Higher Education
The University of Gloucestershire: Green dream at a price you can afford
Published: 01 February 2007
Malcolm McVicar: Universities safeguard foundation degrees
Published: 01 February 2007
With the Further Education and Training Bill receiving its third reading in the House of Lords this week, the Government has raised the prospect of further education colleges being allowed to award their own foundation degrees.
Leading article: Green shoots
Published: 01 February 2007
The case of the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham is instructive (see page 10). It became a university just over five years after growing like mad and building new halls of residence and campuses to keep students happy. Patricia Broadfoot, the new vice-chancellor, now has the job of fashioning an image and strategy for the place out of a collection of disparate subjects and campuses. Her decision to expand offerings for adult learners, postgraduates and overseas students makes sense. If she can also turn the university into the greenest in the UK, she will give it an identity that will distinguish it from others.
Leading article: Chemistry lesson
Published: 25 January 2007
The position of chemistry in our universities has been turned round remarkably swiftly.
Susan Bassnett: Anger and outrage at the corporate model
Published: 25 January 2007
As 2006 drew to a close, so too did the reforming aspirations of the Oxford vice-chancellor when a large majority of his opponents voted down his plans for major governance reforms.
Against The Grain: '"Zionist" has now become an insult, an epithet for evil'
Published: 25 January 2007
David Hirsh is lecturer in sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London. He argues that anti-Semitic ways of thinking are becoming acceptable in Academe and public life, and that this encourages rising levels of violence on the street
Chemistry returns to its element in universities
Published: 25 January 2007
Leading article: A lesser degree
Published: 18 January 2007
The news that an amazing 60 per cent of graduates are now getting first or upper second class degrees shows that grade inflation has reached new heights and that degree classifications need to be pensioned off.
How Greenwich University is helping to rebuild the Cutty Sark
Published: 18 January 2007
The Greenwich skyline is not the same without them. Across the river, Canary Wharf looks a little lost without the visual anchor of the Cutty Sark's 100ft masts, a reminder of where all that wealth came from. But now modern industry is repaying the favour. The masts have gone as part of a £25m conservation project involving Greenwich University that is using the computer modelling of hi-tech industry to serve Britain's heritage.
Leading article: Learning to move with the times
Published: 11 January 2007
Universities, particularly the pre-1992 institutions, have traditionally given little thought to pedagogy in higher education.
Howard Davies: Why a question mark still hangs over the RAE
Published: 11 January 2007
The Government seems to keep running into problems with peers. First, it has found it impossible to agree on a reform package for the Upper House. One forgets how many committees have now tried, and failed, to dream up a solution. Famously, seven different sets of proposals were presented successively to the Commons - all rejected.
Universities: The learning mould is smashed
Published: 11 January 2007
Leading article: Model university
Published: 14 December 2006
The £2,000 scholarships being offered by Oxford Brookes University to all students with three A grades at A-level is a sign of that institution's strength in the marketplace.
Wrongful convictions: the students battling to help inmates
Published: 14 December 2006
Iraq's universities are in meltdown
Published: 07 December 2006
Leading article: Iraq's scholars - we can help
Published: 07 December 2006
All credit to the Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (Cara) for taking action to support Iraqi students and scholars.
Postgraduate Lives: John Collings, University of East London student
Published: 07 December 2006
Open Eye: A united front to bridge the skills gap
Published: 05 December 2006
Open Eye: This year, give the gift of learning
Published: 05 December 2006
Open View: The Government must make part-time students a priority in its funding review
Published: 05 December 2006
In an increasingly sophisticated technological society the UK urgently needs to upgrade the skills profile of a very large proportion of its citizens; it has already shed most of its manufacturing jobs to low-cost economies and delivers more in the way of services. Part-time higher education provision has never been more critical in meeting the needs of Government and employers for a highly skilled workforce; soon there will be more part-time students in the UK than full-time and more students in the post 24-year-old age group than aged 18-24. And yet "part-time higher education provision is on a knife edge and requires immediate attention". So said Nigel Brown at a recent Universities UK (UUK) Conference when presenting the results of his survey into the issues faced by part-time providers.
Leading article: Money, please
Published: 30 November 2006
This week's report from Universities UK showing how well universities are doing in developing "business-focused" degrees is a shameless attempt to curry favour with the Treasury in advance of the comprehensive spending review.
Why British students are opting for American universities
Published: 30 November 2006
Dr Paul Irwing: 'There are twice as many men as women with an IQ of 120-plus'
Published: 30 November 2006
Dr Paul Irwing is a senior lecturer in organisational psychology at Manchester University. He claims that men are more intelligent than women.
Performing arts courses: All the world's a stage, so why not do drama?
Published: 23 November 2006
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