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The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council is guarding against planning blight resulting from the Dearing inquiry into higher education by trawling for ideas on how institutions can work together in the long term.

SHEFC fears that institutions may avoid long-term planning until Dearing has reported, and wants to encourage them to think beyond managing for short-term survival, and instead come up with proposals for how the sector should develop.

SHEFC last week held a seminar for 60 university representatives to debate how best to preserve academic vitality against the backdrop of a continuing squeeze on resources and static student numbers.

It will this year provide Pounds 7 million for "strategic change", rising to Pounds 10 million in future years, funding which could support institutional mergers, staff relocation, retraining or early retirement, and regional or sectoral reviews of particular subjects.