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Mike Fitzgerald says that some universities would be better off moving "to a European semester system" unhampered by Christian festivals (THES, April 7).

This is timely as the theme of the May national conference of the Staff and Educational Development Association, is "Modularity and Semesters". There are educational (not to mention politically correct) reasons for moving to a secular calendar. If all European universities followed suit, students would find it easier, for example, to spend a semester abroad, and may be higher education institutions could offer credits acceptable as "legal tender" known as EEEQUs - Equivalent European Educational Qualifications.

Rakesh Bhanot

Centre for Education Development

University of Luton