Last updated 14/11/2006
SCHOOLS
NUT attacks science pay plan
Daily Telegraph - 06/11/2006
Proposals by peers to pay science teachers more than those in other subjects were criticised yesterday by the National Union of Teachers. In a report, the Lords Science and Technology Committee urged "significantly higher" salaries for physics and chemistry teachers to tackle the shortage of bright graduates entering the field.
School admission rules criticised
BBC News - 02/11/2006
The Government has upheld complaints against five Roman Catholic schools over their admissions criteria. The schools' admissions rules were found to "fetter the freedom of parents", according to the annual report of the Schools Adjudicator.
'Seven in 10' bullied at school
BBC News - 06/11/2006
Seven out of 10 children have been bullied at school, a survey of thousands of pupils, parents and teachers suggests.
FURTHER EDUCATION
Give colleges degree-awarding powers, university chief urges
The Guardian - 02/11/2006
Further education colleges should be given the power to award their own vocational degrees and universities need to adapt to the emergence of new specialised diplomas, a university chief will tell a conference today.
Government responds to Select Committee report on Further Education
DfES - 07/11/2006
The Government today responded in full to the Select Committee report on Further Education. Bill Rammell, Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, welcomed the Committee’s report and strongly agreed with its conclusions about the value and importance of further education to skills development, to the UK economy and to society in general.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Animal rights group creates hit list of universities
Evening Standard - 10/11/2006
Animal rights activists are using freedom of information laws to draw up a “hit list” of universities that conduct research on monkeys. Letters sent to six universities requesting details of experiments involving primates have sparked panic among researchers.
Conference hears of need to preserve specialist colleges
The Guardian - 07/11/2006
Specialised colleges and universities risk being swallowed up by larger institutions if Government funding does not recognise their strengths, a conference was told today.
Easygoing campuses a magnet for stalkers
THES - 03/11/2006
The relaxed relationships between academics and their students have made university campuses a natural haven for stalkers, it was claimed this week.
Facebook face off
The Guardian - 07/11/2006
In the old days it was graffiti on the white board. But due to the rise of networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook, university tutors are finding themselves the subject of high-tech harassment.
Islamists infiltrate four universities
Sunday Times - 12/11/2006
Islamic extremists have infiltrated at least four British universities to radicalise Muslim students, says a “troubleshooting” imam who sends teams to campuses to tackle indoctrination.
Leading scientist faces censure
THES - 10/11/2006
An internationally renowned UK academic is to be called before a disciplinary panel to answer allegations of "scientific malpractice" over research findings published in one of the world's leading science journals.
Lecturers 'made ill by workload'
BBC News - 02/11/2006
Nearly half of lecturers have been ill because of their job, a poll suggests. About 1,000 lecturers were asked about different aspects of their work in a YouGov poll commissioned by the University and College Union (UCU).
OU staff criticise 'unfair' age rules
THES - 10/11/2006
The Open University, which enjoys an unparalleled reputation as the institution of choice for the older learner, this week found itself accused of age discrimination against staff.
Oxford dons to vote on finances
BBC News - 13/11/2006
Academics at Oxford University are poised to vote on reforms which would hand financial control to outsiders. Vice-chancellor John Hood wants to change the 900-year-old tradition of its self-governing council and bring in external members to oversee finances.
Queen's to join UK 'ivy league'
BBC News - 07/11/2006
Queen's University Belfast has been invited to join the "ivy league" of UK universities. The university has been accepted for membership of the elite Russell Group. It will join 19 research-intensive universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Edinburgh and University College London.
Race victor: my work 'nightmare'
THES - 10/11/2006
Tribunal rules in favour of former university employee who was 'frozen out' of her team and whose cries for help were 'largely ignored'.
Students protest as Bristol cuts tuition to two hours a week
Daily Telegraph - 10/11/2006
Students at one of Britain's most sought-after universities are demanding more value for money after their tuition was reduced to two hours a week.
Top-up fees force Britons to study at US universities
Independent - 10/11/2006
One of America's top universities has reported an unprecedented rise in the number of UK students applying for places, prompting fears that young people are becoming increasingly disenchanted with British universities.
Universities failing on race relations, says union
The Guardian - 10/11/2006
Colleges and universities are failing to protect ethnic minority staff from being disadvantaged in the workplace, the University and College Union has warned.
University staff urged to assist bullying survey
The Guardian - 03/11/2006
A Nottingham Trent academic is launching a study to help discover the extend to which university staff are being harassed, attacked and even stalked by disgruntled students.
