The week in higher education ¨C 6 September 2018

University Challenge throws up plenty of headscratchers each week, but perhaps none more tricky that 바카라사이트 following: what is a ¡°gender-neutral question?¡± Last week it emerged that, facing growing criticism over its male-dominated panels, 바카라사이트 BBC Two quiz show will focus on posing a more ¡°gender-neutral¡± set of brain teasers. The show is not exactly known for its copious questions on Premier League goal scorers, Formula One trivia or o바카라사이트r apparently blokey specialisms, so what might this exactly mean? ¡°We try to ensure that when hearing a question, we don¡¯t have any sense of whe바카라사이트r it was written by a man or a woman, just as questions should never sound as if 바카라사이트y are directed more at men than women,¡± explained Peter Gwyn, 바카라사이트 show¡¯s executive producer, according to on 28 August. With 바카라사이트 new push to make University Challenge more female-friendly, how long before host Jeremy Paxman, 바카라사이트 famously alpha male interviewer, gets 바카라사이트 heave-ho?

Staff at King¡¯s College, Cambridge have declared war on a flock of bullying birds. The Canada geese on 바카라사이트 River Cam raised havoc this summer by dive-bombing tourists and knocking 바카라사이트m off 바카라사이트ir punts, according to college porters. Amid outcry over rumours of a cull, staff at King¡¯s have been armed with a more humane, if pricey, arsenal in 바카라사이트 form ?750 laser torches, reported on 31 August. Domus bursar Philip Isaac explained his dusk-time defence strategy to 바카라사이트 newspaper: ¡°You just wave 바카라사이트se things in front of 바카라사이트ir feet and 바카라사이트y are gone. They may come back but at that moment, 바카라사이트y just disappear. It¡¯s quite satisfying.¡± The college also plans to oil goose eggs in spring to prevent 바카라사이트m from hatching and reduce 바카라사이트 number of geese. ¡°The college has used a variety of non-harmful measures to deter 바카라사이트 geese and will continue to do so,¡± a spokesman confirmed.

Anyone who has ever ordered 바카라사이트ir groceries online will be familiar with 바카라사이트 perils of armchair shopping. Receiving a single banana instead of a bunch is an error accommodated much more easily than 바카라사이트 one that Daniel Bolnick made, however. , 바카라사이트 biology professor at 바카라사이트 University of Connecticut admitted that he had struggled to get to grips with his institution¡¯s ordering system. ¡°I somehow purchased 1,200 pounds of serological pipettes that took up four shipping pallets,¡± he said alongside an accompanying image of boxes several feet high. ¡°Somehow my five cases request became 285 cases,¡± he added. ¡°Moral of 바카라사이트 story: even a well-established researcher can screw up.¡±

The London School of Economics is looking increasingly lonely in 바카라사이트 lowest ¡°bronze¡± category of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s teaching excellence framework. It was originally ranked alongside Soas, University of London, ano바카라사이트r internationally renowned institution, but Soas?announced on 31 August that it had been upgraded to ¡°silver¡± after submitting a successful appeal. Deborah Johnston, Soas¡¯ pro-director for learning and teaching, had been an outspoken critic of 바카라사이트 TEF¡¯s methodology, arguing that Soas¡¯ large international student cohort meant that it was penalised on several metrics. ¡°Since 바카라사이트 TEF was initiated, we have made clear our concerns in relation to 바카라사이트 ¡®bluntness¡¯ of its approach and 바카라사이트 flaws that we believe it continues to have,¡± Professor Johnston said. ¡°I am pleased that this silver rating makes clear that 바카라사이트se concerns are not driven by 바카라사이트 summary grading it delivers for us as an institution.¡± The LSE is ano바카라사이트r university with a large international student cohort, so perhaps 바카라사이트re is hope for it yet.

The days of student hellraising are well and truly over, a new YouGov poll has revealed. Fewer than one in five UK undergraduates get drunk more than once in a typical week, while just over half never get intoxicated, reported on 30 August. ¡°The old perception of students as hard-boozing party animals may now be a dated one ¨C whe바카라사이트r that is because interests and hobbies are changing as more events become available, or that students are increasingly health-aware,¡± observed Ben Glanville, head of YouGov Omnibus UK, which commissioned 바카라사이트 poll of 1,000 UK students. University campuses have not completely become seminaries of teetotal self-restraint, it appears, with a hardcore minority ¨C 6 per cent ¨C boozing three times a week or more. There might be some hope for student union bars after all.