Dear colleague,

You’ll be aware that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has commissioned CFE and the British Accreditation Council to provide a comprehensive picture of provision by privately funded institutions operating in the UK higher education (HE) sector. You should have received an email from CFE regarding the research.

BIS is requesting that all privately funded providers of HE operating in the UK complete a standard data return, providing information on the nature of their organisation and on their student numbers. The data collected will support comparisons across the UK HE sector, including with data from publicly funded universities and further education colleges providing HE.

I encourage all independent HE colleges to take part – BIS recognise that the nature of privately funded provision is complex and dynamic, and are keen to develop a more comprehensive understanding of this part of the UK HE sector. Your participation in this research will add significant value to the understanding of independent colleges, and will help to ensure a truly representative picture.

I would be happy to discuss any questions or comments you have.  Alternatively, you can contact Jonathan Sheen (jonathan.sheen@cfe.org.uk) at CFE.

Best wishes,

Dr Gina Hobson
Chief Executive