Leading article: What's vital?

Charles Clarke has been forced to act quickly to protect courses vital to the nation such as chemistry and Middle Eastern studies.

Charles Clarke has been forced to act quickly to protect courses vital to the nation such as chemistry and Middle Eastern studies. The Education secretary has rushed out a letter to the Higher Education Funding Council (Hefce) asking whether action is needed to protectscience, technology, engineering and maths as well as vocationally oriented courses in the cultural and creative industries. Does this include film studies? Surely Hefce needs to think hard about what needs to be saved and where. We would argue that it was not vital for the nation to keep chemistry at Exeter University.