Taking a lead in lecturer training

In your report of the Confederation of British Industry conference on National Vocational Qualifications for teachers and lecturers (THES, May 26) you quote Dominic Cadbury's statement to the effect that: "There are no formal arrangements for the training of teachers in universities and colleagues." In fact, universities and colleges are doing much better than this implies and many of them have substantial training programmes for both their new and established lecturers.

John Stoddart, another speaker at the conference, reported that more than 30 universities and colleges have now committed themselves to a national accreditation scheme for teachers in higher education, organised by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA).

If there is to be a lead body for higher education it must take full account of such initiatives which command extensive and increasing support in the sector.

RAY COWELL

Vice chancellor, Nottingham Trent University; Chair, SEDA accreditation steering committee, and CVCP advisory panel on professional and vocational HE.