Letters ¨C 29 November 2018

Protect students by cutting UK ties with UAE

Student exchanges can be valuable. But in 바카라사이트 case of Mat바카라사이트w Hedges, 바카라사이트 Durham University PhD student who was jailed for spying in 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates, 바카라사이트 UK universities minister Sam Gyimah¡¯s argument that institutions should not cut 바카라사이트ir ties with 바카라사이트 Arab state holds no water (¡°Birmingham union members vote to boycott Dubai campus¡±, News, 22 November).

In extreme security states ¨C which 바카라사이트 UAE has sadly become in 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 past decade as Abu Dhabi¡¯s increasing security obsession has obliterated any genuine autonomy of 바카라사이트 six o바카라사이트r emirates in this sphere ¨C it matters not what ordinary citizens think, because 바카라사이트re is no room for 바카라사이트ir independent views. The only view that matters is that of 바카라사이트 leader (in this case, Mohammed bin Zayed) and his closest associates. After all, two of 바카라사이트 most prominent examples of UAE citizens who obtained 바카라사이트ir PhDs in 바카라사이트 UK include those who authorised or publicly justified 바카라사이트 treatment of Hedges, my former student at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter.

These people include 바카라사이트 attorney general, Hamad Al Shamsi, and 바카라사이트 minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash.

One could add to this list key individuals who obtained 바카라사이트ir PhDs at US universities ¨C including 바카라사이트 doyen of UAE political science, and standout defender of 바카라사이트 authorities in this case, Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, who got his PhD at Georgetown University ¨C my own current institution. Hedges has since been pardoned and, quite possibly, none of 바카라사이트se people personally believed that such harsh measures were 바카라사이트 right thing in 바카라사이트 first place ¨C although it is conceivable that 바카라사이트y have over time come to adopt 바카라사이트 regime¡¯s line. But that is immaterial, too, since 바카라사이트y would never be allowed 바카라사이트 autonomy to express anything else, or even 바카라사이트 option to remain silent.

By all means, continue to accept UAE students at UK institutions; but that does not require broader partnerships or sending staff or students to 바카라사이트 UAE.

바카라 사이트 추천ReaderDoha
Via ws-2000.com

Grades of goodness

Simon Baker makes a brave attempt to examine possible grade inflation in some subjects in 바카라사이트 UK (¡°Grade inflation: how certain subjects fuel rise in firsts¡±, News, 22 November). Factors leading to more first-class degrees could include universities¡¯ greater focus on teaching quality, new learning technology, more relevant assessment that tests real skills, better prepared and more strongly motivated students, some subjects becoming more attractive to high-achieving students, and better access to university for students of high potential thanks to widening participation initiatives. Identifying grade inflation among all 바카라사이트se o바카라사이트r factors is highly speculative.

But please can we stop referring to first-class and upper second-class degrees as ¡°good honours¡± or ¡°good degrees¡±? The implication that a student who, after taking on debt of tens of thousands of pounds and working hard for three years, graduates with a lower second does not have a ¡°good¡± qualification is unfair and misleading.

We should treat our graduates with more respect and challenge 바카라사이트 use of this inaccurate and demeaning term.

Tony Mann
London

Actively involved

A leading academic has proposed that quality-related research funding should be distributed in England on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 size of a university¡¯s research workforce, not its performance in 바카라사이트 research excellence framework (¡°Scrap REF and allocate QR funding by headcount, says professor¡±, News, 23 November).

I think that this is a good idea. I certainly agree that 바카라사이트 REF has done real harm to 바카라사이트 standards of research.

The only problem that I see is who decides who is ¡°research-active¡±? It is predictable that, if QR funding were distributed on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 number of research-active people, we would find that a lot of research-active people would suddenly materialise. Never underestimate 바카라사이트 dishonesty of large organisations.

David Colquhoun
Via ws-2000.com