Search

Explains that Great Britain Education Secretary Ruth Kelly spoke to vice-chancellors of universities and colleges demanding that they identify and confront extremism among college students on campus. Duty to inform the police of unacceptable behavior or criminal acts; Lecturers' concerns that they may be expected to police academic debates and spy on students.

Reports on findings of a survey of undergraduates in Great Britain, conducted by Opinionpanel. Rating of the university's approach to admissions, the location and campus facilities; Undergraduates' impressions of the university's academic reputation; Quality of the course and teaching; Perception of the university's position in league tables.

Reports that the Liberal Democratic Party have for the first time taken a narrow lead over the Labour Party for the campus vote according to the ICM Research and Opinionpanel Research polls in Great Britain. Percentage of academics who believed that Liberal Democrats had the best higher education policies; Ratio of students who expect a Labour victory on the election; Commitment of the Labour Party to building and renewing public services.

Reports on the influence of tuition fees on the student vote at the next general election in the Great Britain. Determinant of the political preferences of college students; Public debate about the level of educational finances; Concern about job prospects.

Reports that several deserving state school students are missing out on their rightful place at elite universities to less-qualified students in Great Britain, according to a research by educational charity Sutton Trust. Estimated number of students missing opportunity to study in elite schools; A-level grades of top students; Influence of family finances and university distance on top students' decision not to enroll in elite universities.

Reports on the findings of an investigation conducted by British education journal "The Times Higher" regarding the decline in numeracy and literacy of college students manifested by aptitude tests and special courses. Competence in key subject skills; Criticism for modification in curriculum and examination methods; Loss of interest in engineering courses. INSET: ANDREW MOTION, POET LAUREATE: GIVE STUDENTS A BASIC GROUNDING,....

Reports on the efforts to promote British universities to foreign students. Number of foreign students targeted by the initiative; Government's move to relax visa restriction; Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell's views about the initiative; Rammell's reaction to the decline in the proportion of state-school students entering research universities.

Reports that a deal to encourage more collaboration between British and Indian universities was due to be signed by Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh. Deal to include measures to encourage more Indian students to study in Great Britain and more British students to spend time at Indian institutions; Plan to set up a research fund that would finance collaborative projects.

Discusses a research which has revealed wide gender disparities in Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree vivas and the calls it generated for common ground rules so that students in Great Britain are better prepared for the examinations. Finding that female students find the prospect of face-to-face questioning of a PhD thesis much more alarming than their male counterparts; Criticism that mock vivas did not ask students important questions about their thesis.

Reports that British universities could be forced to hand information on academic and student applicants to the security services and will be expected to monitor academic debates on campus under a series of moves by the Government following the London terrorist attacks. Voluntary vetting scheme; Foreign and Commonwealth Office to be alerted to overseas research applicants suspected of planning to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Reports on the move of Sheffield Hallam University and Nottingham Trent University in seeking officials’ permission to improve the bursaries offered to the undergraduates in England. Approval of the initial access proposals by the Office for Fair Access; Regime of fees and student support; Estimation of the total spending on bursaries.

Reports on findings of a survey of perceptions and preferences of undergraduate students in Great Britain. Students' view of how universities performed during the application process; Views about universities' academic reputation, teaching quality, campus facilities and location; Student-rated institutions.

Reports on the results of the National Student Survey of universities in Great Britain. Number of students polled; Undergaraduate students' evaluation of their schools; Aim to give funding applicants for 2006 more information about what students think of their course and institution.

Reports on the opposition of research universities in Great Britain to the government's plan to allow students to apply to university after they receive their A-level grades. Proposals for the implementation of a system of post-qualification applications; Pros and cons to the proposals; Education policy.

Identifies marginal seats where the campus vote has the potential to oust or retain the sitting members of the Parliament in the May 2005 general election in Great Britain. Stirling; Lancaster; Wyre; Leeds North West; Cardiff Central; Bristol West; Colchester; Durham; Cambridge; Canterbury.

Reports that vice-chancellors were warned that universities that overpromote themselves in the 2006 fee and bursary market and then fail to live up to expectations could struggle to recruit students in the long-term. Call for vice-chancellors to consider carefully how their universities' marketing pitches would heighten expectations; Universities that will charge less than the maximum fee.

Reports on a self-help book for students "The Insider's Guide to Getting a First," by Mark Black. Tactics that will guide undergraduates to a first-class degree; Other recommendations for college students.

Reports on the proposed reform of 14-to-19 education by Education Secretary Ruth Kelly in Great Britain. Parity of esteem between traditional academic subjects and practical study; Combination of practical skills, work experience and A levels; Preference for college students with practical experiences.

Reports on a North-South divide in applications for undergraduate places at Cambridge University. Appeal of the university to overseas applicants.

Presents the results of the survey on the students' perception about educational spending in Great Britain. Financial allocation for the improvement of libraries and campus security; Salary increases of college teachers; Basis to the charges of discriminatory and unfair higher education funding system.

Reports on the factors influencing the student vote at the general election in Great Britain. Biblical morals and Christian values of college students; Concern about environmental health; Fear of unemployment.

Reports on the university status of the Anglia Polytechnic University in Great Britain. Clarification of the status to undergraduates and applicants prior to the introduction of the new higher education market of variable tuition fees and bursaries; Shortlist of alternative names of the higher education institution; Concern of the university name among students and the academic staff.

Reports that the number of students on the first year of university course in Great Britain broke the one million mark for the first time in 2004, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Highlights a research study focusing on the health of college students in Great Britain. Percentage of students who consider themselves overweight; Estimated number of undergraduates who smoke; Status of college sports in the country.

Reports on the political and campaigning role of the National Union of Students in helping undergraduates for the jobs market in Great Britain. Encouragement of students to proceed into higher education; Importance of universities to prepare students for prospective work; Development of the teaching methods and degree programs.

Reports that college students and graduates with business ideas will be supported by a national agency to be launched in Great Britain in 2005. Plans of chancellor Gordon Brown to launch the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship; Efforts to encourage universities to promote entrepreneurship; Percentage of British graduates who start up their own business.

Presents the results of the survey on the attitudes and life styles among undergraduates in Great Britain. Change in the party-political sympathy resulting from the Government plans for tuition fees; Spending level on academic career; Preferences for advertising, public relations and media jobs among college students.

Reports on the interest among British sixthform students in the American higher education. Absence of language barrier in the college education; Coverage of a wide range of disciplines within one degree course; Flexibility of the U.S. higher education system. INSET: 'A lot of people would like the opportunity'..

Reports on the interview on Laura Spence, the state-school school pupil whose rejection by Oxford University in 2000 sparked a furious row over elitism in Great Britain. Return of Spence from Harvard University in the U.S. where she studied biochemistry; Advice of Spence to sixthformers to consider studying in the U.S. and not be deterred by costs; Increase in inquiries from students to the Fullbright Commission, which offers advice and scholarships for students who want to study in the U.S.

Reports on the suggestion of British chancellor Gordon Brown that an international league table should be compiled to measure the performance of universities. Difficulty in comparing British universities with international universities; Role of regional development agencies in encouraging links between industry and higher education; Plan of the government to work with universities to identify long-term career paths for academics wanting to specialize in working with industry.

Reports on the views of British Higher Education minister Alan Johnson about the establishment of a national target for wider university participation across the social classes. Need to increase support for part-time students; Plan to launch a campaign that would explain how the system of deferred fees and grants for poor students will work.

Reports that undergraduates in Great Britain were urged to commit more time to voluntary work as new figures suggested that student volunteers devote only 82 hours a year to their community. Research for the charity Student Volunteering England calling on students give more hours of their time to good causes each year; Benefits of volunteering to both the community and the students; Consideration of using public funds to encourage students to do voluntary work.

Reports on the gender division in college courses in Great Britain. Tendency for female students to shun engineering and computer science courses; Academic performance of female students compared to their male counterparts; Statistical figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency regarding the homogeneity of college courses.

Reports that foundation degrees are failing to attract full-time students into higher education, in reference to figures released by the government. Decline in higher national diploma applications; Insights of Conservative Higher Education Spokesman Chris Grayling on the released figures; Increase in the popularity of foundation degrees.

Reports on the increase in A-level attainment and population growth in Great Britain. Number of applicants for an undergraduate place; Way to maintain the rate of funding per student; Influence of the demographic changes to the demand for undergraduate places.

Reports on the need for extra time for the Members of Parliament to scrutinize the higher education bill in Great Britain. Dilemma between the higher education and the gender recognition bill; Legislative debate about the higher education bill; Response to the needs of students.

Reports that English students have complained against the fee structure of some Scotland-based universities. Assertion by the college students that the universities discriminate against non-Scottish students; Plan of the European Union to investigate the complaints.

Reports that the British Department for Education and Skills does not plan to introduce financial incentives and subsidies for college students enrolled in mathematics courses. Plan of the agency to allow universities to manage fees starting in 2006; Highlights of the study conducted by professor Adrian Smith focusing on mathematics post-14.