Search

The article focuses on issues related to the forthcoming paper by British independent researcher Christopher Bearman, which compares modern Islamic terrorists to the militant suffragette movement that secured British women the vote. Bearman argues that terrorists claim to be acting defensively in response to wrongs done to them.

The article reports on the negative effect of the industrial laws on Australian university administrators according to academic legal experts. Andrew Stewart, professor of law at the Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, said that the legislation would complicate college administration. There are concerns on the capability of the government to change salary and conditions agreement universities negotiated with staff. Information on the contents of the warning paper is included.

Criticizes Anthony Glees and Chris Pope's paper on the role of universities in promoting extremism in Great Britain. Commentary on their propositions that extremist groups are active and recruiting on campus and that higher education authorities are doing nothing about it; Weakness of their arguments; Claim that the authors' proposals undermine the work of the universities and are counterproductive since they destroy trust and the cultural values that are to be defended.

Reports on the surge of complaints about erroneous exam papers, inadequate facilities and cancelled classes at colleges and universities in Great Britain. Figures representing the rise of school complaints and charges; Concerns regarding tuition fee increase; Implications for the education system in the country.

Provides tips for writing articles, books and reading papers for graduate and undergraduate students. Aspects of teaching scientific and technical communication skills to students; Importance of the analysis of intended audience and its objects in writing; Writing styles.

Reports on scientists at Southampton University in England's presentation of a paper about the impact of the increasing levels of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide on the space, at the Fourth European Conference on Space Debris. Accumulation of debris around the Earth; Comments of Hugh Lewis, the lecturer in aerospace engineering at Southampton, on the impact of pollution on the atmosphere; Decrease in the density of the highest part of the atmosphere, known as the thermosphere.

Reports on Leeds University in England's confirmation that it had disciplined Neil Winn, a senior lecturer in European studies, for plagiarizing from a journal article his 1996 monograph "European Crisis Management in the 1980s". Overview on cases of academic plagiarism in the United States; Harvard undergraduate Tod Fine's discovery of Winn's plagiarism of a 1992 journal paper by Steve Livingston; Comments of Livingston on the university's refusal to dismiss Winn.

Reports on the reform of the A-level examinations of universities in Great Britain. Publication of a White Paper by the Education Secretary Charles Clarke; Proposal of the former chief inspector of schools, Mike Tomlinson, on the examinations and vocational qualifications; Accusations against the Government of sending confused messages about the proposal.

Provides tips for aspiring keynote speakers in Great Britain. Need to be aware for conference opportunities; Importance of following submission guidelines when responding to calls for papers; Necessity of presentation and communication skills.

Reports on the call for the availability of published research papers of colleges free of charge in Great Britain. Inquiry into the state of scientific publishing; Cost of subscriptions to academic journals; Establishment of digital repositories by higher education institutions.

Reports on the plan of Anthony Heacock to sell his essay-plagiarism website, a website that allows students to download essays and papers for a fee. Suitability of the downloadable works for background reading and direct copying; Story on how he got the idea for the website.

Reports on the increase in the number of drugs such as chemotherapy agents and anti-epileptics found in wildlife areas and the environment. Long-term effects of biologically active compounds on plants and animals; Number of papers addressing the issue in the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry annual meeting; Development of analytical techniques to test wastewater and surface water for traces of drugs.

According to a European Commission (EC) report on the continuing transatlantic brain-drain reveals that U.S. universities and research jobs are attracting growing numbers of European Union researchers. The EC paper voiced concern that 75 percent of European Union countries-born U.S. doctorate recipients have no specific plans to return to the European Union (EU), and more and more are choosing to stay in the U.S. The most important reason keeping EU-born scientists and engineers abroad has been quality of work. Better prospects and projects and easier access to leading technologies were most often cited as reasons behind plans to work abroad.

Discusses the risk Scotland is facing of losing research teams and overseas students if English universities end up with proportionally better funding after the white paper proposals. Evidence given by Cubie to the Scottish Parliament's enterprise and culture committee which is investigating the potential impact of English top-up fees on Scotland; Criticism of the Scottish Executive's decision to set a specific earnings threshold for graduate-endowment contributions.

Presents the comments on the white paper for higher education from British ministers and MPs. Issue on the merit of increasing the concentration of research funding in the best research institutions; Call to rebalance funding to support teaching; Claim that the government has sought to play down the connection between good teaching and high-quality research.

Reports that the funding allotted by British government for further education comes with conditions. Proposals included in the skills white paper published in July 2003 such as free tuition for adults who left school without basic qualifications, an adult learning grant for priority groups in full-time further education and an expansion of the modern apprenticeship scheme.

Presents views of British higher education minister Margaret Hodge on the British government's higher education review paper. Proposal to enhance the status of higher education; Plans to improve financial position of universities; Concern for the financial problems of poor Nottingham students.

Reports that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has held a secret meeting to introduce top-up fees at universities. Labour Party members' opposition to the measure; Concerns that higher tuition fees will discourage college graduates from taking public sector jobs; Insights from a paper published by Education Secretary Charles Clarke.

Reports the on the 'matriculation diploma' proposal outlined in the government's 14-19 green paper. Three levels of matriculation award; Parity of esteem between vocational and academic qualifications; Introduction of matriculation diploma that recognizes achievement at 19 across a range of discipline.

Reports that British college students are disinterested in initiatives such as modern apprenticeships and foundation degrees despite government rhetoric. Findings contained in a funding council briefing paper, 'Supply and Demand in Higher Education' that student demand has failed to match government targets; Social and economic circumstances affecting influencing participation in higher education.

Outlines the content of the British white paper `Excellence and Opportunity' on science and innovation. Enhancing the science base; Innovation and knowledge transfer; Public confidence in science.

Summarizes the main points of British government's white paper on science and innovation, `Excellence and Opportunity.' Design of a fellowship scheme to tempt back scientists who have left Great Britain; Call from f industry secretary Stephen Byers to help make Great Britain the best country in science; Funding sources for the program.

Focuses on the condition of disability studies. Papers and movies on disability; Physical access issues; Medicalization of disability; Conditions connected with the term disability.

Focuses on the technology and television industry as of December 19, 1999. Use of resources by the American Cryptoacademic Harry Potter; Division in the Modern Language Association; Information on a paper on the death of Princess Diana of Wales.

Discusses how learned and professional societies in Great Britain fight against threats from advances in technology, declining journal circulations, extra demands from government and constant preoccupations with cash. Remarks from Jerry Cowhig, managing director of the Institute of Physics Publishing; Comparison of electronic publishing from paper publishing; Details on the Society for Endocrinology. INSETS: Political Studies Association;Biochemical Society.

Announces the decision of Save British Science (SBS) to start a policy review to assess its effectiveness in salvaging science initiatives from years of neglect and underfunding. Amount of investments allocated for SBS by the chancellor of the exchequer; Plan of issuing consultation papers to SBS supporters.

Discusses political studies in the United States (US) and Great Britain. Status of political research in the US; Information on politics as a degree subject; Details on a paper on the future of political studies in Great Britain; Need for diversity in political studies. INSET: The Latest Research From This Year's Political Studies Conferenc.

Replies to Professor Iain McLean's article in the January 17, 1997 issue of `The Times Higher Education Supplement,' about the role of Ron Dearing in the 1966 Aberfan disaster in Great Britain. Papers released by the Public Record Office; Dearing's alleged protection of the National Coal Board.

Reports that the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) is considering limited protection for departments which are unique in Scotland or whose subject is considered vital. Consultation paper on how SHEFC's funding methods could reflect the priorities determined by the Government's Technology Foresight Programme; Value of investment of the funding council each year.

Presents two sides of the debate concerning the economics and sociology of research in late 20th century. Impact of computer networks on academic publishing; Subscriptions to paper and electronic documents; Essence and purpose of academic communication.

Examines the durability of the journal `Nature' and its editor John Maddox. Maddox's formula for the journal; Comparison between the role of the journal in the 1870s and in the 1990s; Features; Treatment of authors by the journal's editors; Selection of papers for the journal; Maddox's career development; Reputation of the journal; Expansion plan for the journal.

Focuses on projects engaged in the dissemination of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's unpublished papers. Accounts by trustee Anthony Kenny; Efforts by scientist-turned-editor Michael Nedo to transcribe and print Wittgenstein's works; Cornell project of 1967; Tubingen project of 1975; Norwegian Wittgenstein project; Claus Huitfeldt's establishment of the Wittgenstein Archive at the University of Bergen.

Cites the crucial nature of the routing and linkage functions of roads in Great Britain for healthy urban environments excellently demonstrated by the work of Bill Hillier. Paper-based techniques; Use of modelling techniques in school of architecture's visual simulation laboratory; Development of a CAD aid; Collaborative links with European institutions; Use of housing "tissues" in teaching and practice; Layout tissue.

Reports on the increase of research journals being published in Great Britain, focusing on the use of citation records to establish which journals are the most prestigious. Why the use of citation records worry some academics; Information on the culture of citing references; Number of references a biological paper will typically have. INSET: A player, an umpire and a manager describe their roles in the....

Reports that Sir Ron Dearing's education committee of inquiry is split on plans to charge students a quarter of the cost of their higher education and the funding of research. Adoption of a funding formula used in further education; British government's plans for a Lifelong Learning white paper in autumn 1997; Expectations that the committee will recommend a four-tier student support system.

The author argues in favor of fostering the role of British higher education in the creative industries. He claims that the most innovative part of the economy has been left out of the core research and innovation agenda. He explains the responsibility of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The author also comments on the Green Paper "Staying Ahead: The Economic Performance of the UK's Creative Industries."

The article focuses on the use of metrics, the measurements of indicators such as the number of times a published research has been cited, in judging the quality of an academic work. It cites that Newcastle University Business School senior lecturer Richard Hull found that the Web of Science online academic database wrongly assured him that the paper he was looking for was cited in articles from nine different journals. Errors are claimed to arise from the way a citation had been written.

The article comments that the British Academy is right to assert that academic work for science cannot be evaluated by measuring papers and citations. It stresses that research and peer reviews will gain in popularity and esteem once these activities led to promotions and salary increases. It states the importance of peer review to arts and social science researchers. The author cites that peer review for arts and social sciences research may likely be international.

The article reports that staff at King's College London in England have been ordered by their principal, Rick Trainor, to credit the institution in research papers. Trainor urged staff to use citation properly in order to position the school in the league tables as decision on research fund allocation is based on bibliometic measures. Jonathan Adams of Evidence explained the impact of problems in matching author addresses to institutions on the development of metrics by the Higher Education Funding Council.

The author focuses on the Ingelfinger rule in publishing results of scientific research. The principle of the rule came from editor of "The New England Journal of Medicine" Franz Ingelfinger who declared that he would carry only papers that had been neither published nor submitted elsewhere. The advantages of the rule according to its supporters as well as its disadvantages are presented. He cites the belief of publishers that media coverage increases the demand for their products and boost their income.

The author reflects on the assessment of scientists in Great Britain. He states that scientists are assessed according to the impact factors of journals that they publish in. He asserts that impact factors are distorted by positive feedback. He cites the effects of the H index, a measure that counts the scientists' papers and the citations they receive.

The author reflects on her dependence on a paper diary. She states that it is probably only inertia that stops her switching to an electronic diary. She asserts that the distress she has experienced during the research period is one good reason for overcoming inertia. According to the author, children and work do not really mix, and it is unfair to all concerned to pretend otherwise.

The author reflects on two 1991 documents regarding the White Paper on Higher Education in Great Britain. She mentions the arguments raised by former Member of Parliament (MP) and minister Enoch Powell, one of the authors of a document, against the merger of polytechnics and universities. Another document author, Ralf Dahrendorf, opposed the expansion of higher education. She cites that the idea that home students should pay fees never entered the documents.

The author stresses the need for professors to use the Internet and e-mails to reduce their paperworks in Great Britain. She notes that academics and students alike fail to read advice and notices posted on their schools' website. She urges academics to transfer their paperworks such as student handbooks and module specifications into the Web to save paper. She believes that student do not want to be burdened with endless instructions, guidelines and others.

This section offers news briefs related to higher education. The AllMediaScotland Web site is advertising Glasgow Metropolitan University's lectureship in photography and digital imagery. Dundee University in Tayside, Scotland offers a Web site featuring communication and entertainment media of the 20th century. Coventry University blamed operational problems for posting an online module test similar to a practice paper that had been posted on its Web site.

The article provides information on universities in Great Britain that have imposed green policies to improve their environmental credentials. Anglia Ruskin University in England has started distributing personalized prospectus for each student to cut paper use and postage cost. The combined heat and power system of Southampton University reduces its carbon emissions by more than 2,000 metric tons a year. Oxford Brookes University's electricity comes from hydropower.

Guidelines are presented in response to the possibility of bias in the assessment of coursework in Great Britain. It is stated that all indications of approval in coursework seminars and all signs of disapproval should be randomly distributed around the group. Academics are advised not to give special attention to students who hand their work on time. All coursework papers must be identified solely by number to avoid bias.

The article covers issues on British higher education as of May 2007. It cites the implications of pseudonyms chosen by contributors to the website www.bulliedacademics.blogspot.com. The Economics Department and the University of York issued a statement in response to error complaints in a microeconomics test paper. Cambridge University in England launched a master of philosophy (MPhil) course in screen and media cultures with a visit from actor and alumna Tilda Swinton.

The article reports on the poor control over the marking practices of academic examiners by British universities and colleges according to the Quality Assurance Agency. A briefing paper has concluded that universities and colleges have poor control over the marking practices of examiners. It also revealed that there are inconsistencies in the assessment and classification of degree classes among universities. The reasons behind the inconsistencies in degree classification are mentioned.

The article focuses on a consultation paper that aims to ensure that governing bodies take charge in operating institutions released by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). A single conversation scheme is being piloted by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. SFC chief executive Roger McClure noted that the consultation focuses on the quality of data rather than on quantity. McClure believes that such practice could lead to the continual improvement of decision making.