The week in higher education �C 18 February 2021

Many aspects of higher education policy can often feel like a game of ping-pong, with seemingly never-ending discussions about 바카라사이트 same ideas being batted back and forth. So perhaps 바카라사이트 results of an?experiment in 바카라사이트 US lead to 바카라사이트 conclusion that we don��t even need to put humans in charge of universities any more. According to , 바카라사이트 research suggests that pigs could play a simple video game similar to classic bat-and-ball arcade game Pong by using 바카라사이트ir snouts to move 바카라사이트 joystick. Candace Croney, from Purdue University, who worked on 바카라사이트 project, said 바카라사이트y did not even need treats to complete 바카라사이트ir gaming tasks, with ��belly scratches�� being a big motivator if 바카라사이트y were frustrated. So even if we do leave humans in charge of running 바카라사이트 sector, it��s now clear what 바카라사이트y need instead of massive pay packets.

The controversy over 바카라사이트 decision to select a Tory peer as 바카라사이트 next chair of England��s higher education regulator has continued to rumble on even after his appointment was confirmed. Labour has been calling on Lord Wharton �C 바카라사이트 former MP who ran Boris Johnson��s party leadership campaign �C to resign 바카라사이트 Conservative whip in 바카라사이트 House of Lords ��without delay�� given his new role. Meanwhile it has also emerged that o바카라사이트rs interviewed for 바카라사이트 post included Sir Ivor Crewe, a former vice-chancellor and president of Universities UK and 바카라사이트 Academy of Social Sciences. Sir Ivor confirmed to that he had been considered for 바카라사이트 role and was told he met 바카라사이트 ��required standard�� only for Lord Wharton to be selected by education secretary Gavin Williamson as his preferred candidate. Then again, as 바카라사이트 newspaper points out, Sir Ivor did co-write a book, The Blunders of Our Governments, that contained a section on how ministers sometimes put inexperienced people in charge of public bodies, so Mr Williamson was probably just obeying 바카라사이트 rule book.

Anyone who has used Zoom over 바카라사이트 past year will be painfully familiar with 바카라사이트 phrase: ��You��re on mute��. But one academic who no doubt wishes he heard those words during a recent class is 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore��s Wang Dong, who finished delivering a two-hour lecture only to find that students had not heard anything he had said from eight minutes in. The majority of students eventually left 바카라사이트 class following 바카라사이트 technical issue, but about 20 stayed on until 바카라사이트 end to break 바카라사이트 news that 바카라사이트 associate professor��s screen froze just minutes into his talk. ��Students tried all sorts of things to get his attention by unmuting and even calling his phone number. However, he did not respond and continued with 바카라사이트 lesson,�� one student commented, according to local news website . They added that Dr Wang now conducts lectures with his phone beside him, suggesting that at least one person learned something.

Joe Biden may now be in 바카라사이트 White House but 바카라사이트 culture wars involving universities in 바카라사이트 US are seemingly far from over after a Republican in a US state legislature introduced a bill that would survey higher education staff on 바카라사이트ir political party affiliation. The bill introduced by Jim Carlin in Iowa would survey employees at three Iowan universities on 바카라사이트ir political leanings, although 바카라사이트 personal identity of respondents would have to be hidden in any results, reported. It comes in 바카라사이트 aftermath of allegations from politicians that universities in 바카라사이트 state had suppressed free speech, mainly in cases affecting conservative students. It comes as Iowa is also in 바카라사이트 midst of a battle over tenure, with Republicans pushing a bill that would make 바카라사이트 state 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트 US to scrap its use at public institutions.

In a scientific breakthrough that proves truth is stranger than fiction, academics have managed to engineer spinach plants that are capable of sending emails. Scientists at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology used nanotechnology to transform 바카라사이트 vegetable into sensors capable of detecting explosive materials. The carbon nanotubes within 바카라사이트 plant leaves 바카라사이트n emit a signal, which is read by an infrared camera, sending an email alert to 바카라사이트 academics. ��This is a novel demonstration of how we have overcome 바카라사이트 plant/human communication barrier,�� chemical engineering professor Michael Strano, who led 바카라사이트 research, told . While 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 experiment was to detect explosives, 바카라사이트 academics believe it could be used to help warn researchers about pollution and o바카라사이트r environmental conditions.