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I AM surprised to read that some research councils are unconvinced of the need for the Higher Education Quality Council guidelines on research (THES, December 13).

I would have imagined that they would be keen to improve the postgraduate experience and increase the prompt submission rates which they monitor keenly.

I agree that research objectives should be left broad, but "spontaneity" in supervisory practice corresponds with chaos in the experience of many postgraduate students. A defined framework, and setting of standards for training and supervision, as offered by the HEQC, can only be welcome.

John Gray

General secretary, National Postgraduate Committee, Aston Students' Guild, Birmingham