Separate spheres

In your item on the UK Border Agency's raid of Leeds Professional College, you report that this came despite the institution "passing the educational oversight test" and being "QAA-approved" ("Damaged seal of approval: border raid on watchdog-approved college raises questions for BIS", News, 13 December).

It is important to clarify the respective roles of the two agencies. Immigration issues are solely the responsibility of the UKBA, while the Quality Assurance Agency's role is to safeguard standards and quality in British higher education.

Our reviewers visited the college in April and gave a positive judgement on the way it manages academic standards and the quality of teaching and learning opportunities - a judgement that still stands.

The concerns investigated by the UKBA related to the abuse of student visas, not standards or quality.

Anthony McClaran, Chief executive, Quality Assurance Agency