Latest UK news

New universities top the drop-out league
New universities dominate the top ten institutions with the highest student drop-out rates, according to the latest performance indicators released by the Higher Education Funding Council for England today. The figures for 1998/99 and 1999/2000 show the University of North London with a projected level of 41 per cent dropping out against a Hefce benchmark of 25 per cent.

Interim chief heads Scots Funding Councils
David Wann, deputy chief executive of the Scottish Funding Councils, will be acting chief executive from January 1 to February 28, following the retirement of John Sizer. The new chief executive, Roger McClure, will take up his post on March 1.

School maths courses will be rewritten
Maths courses in the new school curriculum are to be rewritten to meet the specifications of students, universities and employers. The advanced subsidiary (AS) and A2 level maths courses, introduced as part of the Curriculum 2000 changes, are to be rewritten by autumn next year amid concerns over standards. A report by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said that most schools have responded well to the new curriculum.

There will be no THES daily news updates over Christmas and the New Year. We are back on 2 January 2002. Season's Greetings!