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You report that extra money is to be invested in institutions to enable them to improve access arrangements for those in the state school sector ("Hike cash to attract poor", THES, February 19).

Can we now hope to see the same logic applied to the research income stream, leading to a rethink of the research assessment exercise? Rewarding the 1s, 2s, and 3s at the expense of the 5*s would even up the playing field in another key area of activity - but this time largely favouring the post-92 sector - so perhaps this is unlikely after all.

David Watkins
Postgraduate Research Centre
Southampton Business School.