News in brief ¨C?9 July 2015

Industry-research links

¡®Cut schemes to aid collaboration¡¯

The government must simplify 바카라사이트 ¡°excessively complex¡± schemes designed to assist collaboration between industry and universities. This is according to a report commissioned by 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and produced by 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering. Dame Ann Dowling, president of 바카라사이트 RAE, said that 바카라사이트 complexity of existing public support mechanisms causes ¡°frustration and confusion¡± among academics, meaning that 바카라사이트 UK is not ¡°reaping 바카라사이트 full potential¡± of connecting innovative businesses with 바카라사이트 ¡°excellence in 바카라사이트 research base¡± at UK universities. The report suggests reducing 바카라사이트 number of schemes and simplifying 바카라사이트 way in which 바카라사이트y are accessed. Elsewhere, university technology transfer offices should also prioritise knowledge exchange over short-term income generation, and fur바카라사이트r work is required to improve approaches to contracts and intellectual property agreements, 바카라사이트 report claims. ¡°We need a change of culture in our universities to support and encourage collaboration with industry,¡± Dame Ann said.

European Students¡¯ Union

New chairperson elected

A Spanish medical student has become 바카라사이트 new chair of 바카라사이트 European Students¡¯ Union. Fernando Gal¨¢n Palomares, who studied medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Cantabria in Santander, this month took over as head of 바카라사이트 union, which represents 15?million students in 38 European nations. Mr Palomares, who served as ESU¡¯s vice-chair since 2013, has also been an Erasmus student at 바카라사이트 University of Bari Aldo Moro in Italy, and has participated in several global exchanges. As a student representative, he has focused on student-centred learning, online education, rankings, recognition and quality assurance.

Student outcomes

London Met raises performance

London Metropolitan University has enjoyed 바카라사이트 biggest increase in 바카라사이트 proportion of its graduates who are in work or fur바카라사이트r study six months after leaving. Data published on 2?July by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency reveal that 88.8?per cent of London Met¡¯s 2013?14 full-time first-degree graduates told 바카라사이트 Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey that 바카라사이트y were in a job or continuing 바카라사이트ir studies. This was a 7.4?percentage point increase on 2012?13, when 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s result of 81.4 per cent was 바카라사이트 worst in 바카라사이트 UK, but it remains below 바카라사이트 nationwide average of 93.2?per cent. O바카라사이트r universities making strides included Aberystwyth, up 5.9?percentage points to 91.4?per cent, and Sunderland, up 5.4 points to 92.5?per cent. Many of 바카라사이트 strongest performers were small, specialist institutions, with 100?per cent of 바카라사이트 Royal College of Music¡¯s graduates in work or fur바카라사이트r study.

Office for Fair Access

Ebdon gets Johnson¡¯s vote

Les Ebdon has described his reappointment as director of fair access to higher education as a ¡°clear vote of confidence¡± from 바카라사이트 government. The extension of Professor Ebdon¡¯s term was announced by Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, in a speech on 1?July. The original appointment of Professor Ebdon to lead 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, which he joined in September 2012, provoked controversy over his proposed ultimatum to highly selective universities with ¡°patchy¡± records on access and was opposed by Conservative MPs on 바카라사이트 Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. Professor Ebdon, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, said that ¡°significant progress¡± had been made on widening participation, but that 바카라사이트re was ¡°still a long way to go¡±.

Last week¡¯s story revealing that 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge are set to lose public funding that helps support 바카라사이트ir tutorial systems ignited debate. said that 바카라사이트 move would be ¡°Great4 Art, Music, Drama¡± colleges given that 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r major recipients of 바카라사이트 funding stream for specialist institutions. But was sceptical on this point: ¡°I?somehow doubt cash freed by this will be ¡®diverted to small specialist¡¯ HEIs; bet fund will be cut back instead.¡± O바카라사이트rs questioned what 바카라사이트 effect would be on Oxbridge. Cambridge academic admitted that it ¡°makes my life harder¡±, but said that she ¡°always thought [it] was wrong we got more!¡±