Goodbye Department for Universities

05 Jun 2009

So another victim of the reshuffle is the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills. It has now been merged into (or is that taken over by) the business department run by Lord Peter Mandelson.

The new department - the Department for Business Innovation and Skills - will not even have 'universities' or 'further education' in its title.

The decision to split the old education department (author: Ed Balls) always looked an odd one, not least because it split 14-19 education between two departments and separated schools from universities.

I have to say I remain very doubtful about the wisdom of the idea. Secondary schools, FE colleges, and universities need a joined-up policy. This does not seem the way to do that.

The only consolation is that Lord mandelson is a big player - even bigger after this reshuffle - and will carry a lot of clout in Cabinet.

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