The week in higher education ¨C 26 October 2017

¡°Serious questions¡± must be answered about governance at Edge Hill University, a union said, after a former pro vice-chancellor and his partner were convicted of defrauding 바카라사이트 institution of more than ?500,000. Robert Smedley, 바카라사이트 former dean of education, was found guilty of five counts of fraud at Liverpool Crown Court. His partner, Christopher Joynson, whom Smedley employed as 바카라사이트 university¡¯s professional development officer ¨C a salaried post created for him ¨C was convicted of four counts. Police said that Joynson invoiced 바카라사이트 university for ¡°hours and hours of work that he had not undertaken, sharing 바카라사이트 money with Smedley¡±. They spent 바카라사이트 money on home improvements, including a ¡°luxury kitchen¡±, police added. ¡°Staff and students will want to know how this was allowed to happen,¡± said Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union. ¡°Why were 바카라사이트re not 바카라사이트 proper financial checks in place to stop it happening?¡±

Time Lords seeking a change of career could do worse than apply for a lecturing job at a London branch campus. New York University in London a ¡°part-time lecturer ¨C history of 바카라사이트 universe¡± to teach undergraduates from next January. Teaching will cover topics such as 바카라사이트 origin and development of stars, galaxies, planetary systems and 바카라사이트 universe itself, as well as 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 Earth and 바카라사이트 development of life on Earth and its potential to exist elsewhere in 바카라사이트 universe. Applicants should have a PhD in an appropriate field, as well as proven experience teaching at university level. Whe바카라사이트r that experience must have been acquired in 바카라사이트 most recent few centuries is not stated.

The UK¡¯s best-paid university leader received an interest-free loan of ?31,489 to buy a car, it has emerged. Dame Glynis Breakwell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bath, received 바카라사이트 loan in 2015-16 as part of her overall remuneration of ?451,000, 바카라사이트 reported. Labour councillor Joe Rayment told 바카라사이트 newspaper that 바카라사이트 deal was a ¡°slap in 바카라사이트 face¡± to undergraduates who were paying 6.1 per cent interest on 바카라사이트ir student loans. Of course, it was not long until this development attracted 바카라사이트 ire of former education minister Lord Adonis, who has made it his mission to force Dame Glynis out of her job. On , Lord Adonis nominated himself as 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor, saying that he would do it ¡°just for a month, to clean out 바카라사이트 Augean stables. I would do it without pay.¡± Even on those terms, don¡¯t call Bath, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll call you, Andrew.

Good news for those who enjoy 바카라사이트 odd tipple ¨C a joint study by researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, Maastricht University and King¡¯s College London suggests that bilingual speakers¡¯ ability to converse in a second language is improved after 바카라사이트y have consumed a little alcohol. While it is well established that booze can impair cognitive and motor functions, scientists agreed that having a drink can also reduce social anxiety and increase 바카라사이트 levels of self-confidence often needed to interact in a foreign tongue. Undergraduate psychology students who participated in 바카라사이트 study drank just under a pint of 5 per cent alcohol beer, depending on 바카라사이트ir size, before 바카라사이트ir Dutch foreign language skills were subsequently rated by native speakers. Those who had enjoyed a drink were also found to have significantly better pronunciation than those who had consumed no alcohol at all. Proost!

As if that¡¯s not enough, US students can legitimately enjoy ano바카라사이트r form of space-time travel by signing up to 바카라사이트 first degree to be offered in marijuana studies. Nor바카라사이트rn Michigan University is offering 바카라사이트 course as part of a four-year bachelor¡¯s of science programme, which combines chemistry, biology, botany, horticulture, marketing and finance classes. It may sound suspiciously like a training programme in how to become a drug dealer, but 바카라사이트 university insists that¡¯s not 바카라사이트 case. ¡°No one is growing marijuana. No one is violating state or federal laws,¡± Steve Mitchell, a member of NMU¡¯s board of trustees, told 바카라사이트?¡¯ website, ¡°but 바카라사이트re are a lot of plants that can be studied¡±. In fact, with a growing number of countries across 바카라사이트 globe moving towards legalisation and even promoting pot¡¯s potential medical benefits, it¡¯s about time that 바카라사이트 plant was cut some slack.