The new tartan army
Move over, Braveheart . Graduates of St Andrews' University Management School are being encouraged to seek inspiration from the ancient Scottish clans as they take up leadership roles in industry - with their very own tartan.
The Management School this week revealed that it had designed an exclusive tartan that "symbolises the core skills we seek to develop in our students as future leaders, namely communication, persuasion, and courage". David Wishart, an honorary research fellow, was charged with its design. The resulting blue, red, yellow, black and white melange has been registered with the International Tartan Index of the Scottish Tartans Authority.
Most graduates have to make do with an old boys' tie or a scarf.
A prop for randy panda
Zoos have enough of a task on their hands getting giant pandas to mate, but when one panda only has three legs the task is infinitely more difficult.
Poor Nui Nui, who lives in Beijing Zoo, lost a limb in a scrap with three other pandas and since then has been unable to grasp bamboo or steady herself to mate.
But fear not for our furry friend: researchers at Salford University are working on an artificial limb that will enable her to get her leg over, so to speak.
Red cards all round
The price of a wild night out has, it seems, been a heavy one for members of Reading University's football team. After a series of apparent misdemeanours by some members the whole team will be punished as follows, according to the university: "The football club will compensate the people of Reading by raising money for the Reading mayor's charities, Healthy Lifestyles and Sport for Young and Old, and Reading Initiative for Tsunami Action. The students' union has suspended the football club travel fund and will take individual disciplinary action against those involved. Club members will be compelled to attend an NHS lecture on the dangers of heavy drinking. Football fixtures ... have been cancelled, meaning all teams will lose points in their league."
The high-spirited footballers were summoned before Gordon Marshall, the vice-chancellor, who told them: "You are a disgrace to Reading University, and you should be ashamed of yourselves."