Red-tape barring some of Britain’s smaller specialist institutions from being awarded the title of “university” will be removed. Previously, an institution needed 4,000 students to become a university, but now this limit drops to 1,000.
“It is right to remove the red tape stopping good quality, smaller higher-education providers calling themselves a university,” said Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts, commenting on the change.
Also announced were plans to review how existing quality-assurance arrangements affect alternative providers, including further-education colleges offering higher education.