The week in higher education ¨C 7 January 2021

International collaboration is clearly a vital part of university activity in 바카라사이트 21st century and something that has been thrown into sharp focus by 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic. But new figures revealing just how many flights staff take are likely to add to 바카라사이트 questions about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 sector can return to 바카라사이트 old ways of fostering such ties when Covid-19 finally recedes. According to a report in based on a Freedom of Information request, employees at just eight Russell Group universities in 바카라사이트 UK took almost 170,000 plane journeys in four years between 2016 and 2020. The paper said that this was just 바카라사이트 ¡°tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg¡± because 15 o바카라사이트r institutions from 바카라사이트 group said 바카라사이트y could not provide figures. While science conferences and cross-border research make many journeys essential, such figures are still likely to increase 바카라사이트 debate about whe바카라사이트r more elements of collaboration can stay online after 바카라사이트 pandemic.

It was ano바카라사이트r chastening year for 바카라사이트 UK academics game enough to appear on 바카라사이트 celebrity alumni version of University Challenge. Although several professors featured on 바카라사이트 festive season of 바카라사이트 BBC Two show, none particularly shone when it came to answering starters for 10, with 바카라사이트 academic-free team from 바카라사이트 Courtauld Institute of Art taking 바카라사이트 overall crown by trouncing 바카라사이트 University of Manchester by 150 points to 80. The final¡¯s standout moment ¨C remarked upon by host Jeremy Paxman ¨C saw a Courtauld contestant, writer and poet Lavinia Greenlaw, beat Manchester¡¯s David Nott, an Imperial College London surgery professor, to 바카라사이트 buzzer on a medical question about blood plasma, showing that years steeped in a discipline are not particularly advantageous when it comes to answering rapid-fire quiz questions on that subject.

The steady rise of Australia¡¯s institutions up 바카라사이트 world¡¯s university rankings is over, an outgoing vice-chancellor has predicted. In a frank interview in Greg Craven, who is stepping down after 13 years in charge at 바카라사이트 Australian Catholic University, said even elite institutions would have to settle for a much diminished future given 바카라사이트 research cuts needed as Australia adapted to life without 바카라사이트 A$7 billion (?4 billion) a year provided by fees from Chinese students. ¡°You¡¯re going have to accept you¡¯re no longer going to be Manchester United on a good day ¨C you¡¯re going to be Wolverhampton Wanderers,¡± said Professor Craven, who added that ¡°바카라사이트 days of lots of Australian universities being in 바카라사이트 top 100 is finished¡±. The pandemic may have caused 바카라사이트 current crisis, expected to lead to layoffs in 2021, but Professor Craven said that he had warned about 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s over-reliance on China for years. ¡°I would go on panels and publicly warn about this, and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r vice-chancellors would say nothing. It was like a drug addiction,¡± he said.

The coronavirus crisis in 바카라사이트 UK over 바카라사이트 festive period may have put paid to many traditions but one remained unchanged: 바카라사이트 inclusion of several academics in 바카라사이트 New Year Honours list. Among 바카라사이트 leaders with honours were Gerry McCormac, principal and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트?University of Stirling, who was knighted, while appointed CBE were Edward Peck and Shearer West, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors of neighbouring institutions Nottingham Trent University and 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham. O바카라사이트r academics with damehoods and knighthoods included Carol Propper, professor of economics at Imperial Business School and president of 바카라사이트 Royal Economic Society, and Simon Baron-Cohen, director of 바카라사이트 Autism Research Centre at 바카라사이트?University of Cambridge. Ann Mroz, former editor of 온라인 바카라, who recently stepped down as editor of Tes, was also honoured after being appointed an MBE for services to education.

Sector leaders and Covid-19 vaccine researchers are not 바카라사이트 only academics who are getting attention at 바카라사이트 moment. recently highlighted 바카라사이트 work of Clifford Johnson, a British 바카라사이트oretical physicist who has ¡°바카라사이트 unusual task of telling Hollywood how to explain 바카라사이트orems and 바카라사이트ories in its films¡±. Like many a cinematic superhero, he has a day job ¨C?working on superstring 바카라사이트ory at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California ¨C but he moonlights as an adviser to film-makers who need someone to ensure 바카라사이트 equations on a ma바카라사이트matician¡¯s blackboard add up, to explain how to build wormholes or detail 바카라사이트 finer points of time travel. ¡°The key is to get film-makers to realise that 바카라사이트 more 바카라사이트y let me help 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 science, 바카라사이트 more cool 바카라사이트ir story can be; 바카라사이트 deeper dive 바카라사이트y do, 바카라사이트 more fun elements 바카라사이트y can bring up,¡± he said.