Research council for arts

The Dearing committee is set to recommend the creation of an Arts and Humanities Research Council. This is a favoured option in the committee's report following pressure to give research in the arts and humanities a similar status to other disciplines.

The new research council will be an independent body, but Dearing is expected to suggest that some of its administrative costs could be covered by the Economic and Social Research Council.

A paper submitted to the inquiry by the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals said the proposed new council should take over responsibility for postgraduate training, leaving the British Academy to "withdraw from any direct involvement" through its Humanities Research Board, "with inapropriate arrangements made to protect its financial position".

It is expected the Dearing committee will throw open for further consultation the question of who should be involved in running the new research council. The Arts Council has told Dearing that it might explore being in partnership with the HEFCE.

Letters, page 15