Keep arts teaching, says funding chief

Opposition to plans to abolish funding for arts and humanities teaching in universities won the support of the man in charge of university funding.

"Am I comfortable living and working in a country that doesn't put some funding into the arts and humanities? The answer is no," Sir Alan Langlands, chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, said.

He spoke of his "huge sympathy" for those who were trying to convince ministers of the importance of both subjects. Speaking at his council's annual meeting about the future finance for universities, he warned: "We can't simply do it by racking up fees."