Direct aid to research on arts mulled

The Higher Education Funding Council for England will decide later this month whether to extend its direct funding of arts and humanities research.

Earlier this year HEFCE said it would give Pounds 8 million extra to arts and humanities research. At its February 26 council meeting, it will decide how to distribute the money and whether to extend it into the future.

Last year, Lord Dearing called for an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Last month, however, John Battle, minister for science, and Baroness Blackstone, minister for higher education, distanced their departments from an AHRC before the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee.