If Cambridge's new Commonwealth Education Centre was meant to be a glowing example of international collaboration, then things aren't looking good. The Commonwealth Institute, which is funding the centre by redeveloping its 1960s building on Kensington High Street, in London, hoped that director Christopher Colclough would launch the centre at the start of the 2004 academic year. But problems with listed-building consent forced it back to the drawing board, and Professor Colclough is to remain at Sussex University until next year. Is this the sort of best practice we're supposed to be sharing?