

Further to Stan Lester's letter "Compare like with like" (15 November) regarding "Second degree of separation" (News, 8 November): I would like to affirm that postgraduate training and education leading to professional qualifications and associated designations is regarded by the UK government as at least equal to postgraduate awards and therefore deserving of proper and appropriate comparisons at the master's level globally.

My own Chartered Institute of Management Accountants qualification is equivalent to an MSc, as recognised with its point score of 35 as awarded by the National Recognition Information Centre. The government uses such data to benchmark the qualifications held by potential immigrants to the UK under its highly skilled migrant programme.

Doubtless most of the other established and significant professional bodies attract similar evaluations that potentially are of considerable use to higher degree-level comparisons internationally.

Bob Nancarrow, Chartered management accountant, Henley-on-Thames.