Update: 12:00

Avearge age of UK academic staff is 42
The answer to life, the universe and everything is also the average age of all academic staff - 42 - according to data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency. The total number of academic staff grew by 3.1 per cent to 139,940 last year. Some 37 per cent were female and 25 per cent of full-time staff worked in medicine, dentistry and health departments.

Unanimous support for St Andrews bill
The Scottish Parliament has passed the first stage of a bill to restore St Andrews University's right to award postgraduate medical degrees. There was unanimous backing for the member's bill brought by local Liberal Democrat backbencher MSP Iain Smith.

Scofield to receive honorary Oxford degree
Veteran actor Paul Scofield is among seven people to be awarded honorary degrees by Oxford University next week. Mr Scofield, 80, won an Oscar for his portrayal of Sir Thomas More in the film A Man for All Seasons in 1966.

Natfhe survey reveals ILT membership levels
A staff survey by lecturers' union Natfhe reveals that 23 per cent of members have joined the Institute for Learning and Teaching and a further 21 per cent are in the process of applying for membership. The ILT claims a membership of 11,000 with 1,250 more in the pipeline.