Latest UK news

Randall quits as QAA chief
John Randall, chief executive of the Quality Assurance Agency, has announced his resignation. He was known to be furious that he had been bounced by ministers and influential vice-chancellors into scaling back substantially the quality assurance regime he had been developing since the QAA was set up in 1997. Mr Randall said he was unhappy with the current consultation paper on a revised audit-based regime. He will relinquish his responsibilities from August 31.

Anthrax scare at St Andrews
Police are testing a package purporting to contain deadly anthrax bacteria that was sent to St Andrews University. Fife Constabulary believe the institution was targeted because of the imminent arrival of Prince William. Test results are expected today.

Bioinformatics boosted by EPSRC chairs
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has announced four new chairs in bioinformatics as part of a £3.4 million drive to improve connections between genomics and computer science. The professors will be David Jones at University College London, Stephen Muggleton at Imperial College London and Andy Brass at Manchester University. Jotun Hein is moving from Denmark to take up his chair at Oxford University.

Connexions service expands
The Connexions youth guidance service for 14 to 19-year-olds is to be expanded, Ivan Lewis, minister for young people and learning, announced today. From September, the scheme - which offers advice on education, training, employment, health and youth justice - will run in 15 areas including Humberside, Greater Merseyside and Suffolk.