Latest news

Campaign targets language teaching decline
A marketing campaign to reverse the crisis of modern foreign languages in universities has been launched at the British Academy with the support of seven embassies, including the Chinese. Closures of university language departments have mounted steadily in the past two years as fewer students opt for pure language degrees.

Heads warn of crisis in schoool exam system
The school exam system is heading for a crisis like that which crippled Railtrack after the Hatfield crash, the Secondary Heads Association has warned. It calls on the government to reduce the number of tests children have to take during their school careers.

Decisive probe into shoppers' brains successful
The part of the brain that becomes active as people make a final choice for one brand over another has been pinpointed, scientists from the Open University and London Business School announced today. Using a revolutionary method of imaging the brain, they found the right parietal cortex becomes active as the shopper reaches to the supermarket shelf to make their final choice.

Southampton fans' top score for perfect pitch
Southampton football club may be adrift in the Premiership but their supporters come top of the league for their singing, according to research by David Howard, from the University of York. He studied recordings of crowd singing at every Premiership club.