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Is it any wonder the Institute for Learning and Teaching is "growing rapidly" ("Ready for take-off", THES , July 13) when a number of heads of departments and vice-chancellors are "advising" staff to join? Why are some managers so intent on staff parting with money on an annual basis? One might hesitate to guess that even though the ILT is a moribund, intellectually vapid and costly body, they believe high membership rates will placate the Quality Assurance Agency while costing their own institutions as little as possible by avoiding the expense of proper staff development courses.

Gillian Howie
University of Liverpool