The point of university

SIR – Much of the current dialogue about our universities (Letters, February 21) misses the fundamental question about what they are for.

Historically, universities were centres of learning and research. However, government policy since 1992 has changed this perception, and we now demand that they become centres dedicated to transferable skills and employability. These characteristics used to be the highly successful focus for polytechnics. Increasingly universities are being judged on those things that polytechnics used to do so well, and as a result the core mission of universities is being eroded. Dr Mark Betteney

Deputy Head, Department of Teacher Education, University of Greenwich, London SE9