V-cs stick to admissions policy

Vice chancellors were expected to endorse the current pre-qualification universities admissions system at their annual residential conference in Belfast this week.

A working session of the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals convened to discuss a report from Sir Frederick Crawford, vice chancellor of Aston University, produced little evidence of support for any radical change.

The admissions crisis feared as a consequence of rapid expansion and the abolition of the binary line had not occurred, said speakers.

Sir Frederick's report outlined the options but did not make recommendations.

There was consensus about the suggestion that the prediction of likely A level scores should not be made until after mock examinations have been taken in January.

* The conference endorsed chairman Gareth Roberts's proposal for a restructuring of the CVCP.

This creates a six-strong "inner cabinet" in which Professor Roberts is joined by the CVCP's three vice-chairmen - Howard Newby (Southampton), David Melville (Middlesex) and Martin Harris (Manchester) - the treasurer John Bull (Plymouth) and Diana Warwick, chief executive.

It will meet a fortnight before each CVCP council meeting. The 39 sub-committees currently in operation will be subsumed in eight sector groups to cover health; environmental and biological sciences; industry, engineering and physical sciences; humanities, cultural and social sciences; information systems and telecommunications; learning and employment; European and international markets; and students and staff.