Jisc and US science partner sign £6m deal
A £6 million deal to develop online learning and teaching has been signed by the Joint Information Systems Committee and the US National Science Foundation. The five-year programme consists of four projects, pooling the resources and expertise of five British and six American universities. The projects are: the spoken word; teaching and learning anthropology; digital libraries in support of innovative approaches to teaching and learning in geography; and accelerating globally distributed team innovation.
Ulster to spearhead fibromyalgia research
Ulster University is spearheading one of the largest ever studies into the treatment of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome that affects millions of women worldwide. The study, involving the Royal Hospitals Trust, University College Dublin and the Mayo Clinic in the United States, will investigate the effectiveness of pool-based exercises coupled with educating patients in pain management and relaxation.
Aberdeen helps asthma sufferers catch their breath
Asthma experts at Aberdeen University have found that sufferers can control their condition much better using breath-actuated inhalers rather than the more traditional "press-and-breathe" devices. The study investigated the records of almost a million patients.
University of South Florida sacks Sami Al-Arian
The University of South Florida yesterday sacked Sami Al-Arian, the computer science professor indicted last week for allegedly masterminding the finances of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. President Judy Genshaft said he had repeatedly abused his position at the university and used it for "improper, non-educational purposes".
US authorities indict Jordanian mathematician
Osameh Al Wahaidy, a Jordanian maths professor at the State University of New York at Oswego, has been indicted for his part in an alleged scheme to send $4 million (£2.51 million) to Iraq through an illegal charity scam.