University funding chiefs have called on governors at London Metropolitan University to ¡°consider their position¡± after a review said they must take overall responsibility for the fact that the institution overclaimed millions of pounds in public funding.

In a letter sent to the university¡¯s chairman of governors on Friday, the Higher Education Funding Council for England asked members of the governing body and senior staff to rethink their positions in light of the review¡¯s findings.

As Times Higher Education revealed on Friday, the review by Sir David Melville, the former vice-chancellor of the University of Kent, concluded that the university¡¯s board of governors and audit committee were accountable for the financial failure even though they had not been kept fully informed of the scale of the problems.

As a result of submitting inaccurate data about student dropouts to the funding council, the university has been forced to hand back ?36.5 million overpaid to it by Hefce between 2005-06 and 2007-08.

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London Met¡¯s recurrent grant has also been reduced by ?15 million, leaving it facing financial difficulties and putting hundreds of jobs at risk.

Sir David¡¯s report said that Brian Roper, the former vice-chancellor of London Met, presided over a dictatorial management regime and must take ¡°the major responsibility and culpability¡± for the catastrophe.

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In a statement last week, London Met said Sir David¡¯s report is coupled with an independent review carried out by Deloitte into the circumstances of Hefce¡¯s clawback of funds.

The reports were presented to the board of governors on 18 November and are due to be published this week.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com