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For some time, my personal view has been that both universities and the UK need to move on from the research assessment exercise to a more dynamic research funding system.

Contrary to your report's implication, I welcome the Government's consultation - as do many of my colleagues. What would be deeply unfortunate is if the outcome gave us just more of the same. The British economy and the capacity and potential that exist within the sector deserve more than this.

We need to move to a formula-based system of research grant funding that supports the link between teaching and research and properly rewards innovation and user-focused research. Such a formula would lead to a distribution that would be more relevant and better meet the needs of the economy and society.

Michael Driscoll

Vice-chancellor

Middlesex University