ILT loan status

The article "Future in doubt for hard-up ILT" ( THES , June 28) artificially entwined two developments that have almost no bearing on one another. The first is the financial position of the Institute for Learning and Teaching and its support from the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The second is a review by the Teaching Quality Enhancement Committee of the agencies involved in enhancing quality.

The £500,000 loan referred to was built into the ILT's business plan in 1999. The ILT has not drawn on the loan hitherto because our financial position has been strong, as has membership recruitment. The ILT's finances do not form part of the committee's discussions. The only link between the two is Hefce's wish to have the committee's conclusions before it implements the agreed loan. In the interim, Hefce has agreed to an additional grant to the ILT to support the delivery of our business plan.

Paul M. Clark
Chief executive
Institute for Learning and Teaching