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John Curry poses an interesting question about the future of higher education in further education (Letters, 18 February). Undoubtedly, some universities will question the future of such partnerships, but I suspect that where they have been founded on strong, local and strategic foundations, they will endure. Where there have been opportunistic, solely funding-focused or long-distance partnerships, there may be trouble. Caveat emptor to institutions that entered into relationships for other than strategically focused reasons.

Ian Tunbridge OBE, Deputy vice-chancellor (external), Thames Valley University.