Labour lean on v-cs

Government has given universities one more year to demonstrate their graduate employment rates. But vice-chancellors are disappointed that the indicator will still be based on the first destination survey of full-time graduates.

Education secretary David Blunkett had insisted that the sector produce a performance indicator for employability in 2000.

The Department for Education and Employment has conceded that publication could be delayed until March 2001. However, the first employability performance indicators will still be based on the first destination of graduates, surveyed six months after they leave university or college.

"While it is entirely right to ask how the higher education sector interacts with employers, the concept of first destinations is pretty unhelpful," said Tim O'Shea, master of Birkbeck College, London.