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£1bn bill for expansion, says Hefce
Funding chiefs estimate that universities will have to recruit at least 300,000 more students, at a cost of well over £1 billion, to reach the government’s 50 per cent participation target by 2010. Sir Howard Newby, chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, told the House of Commons select committee on education that wealthier students may have to pay more towards the cost of the expansion.

Funding injection for learning and skills
The government is developing new routes into higher education, backed by a £500 million boost to the Learning and Skills Council. The increase takes the LSC budget to £7.3 billion in 2002-03. Education minister Margaret Hodge said it was a significant investment in building a skilled workforce.

ILA probe uncovers overspend
The individual learning accounts scheme that offered £150 cash per student for adult education courses overspent by at least £58.8 million, according to the Department for Education and Skills. The National Audit Office had announced an investigation into the government’s handling of ILAs.

Cancer research giants to merge
The Cancer Research Campaign and Imperial Cancer Research Fund announced today that they are merging to create the biggest independent cancer research organisation in the world. They will join forces from early February to form Cancer Research UK, which will have 3,000 researchers and an annual science budget of £130 million.