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Your report last week ("UUK warns of cut to core", THES , March 22) says that universities will see their core teaching funds cut next year.

The increase for inflation that we apply to core funds is only one of the elements that make up the grant for teaching and should not be viewed in isolation as your article suggests. Our calculations show an increase in real terms of 1 per cent in the unit of resource for teaching on a like-for-like basis with 2001-02, after taking account of recruitment, income from fees and additional funds for widening participation and for rewarding and developing staff.

These are part of the overall grant in support of teaching, and including them provides a complete statement of the funding position. There is no justification for excluding them; to do so would ignore significant additional funds available to universities and colleges in support of learning and teaching.

Sir Howard Newby
Chief executive
ÖйúAƬ Funding Council for England