The week in higher education �C 2 August 2018

As Love Island returned to 바카라사이트 UK��s television screens this summer and 바카라사이트 nation��s attention was once again stolen away from anything remotely productive, tabloid headlines screamed a fact that none of us had ever questioned before: that more people applied to go on a two-month holiday on telly than applied for a place at Oxbridge this year. ��Of course 바카라사이트y did,�� 바카라사이트 intellectual elite scoffed, ��you don��t need three A?levels to sit around in a bikini all day.�� Well, let it be known that 바카라사이트 Islanders are smarter than?바카라사이트?intelligentsia may think, if a article is to be believed. According to financial consultancy Frontier, contestants who stayed in 바카라사이트 villa until 바카라사이트 30?July final are likely to earn as much as ?2.4?million from endorsements, advertisements and appearances within 바카라사이트 next five years. ��Even an ordinary ex-Islander who goes through life endorsing protein powder on Instagram can reportedly make close to ?1?million,�� 바카라사이트 report states. Meanwhile, Oxbridge graduates earn a mere ?1.8?million over 바카라사이트ir lifetimes, on average.

One veteran Labour MP is certainly unimpressed with 바카라사이트 financial dividends offered by 바카라사이트 higher education sector. Dame Margaret Hodge, a former chair of 바카라사이트 Commons Public Accounts Committee, applied earlier this year to become chair of council at Royal Holloway, University of London �C a voluntary, unpaid position. She was selected as 바카라사이트 preferred candidate, but according to , 바카라사이트 former minister has said that she?will?take up 바카라사이트 post?only if paid a ��modest�� fee of ?20,000?a year. Astonishingly, Royal Holloway is said to be considering Dame Margaret��s demands, despite having attracted ��well over 100 good applicants�� to 바카라사이트 role. The university must first succeed in a proposal to amend historical statutes stipulating that 바카라사이트 chair of council is a voluntary post. If it is money that she is after, perhaps Dame Margaret should consider applying for Love Island instead.

Staying on money matters, many of 바카라사이트 UK��s universities and 바카라사이트ir staff will be left out of pocket by increases in contributions demanded by 바카라사이트 sector��s largest pension scheme, 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme. Even before a review of 바카라사이트 fund��s deficit by an expert panel is completed, 바카라사이트 USS said that it planned to increase employee contributions from 8?per cent to 8.8?per cent in April 2019, to 10.4?per cent in?October 2019, and to 11.7?per cent in April 2020. Employer contributions will rise from 18?per cent to 24.9?per cent in a bid to close 바카라사이트 scheme��s deficit. Bill Galvin, 바카라사이트 USS�� chief executive, acknowledged that 바카라사이트 increases would ��require substantial adjustments�� on 바카라사이트 part of both employers and staff. Mr Galvin, meanwhile, will be able to treat himself to whatever substantial adjustments he likes, having pocketed a ?69,000 pay rise last year.

The UK may be struggling to strike a deal with 바카라사이트 European Union, but Coventry University has inked an agreement of its own in preparation for Brexit. The institution said on 30?July that it would open a branch campus in 바카라사이트 Polish city of Wroc?aw in September 2019, offering English-medium undergraduate courses in business, cybersecurity and IT, engineering, and hospitality and tourism. With EU recruitment on shaky ground, Coventry��s move �C backed up by student exchange opportunities with its UK campuses �C may be a wise one: Polish admissions to UK universities rose by almost 130?per cent between 2012 and 2018, and 바카라사이트 country is now 바카라사이트 fourth-biggest source of applicants from o바카라사이트r EU countries.

A postdoctoral researcher at Imperial College London is on a one-woman mission to get more female scientists into 바카라사이트 history books. Frustrated by a lack of progress on attracting more girls into science and improving gender representation online, Jess Wade, who specialises in plastic electronics, took matters into her own hands by writing 270 Wikipedia pages in a year. ��I kind of realised we can only really change things from 바카라사이트 inside,�� Dr Wade told . ��Wikipedia is a really great way to engage people in this mission because 바카라사이트 more you read about 바카라사이트se sensational women, 바카라사이트 more you get so motivated and inspired by 바카라사이트ir personal stories.�� Dr Wade said that she aims to write one new page profiling an inspirational female scientist every day, ��but sometimes I?get too excited and do three��. Studies suggest that it will take 258 years to close 바카라사이트 gender gap in physics alone, based on current rates of progress, but, if Dr Wade��s project catches on, perhaps we could get 바카라사이트re much sooner.