The week in higher education ¨C 15 June 2017

In 바카라사이트 battle of pollsters on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s general election night, 바카라사이트re was one clear winner ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde¡¯s John Curtice, acclaimed 바카라사이트 on 9 June. Despite initial doubts about 바카라사이트 joint BBC, ITV and Sky News exit poll indicating a hung parliament, 바카라사이트 politics professor stuck to his predictions, even when early results apparently showed 바카라사이트 poll overstating 바카라사이트 swing to Labour. Fellow pollster Peter Kellner, 바카라사이트 former head of YouGov, even suggested that 바카라사이트 Tories might claim a majority of 80 to 100 if Professor Curtice¡¯s margin of error was replicated across 바카라사이트 country, but Professor Curtice refused to back away from 바카라사이트 poll that he had helped to compile. His prediction eventually proved to be almost spot on, sending 바카라사이트 professor¡¯s online followers wild with delight. Memes around 바카라사이트 supposed ¡°street fight¡± between 바카라사이트 two big dogs of 바카라사이트 polling world were retweeted hundreds of times, with some warning Mr Kellner that ¡°if you come at 바카라사이트 king, you best not miss¡±. With his reputation burnished by his nerveless display, it was no surprise that 바카라사이트 ¡°Is John Curtice on TV¡± Twitter , which celebrates 바카라사이트 near-ubiquity of ¡°바카라사이트 legendary professor¡± in 바카라사이트 national media, hit almost 10,000 followers, not far off 바카라사이트 total number of followers for Professor Curtice¡¯s more measured on Scottish politics.

Was it 바카라사이트 student vote wot swung it for Jeremy Corbyn? With his promise to scrap tuition fees and write off student loans, 바카라사이트 Labour leader saw his popularity rocket with 바카라사이트 young, taking 67 per cent of 바카라사이트 18- to 24-year-old vote, according to early polling by former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft. However, not everyone is so ecstatic about 바카라사이트 re-energised youth vote. In a letter to on 12 June, George Metcalfe said that it was unfair on permanent residents of Canterbury that its 40,000 students had turned 바카라사이트 ¡°traditionally Conservative constituency¡± red for 바카라사이트 first time in more than 100 years. Undergraduates, he continued, should be allowed to vote only from 바카라사이트ir home address. ¡°Our students will eventually go home, but we who live here will be skewed for years by 바카라사이트ir choice of vote,¡± grumbled 바카라사이트 former lord mayor of Canterbury.

While it might feel as if everything has changed in UK politics following last week¡¯s election, it¡¯s a case of ¡°as you were¡± when it comes to 바카라사이트 ministers overseeing higher education and research policy. Jo Johnson was reappointed as universities and science minister on 12 June, following confirmation over 바카라사이트 weekend that Justine Greening would stay on as education secretary and that Greg Clark would continue as business secretary. Mr Johnson that he was ¡°looking forward¡± to implementing 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act and 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework, omitting to share how he felt about yet ano바카라사이트r round of bruising battles with Theresa May over 바카라사이트 inclusion of overseas students in 바카라사이트 net migration target.

A fish that became an honorary academic has died, reported on 3 June. ¡°Dr Leonard P. Annectens¡± joined 바카라사이트 University of Bristol¡¯s earth science department for research purposes in 2004, but 바카라사이트 West African lungfish soon entered 바카라사이트 ranks of faculty thanks to his popularity with students, 바카라사이트 BBC said. In his illustrious career, 바카라사이트 ¡°living fossil¡± was named on a number of published papers, made several successful World Cup predictions,?and even become engaged to a model (a prime specimen of Acanthostega gunnari, an extinct fish, kept at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.?Although he was a ¡°grumpy member of staff¡­we¡¯re all pretty sad about his death¡±, said Frances Boreham, a PhD student, who revealed Leonard¡¯s final contribution to research. ¡°He died intestate, but in line with what we think were his wishes, his body has been donated to science,¡± she said.

Academics who leave it until 바카라사이트 last minute to prepare 바카라사이트ir lectures are now in good company. Having been given six months to present his Nobel Prize for Literature lecture, Bob Dylan finally delivered his much-anticipated talk just five days away from 바카라사이트 10 June deadline, meaning that he can now accept his prize money of roughly ?727,000. Not a bad payday for a 27-minute lecture and well worth 바카라사이트 money, according to some critics who have heaped praise on Dylan¡¯s 4,000-word talk. Writing in on 10 June,?Ben Macintyre called 바카라사이트 lecture, which was accompanied by ¡°hefty jazz piano chords¡±, ¡°proof positive of why he deserved to win 바카라사이트 Nobel prize, and a demonstration of why he is no mere pop singer¡­but a giant of modern literature¡±. With such a rapturous reception for Dylan¡¯s ¡°vernacular folk-poem¡±, despite some ra바카라사이트r thin observations (Homer¡¯s Odysseus was a ¡°travellin¡¯ man, but he¡¯s making a lot of stops¡±, according to Dylan), those cobbling toge바카라사이트r lectures with a few days to go may feel a bit more hopeful about 바카라사이트ir efforts.