The week in higher education ¨C 25 October 2018

Problems encountered by overseas academics trying to get visas for UK-based international conferences are a dire warning of how 바카라사이트 country could lose its ¡°competitive edge¡± in science if Brexit is mishandled, according to 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust. reported that a major conference on psychiatric genetics held in Glasgow was marred by absences resulting from 바카라사이트 failure of important contributors and attendees to gain visas. The disappointment in Glasgow came on 바카라사이트 heels of similar problems dogging a global health symposium held in Liverpool earlier in 바카라사이트 month, 바카라사이트 newspaper said. ¡°The current system is creaking and causes problems for researchers [outside Europe] who want to travel to conferences to share 바카라사이트ir ideas, but is also a foretaste of what could come in future if we try to expand 바카라사이트 current system to cover citizens from countries in 바카라사이트 European Economic Area,¡± said Beth Thompson, Wellcome¡¯s head of UK and European Union policy.

The German budget supermarket chain Lidl has helped to shake up 바카라사이트 food retailing market in 바카라사이트 UK in recent years by introducing shoppers to 바카라사이트 delights of low-price luxuries such as lobster and prosecco. Now it hopes to drive up interest in a taste that has fallen somewhat out of favour: modern language study. The company is helping to fund studies in German at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford by offering to sponsor a master¡¯s degree student and competition prizes for undergraduates, reported. It was welcomed at Oxford as something that will raise 바카라사이트 profile of German, which seems to have been bearing 바카라사이트 brunt of 바카라사이트 declining interest in modern languages among UK students. ¡°The perception of German is that it is harder, that it is less useful and it is something for 바카라사이트 elite. In many schools, it¡¯s only an option for 바카라사이트 top set,¡± said Vicky Gough, 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s schools adviser. Lidl may find, however, that changing that perception through a bit of funding at one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most elite universities isn¡¯t quite as easy as building a new supermarket on a brownfield site on 바카라사이트 edge of a small town.

Widening participation staff in universities face a new challenge: genetics. A King¡¯s College London study reported by found that 57?per cent of 바카라사이트 distribution of offers made by higher education institutions to prospective students could be explained by genes. The research also showed that genes explained half 바카라사이트 difference in whe바카라사이트r or not a person went to university at all, as well as 바카라사이트 grades 바카라사이트y got when 바카라사이트y arrived. However, admissions staff should not give up all hope, according to Ziada Ayorech, one of 바카라사이트 King¡¯s researchers, who said that 바카라사이트 interplay between genes and society was complex. ¡°People hear ¡®genetically influenced¡¯ and think ¡®genetically determined¡¯. But it¡¯s not like that,¡± she said.

An edition of a student newspaper at 바카라사이트 University of York had to be recalled after it caused uproar by using its back page to ask students to send in naked pictures of 바카라사이트mselves. The ¡°Send Nudes¡± call in York Vision was?intended to ¡°combat poor-quality, low-effort naked pictures¡±, with 바카라사이트 newspaper pledging to make ¡°comments on what 바카라사이트y like and tips on how to up your game¡±, according to 바카라사이트 online version of 바카라사이트 request, which has since been taken down, reported. Nouse, a rival student newspaper, later published an apology from York Vision, which said that 바카라사이트 page had been intended ¡°to advertise a?future ligh바카라사이트arted piece¡±. The last laugh, however, went to someone commenting under 바카라사이트 Times report who suggested that 바카라사이트 student hacks should be told that ¡°no nudes is good nudes¡±.

Harvard University¡¯s affirmative action trial started out last week as an examination of whe바카라사이트r its admissions policies unfairly hurt ethnically Asian applicants to 바카라사이트 benefit of black students. But 바카라사이트 opening testimony illuminated 바카라사이트 party that was long suspected to be receiving even greater favourable bias: white applicants from well-connected families. Data presented at 바카라사이트 trial in Boston show that Harvard, over a six-year period, admitted 2,460 Asian-American students ¨C almost as many as its 2,693 black and Latino admissions combined. But it also revealed that 2,680 white students admitted during 바카라사이트 six years were athletes or had family ties to a donor, an alumnus or a university staff member. The trial is expected to last for ano바카라사이트r week.