Commentary on Sections Funding of higher education Section 91: Financial support under sections 88 and 89: supplementary
290.This section places the Commission under a duty, in the exercise of its higher education funding functions, to have regard to the desirability of not doing anything which would discourage providers from seeking or maintaining funding from other sources (for example from industry, commerce, benefactors, alumni, or other funding sources).
291.The Commission is also required, in exercising its higher education funding functions, to have regard to the desirability of maintaining any distinctive characteristics of any provider to which it provides financial support. It is a matter for the Commission to determine what it considers to be an appropriate balance of support in light of any other relevant considerations. Such characteristics may include, for example, the religious character of a provider or the specialist nature of its provision.