EmailIn response to your leader on the University of London and the Warburg Institute (Editorial, 10 August) and the news story (10 August) and letters (11 August) on the same subject, several misleading statements need to be addressed.
The University of London wants to make absolutely clear that we have never recommended that the Warburg Institute’s unique collection be merged with another collection, absorbed elsewhere or relocated. The university is aware that some interest groups are alluding to such actions, as demonstrated by the change.org petition. However, these claims are wholly unfounded. The university has always accepted that there is a legally binding 1944 trust deed, but maintains that it is unclear in what it covers. We have not sought to challenge the deed and we did not seek the current legal procedure.
The university, the Warburg Institute advisory council and the attorney general agreed that the university should undertake the role of claimant. The attorney general indicated that a court hearing was his preferred course of action to resolve the dispute and the university accepts this view.
The Warburg Institute is part of the university’s School of Advanced Study. Under the university’s stewardship, over the past 70 years, the Warburg collection has grown from the original 80,000 volumes to the 350,000 in the collection today. Since taking up the post of dean and chief executive of the school, I have been wholly supportive of the institute’s academic plans and activities, as I am sure the current director, Professor Peter Mack, would agree. I think it would be a courtesy to the court if we all now paused while awaiting the judge’s decision.
Roger Kain
Dean and chief executive, School of Advanced Study, University of London
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