World watch

Norway awarded a record number of doctorates in 1998 - 685, compared with 625 in 1997. Mathematics and natural sciences accounted for 29 per cent of theses in 1998. The proportion awarded to women rose from 17 per cent in 1990 to 32 per cent last year - ranging from nearly a fifth of doctorates in technology to half of those in the arts. Average age at the time of thesis presentation was 37, with the arts highest (43) and technology lowest (33).