An action group is to be set up to promote equal opportunities in higher education.

Three higher education bodies - the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce), the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, and the Standing Conference of Principals - are proposing to establish the group as a full-time office working for equality in the sector throughout the UK.

They have agreed to pay �2.5m between them, to fund the launch and operate the group during its first five years.

In the next few months, consultations will be held with higher education institutions, trade unions and specialist bodies, to agree the group's mission, aims and programme of work.

The move follows recent accusations that universities are breaking equal pay laws by paying women academics up to �8,000 less than men doing the same jobs in the same subjects.

'Real progress'

The university and college lecturers' union Natfhe said earlier this month that women were being discriminated against at all grades and in almost all subject areas.

This was in spite of the fact that university principals set up a commission - the Commission on University Career Opportunity - seven years ago to promote equal opportunities.

A Hefce spokesman said the move to set up the action group had not been prompted by one specific issue, but the recognition of a need to improve equal opportunities across the board.

Sir Brian Fender, chief executive of Hefce, said universities and colleges were already "taking these issues very seriously".

And Diana Warwick, CVCP chief executive, said: "The new action group offers us the best chance to be able to work together with everyone concerned to move forward and make real progress on tackling discrimination in higher education."