Latest news

Sally Hunt beats John Duffy to head AUT
Sally Hunt has won the election to become general secretary of the Association of University Teachers. She immediately warned the government that it cannot widen participation or deliver world-class research on the cheap. Ms Hunt, aged 37, who was the AUT executive committee's official candidate, received 52 per cent of the final poll, compared to 45 per cent for John Duffy of Birmingham University.

Serotonin may inhibit cancer treatment
Antidepressant tablets may inhibit the body's natural treatment of certain types of cancer, scientists said today. Serotonin, a chemical produced in the body, could be the key to treating lymphoma cancer, said John Gordon, a Medical Research Council professor at Birmingham University. His research has been published in the US journal Blood .

Alexander pledges Careers Scotland £5m
Wendy Alexander, Scotland's enterprise and lifelong learning minister, has pledged an extra £5 million to Scotland's new all-age careers guidance service. Careers Scotland, which is leading the United Kingdom, streamlines help previously available through a patchwork of more than 80 organisations. Its website will be available from April 1 at www.careers-scotland.org .

Princeton professor awarded water prize
Ignacio Rodríguez-Iturbe, professor of environmental studies at Princeton University has been awarded the 2002 Stockholm Water Prize, worth £150,000, given annually by the Stockholm Water Foundation to mark contributions to the preservation, enhancement, and availability of the world's water resources.

Wisconsin lifts two-week freshman freeze
The University of Wisconsin has lifted a freeze on freshman admissions imposed two weeks ago because of fears over state budget cuts. The university says it can admit 5,500 extra students while coping with $50 million in cuts expected to be approved by the state.