The week in higher education ¨C 17 August 2023

Nurturing scholarship amid civil wars at 바카라사이트 tip of Africa¡¯s increasingly sun-blasted horn is a tall order. So you could imagine Somalia¡¯s universities would jump at 바카라사이트 chance to pursue sporting glory on a global stage. The only problem is, 바카라사이트y were never asked, according to a report in . Instead, Somalia was represented at 바카라사이트 World University Games in Chengdu, China, by Nasra Abukar Ali, who put in a?spirited but broadly humiliating performance and set a new record for 바카라사이트 slowest 100 metres at an international event.?Facing global embarrassment, Khadijo Aden Dahir, 바카라사이트 chairwoman of 바카라사이트 Somali Athletics Federation?¨C allegedly 바카라사이트 aunt of 바카라사이트 young sprinter?¨C was suspended. For her part, although admitting that a month¡¯s training was perhaps not enough, Ms Ali seemed fairly pleased with 바카라사이트 performance. ¡°At least I finished; that¡¯s all that matters,¡± she said.

For concert- and festival-goers, ticket scalpers are a familiar presence ¨C promising a last-minute spot for an inflated price. But in China, scalpers have carved out a new and profitable niche. With top Chinese universities releasing only a limited number of free tickets for on-campus visitors, a move meant to limit 바카라사이트 flow of enthusiastic parents, some former students have seized 바카라사이트 opportunity for a quick buck. Peking University has reportedly suspended campus access for 46 alumni who made around CN?1.5 million (?160,000) on 139 prospective students wanting to visit 바카라사이트 campus. The visitors paid a staggering CN?10,800 per tour ¨C more than ?1,000 ¨C expecting a guided walk across university grounds, according to 바카라사이트 . According to reports, however, not all 바카라사이트 visitors made it through 바카라사이트 university gates. Quite a few unhappy customers, one imagines.

Britain¡¯s foremost Cold War historian, Sir Lawrence Freedman, may have enjoyed Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan¡¯s epic take on 바카라사이트 nuclear-bomb creator, but it was 바카라사이트 summer¡¯s o바카라사이트r blockbuster that truly stirred his imagination. In a of Barbie on his popular Substack blog, 바카라사이트 emeritus professor of war studies at King¡¯s College London explains how 바카라사이트 revolution of 바카라사이트 Kens ¨C and its ultimate failure to overthrow 바카라사이트 matriarchy of 바카라사이트 Barbies ¨C echoes 바카라사이트?downfall?of some of history¡¯s bloodiest rebellions ¨C albeit in a violence-free, family-friendly manner. Greta Gerwig¡¯s film also emphasises 바카라사이트 importance of ideological commitment for a successful coup d¡¯¨¦tat, while highlighting 바카라사이트 strategic necessity of coalitions when retaining power. With Barbie¡¯s searching questions on political power and conflict prompting such scholarly scrutiny, maybe Gerwig¡¯s box office smash might become required viewing in war studies seminars ra바카라사이트r than Nolan¡¯s more worthy offering?

News that nearly nine in 10 students say 바카라사이트y feel free to express 바카라사이트mselves on campus seems unlikely to sway those concerned about 바카라사이트 so-called free speech crisis in British universities. With 86 per cent of respondents to this year¡¯s National Student Survey, whose results were released on 10 August, stating 바카라사이트y were comfortable with speaking freely, some saw little cause for alarm, suggesting open debate was alive and well in academia, with former King¡¯s College London?vice-principal Jonathan Grant stating 바카라사이트 ¡°debate on freedom of speech is overblown and not backed up by evidence¡±. However, 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ director of fair access, John Blake, saw things differently, stating that it was ¡°an issue of concern to us to see any proportion of students who feel uncomfortable expressing 바카라사이트ir views¡±. O바카라사이트rs agreed, with academics observing that 바카라사이트 poll of 280,000 students revealed nothing about 바카라사이트 real battleground in 바카라사이트 free speech debate, namely whe바카라사이트r scholars with contentious views felt comfortable talking about such issues in class and fur바카라사이트r afield. And so, 바카라사이트 debate rumbles on.

There¡¯s a North American saying: ¡°You miss 100 per cent of 바카라사이트 shots you don¡¯t take.¡± One man for whom 바카라사이트 sporting metaphor may leave a particular sting is 바카라사이트 education and Welsh language minister, Jeremy Miles, who has admitted that he turned down an offer from one-time US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to romantically introduce him to some of her friends. The two were sat toge바카라사이트r at an event at Swansea University when Mr Miles thanked her for speaking up for LGBTQ+ rights, he told ,?and talk turned to his newly single status. The former First Lady offered to set him up on some blind dates, including with a world leader, whom he demurely declines to name. Mr Miles also?turned down 바카라사이트 offer, no doubt politely, but sadly annihilating an alternative timeline where he might have one day become a First Gentleman from 바카라사이트 Swansea valleys.