Excellence unfunded

Your report (THES, March 20) indicating that "strong teaching institutions have come out on top in the Welsh funding allocations" requires some clarification.

The last published data on teaching quality assessments show that Bangor has the highest proportion of "Excellent" ratings of any institution in Wales.

Although the funding council's decision to make teaching a funding priority in 1998-99 is to be welcomed, the teaching allocations generally reflect student numbers. There remains scant reward for excellence.

David Roberts. Academic registrar, University of Wales, Bangor