Dangerous elision of European Liaison

We have read with interest the contribution of Diana Green about "Europe's Quality Wave" (THES, September 13), in which she refers to the quality audit programme of the CRE (Association of European Universities). We would like to point out that the CRE (formerly European Rectors' Conference) is a different organisation to the Liaison Committee of National Rectors' Conferences (LC). While CRE and LC work together, they have different roles and Professor Green has appeared to merge us in her article.

Further, Professor Green expressed doubts about the publication of the audit reports regarding the three universities which have been audited during the pilot phase of the CRE programme (Oporto, Utrecht and Goteborg). We would like to reassure your readers that all reports have, in fact, been published, the last one in May. CRE has also published an Issue Report on the pilot phase of the programme, in which the main issues revealed during the pilot audits are analysed.

Andris Barblan Secretary general Association of European Universities Geneva