UK may aid Mars mission
A tentative agreement being hammered out by the United States, European and Italian space agencies could give Europe a key role in a mission to bring Martian soil to earth. But it also means British-...
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Action over late doctor call-out
The vice-chancellor, student union and parents of a student who caught meningitis at Swansea University have all complained to the local health authority about a 12-hour delay in treatment. In an...
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Wand to aid blind
A "musical" wand to help blind people cross the road is being developed by scientists at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. John Cronly-Dillon, professor in the...
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Down's spectacles alert sounded
SPECTACLES make no difference to long-sighted children with Down's syndrome and can make those with short sight worse off at near distances, recent research has shown. About 96 per cent of children...
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Plan splits Greeks
Should Greece develop private universities? The issue is splitting Greek public opinion, and the politicians, down the middle. Ministers have contradicted each other and MPs clashed during a...
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Moscow defends overhaul
Russian academics' fears that the university system will be weakened by a government drive to restructure it have been dismissed by officials in Moscow. Moves to streamline Russia's hotch-potch of...
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Merger mooted for hack school
France's leading journalism school, the Paris-based Centre de formation et perfectionnement des journalistes (CFPJ), is likely to seek a merger with a rival in the northern city of Lille after its...
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Mafia probe rector wins poll
Diego Cuzzocrea, rector of Messina University in Sicily, has been re-elected following a first term marked by heightened anxieties over corruption investigations, intimidations, assaults and the...
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Protests back eternal students
Students at Bern University in Switzerland staged protests last week against planned hikes in university fees for "eternal students" who take many years to obtain a degree, writes Paul Bompard. About...
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Martial arts in retreat
Russia is to reduce the number of military colleges this year - from 101 to 60 - and competition for places in those that remain is immense. The paradox is that the prestige of the army continues to...
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Campuses get tough on drink
Late-night rioting has erupted at a succession of United States universities this month. But the protests were not over free speech or US imperialism, but bans on alcohol. The worst came at Michigan...
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Universities fight contracts ban
Australian universities have been banned from employing staff on limited-term contracts except in special circumstances. The Australian Industrial Relations Commission has ruled that academics and...
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The megaplans of Microsoft
Created under Tony Benn's Ministry of Technology by a merger of Britain's best and biggest computer companies. Star of the 1980s Alvey programme of joint industrial and academic research. Latterly a...
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How to get money for value
The government's comprehensive spending review is at the point where leaking and spinning reach a crescendo. This year the noise is loud because the review is so important. The CSR is strategic as...
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Part-timers are due full consideration
A recent report concluded that students on masters courses get a raw deal. They pay high fees, have to share lectures and seminars with undergraduates; have little supervision for their research; and...