'Our environment work merits fairer cash deal'

The head of a Scottish university that helped chart a pre-G8 roadmap for investment in African universities has called for a fairer funding deal for all post-92 institutions in the UK, writes Olga Wojtas.

Bernard King, principal of Abertay Dundee University, demanded a reformed system that recognised the new universities' contribution.

Last week's "Abertay Conversation" among African higher education leaders led to a communiqué to the G8 calling for massive investment in African higher education, he said.

Abertay has also launched a unique research and knowledge transfer centre on the environment that Professor King said would help to develop environmental policy in the wake of G8.

He claimed that the UK funding system did not reward universities for this sort of work or other contributions made to society and the economy.

He said: "The current system funds bits of university activity, such as teaching or research, buildings, or knowledge transfer, museums and so on.

It is essential that we play new games with new rules, and in funding terms this means funding emergent excellence."