PROFESSOR Charles Desforges, head of Exeter University’s school of education, is to take charge of Britain’s biggest-ever education research programme. He has been appointed director of the Economic and Social Research Council programme that is to inject at least pound;11.5 million into “high-quality” education research projects over the next five years. It is designed to improve teaching and learning for all ages. Further information about the Teaching and Learning Research Programme is available from the ESRC website www.esrc.ac.uk