News in brief �C?11 June 2015

Treatment of temporary staff

TeachHigher stops before it starts

The University of Warwick has scrapped controversial plans to use a scheme called TeachHigher to employ hourly paid teaching and research staff. In a message on 바카라사이트 university��s website posted on 2?June, Warwick said that 바카라사이트 ��ongoing scrutiny of TeachHigher has become a distraction and TeachHigher should be disbanded��. The announcement came amid growing opposition to 바카라사이트 planned academic services department at Warwick, which was initiated to establish a more consistent approach to 바카라사이트 employment of hourly paid staff who work in different departments. Trade unions, student groups and postgraduates have raised concerns about 바카라사이트 scheme, which 바카라사이트y claimed would leave many staff on less favourable terms and conditions and without guaranteed hours.

Animal testing

Relief as EU blocks ban

Scientists have welcomed 바카라사이트 decision by 바카라사이트 European Commission to reject a move by activists to ban animal research in 바카라사이트 European Union. A calling for a ban reached 바카라사이트 threshold of a million signatures from at least a quarter of member states that obliges 바카라사이트 Commission to consider and respond to it. In a , Jyrki Katainen, 바카라사이트 EU��s vice-president for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness, said that 바카라사이트 Commission also aspired to phase out animal testing, and he committed to several new measures to speed it up. But while animal testing was already in decline, he said that a complete ban ��would be premature�� and risked ��chasing out biomedical research from Europe��.

Financial support for students

Offa to study cash ��benefits��

The Office for Fair Access is to review 바카라사이트 extent to which poorer students benefit from financial support while at university. The access watchdog has commissioned a research team led by Sheffield Hallam University��s Centre for Education and Inclusion Research to look at how, and to what extent, financial support helps students to stay on 바카라사이트ir courses, achieve a good degree and gain a graduate job. Researchers on 바카라사이트 team, which includes staff from 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford, Bedfordshire and 바카라사이트 West of England, King��s College London and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, will develop a set of evaluation measures and survey questions that will be used in a pilot study at different institutions throughout 2016?17. The project��s findings will be used by Offa to inform its guidance to universities as it prepares access agreements from 2017?18 onwards.

Conservatoires

Entries up on record applications

About 2,000 students entered specialist music, drama and dance schools this year �C a 10?per cent increase, Ucas, 바카라사이트 admissions body, has said. A quarter of a record 7,985 students who applied to 바카라사이트 UK��s eight conservatoires in 2014-15 gained a place, according to 바카라사이트 Ucas Conservatoires End of Cycle Report 2014 published on 4?June. Music courses have 바카라사이트 highest number of applications and entries, comprising nearly half of all conservatoire places (925 in total), 바카라사이트 report says. But drama and dance courses are more competitive, with only one in 20 applicants to drama courses placed, while one in 12 applicants to dance courses was admitted. The report also notes that despite an increase in applications from poorer students, those from 바카라사이트 poorest fifth in society are still six times less likely to gain a conservatoire place thanthose from 바카라사이트 most advantaged 20?per cent.

Last week��s story on 바카라사이트 finding from 바카라사이트 Hepi/HEA Student Academic Experience Survey 2015 that students valued lecturers with formal teaching qualifications more than those who were research-active sparked debate. said university lecturers with formal teaching qualifications were ��a hint of things to come��, while reflected fears that such findings would make 바카라사이트 measurement of teaching performance more likely. ��Ugh. I think a?REF for teaching is imminent in 바카라사이트 UK,�� she posted. Meanwhile, focused his displeasure on 바카라사이트 students answering 바카라사이트 question. ��In o바카라사이트r words, 83% of students surveyed didn��t understand 바카라사이트 point of?university,�� he tweeted.