Call for the 'superb colleges' to speak up

* Too much of the higher education agenda is driven by a "highly vocal minority" of institutions, higher education college leaders said this week.

John Cater, chairman of the Standing Conference of Principals, told Scop's annual conference that any future funding changes needed to be for the "greater good" of the majority of students and institutions.

He said: "Perhaps we do need some 'super-universities' who are able to compete in the global research arena, but we also need some 'superb colleges'."