Government inquiries

MPs are to launch two major inquiries into higher education, the first taking a broad-ranging look at the sustainability of universities and colleges.

In a statement this week, the Commons Education and Skills Committee said that the inquiry would be seeking answers to questions such as: "What is the role for universities?", "What should the principles of funding be?", and "What should the structure of higher education look like or be shaped by?"

This will be followed by an inquiry examining the impact of the Bologna process of European harmonisatin on the UK.