First day at school for Woodhead
Chris Woodhead, the former chief inspector of schools, today joined the University of Buckingham as a research professor. He is joining Dennis O’Keeffe to create a school of education to study the extension of independence in education and teacher training.
Memorial conference for Selby victim
An international conference takes place today at the academic home of a university professor who died in the Selby rail crash exactly a year ago. The Steve Baldwin memorial conference is being held at the University of Teesside to discuss how children are categorised as suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Professor Baldwin had been working towards helping children to withdraw safely from the psychiatric stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD.
Israel motion fails at Manchester
A motion put to students at Manchester University last night condemning Israel’s “apartheid” regime and boycotting Israeli goods and businesses failed to get the required two-thirds majority. Union general secretary Andrew Perfect described the debate as tense but orderly. Although more than half the student voters supported the motion - which opponents feared would create a climate of fear among Jewish students - a two-thirds majority was needed to amend the union’s constitution.
Foundation degree take-up 'trebles'
More than 4,200 people have started foundation degrees since their launch last autumn, higher education minister Margaret Hodge announced yesterday. Recruitment was slow initially, with 1,300 students registering to begin their studies last autumn. Since then, numbers have more than trebled.
Scotland spearheads £1.4m cancer study
An Edinburgh University team is leading a £1.4 million study into the causes of bowel cancer, the second biggest cancer killer in the United Kingdom. The researchers will work with more than 160 surgeons and ward nurses across Scotland.
Summit security forces Spanish shutdown
Barcelona’s two biggest universities will shut when the European Council meets in the city later this month. A security cordon will seal off Barcelona University and the Technical University of Catalonia as 28 heads of state, 5,000 politicians and officials, 3,000 journalists and an unspecified number of demonstrators gather for the summit.