iTunes U

But only in North America it seems... See here for the blurb. This has been in the pipeline for a while though I think.

Spicing up computer science

See the full story about this on the improbably named Canoe site. Schools across the country are taking steps to broaden the appeal of the major. More than a dozen universities have adopted "media computation" programs, a sort of alternate introduction to computer science with a New Media vibe. The classes, which have been launched …

I want my very own prospectus

A novel approach to overcoming rising postage costs... The initiative, developed by Anglia Ruskin University, cuts down on production and postage but has yet to prove whether it also brings an increase in the number of applications. A traditional paper copy of a full prospectus from the university, which has campuses in Cambridge and Chelmsford, …

Faddish behaviour…

Management Fads in Higher Education: Where They Come From, What They Do, Why They Fail by Robert Birnbaum This is just an outstanding book. Although the focus is on the USA, the messages are eminently translatable to the UK context. Birnbaum carefully analyses and deconstructs the big management fads to have hit US universities including: …

“From hack to boffin”

Hack to boffin in six months? University seeks journalist Let us ignore the shorthand of "hack" and "boffin" here - it is a really good story... A university is hoping to turn a journalist from a hack into boffin in six months, opening its doors to give them an in-depth look at the world of …

Restrictive practices?

Google bans essay writing ads Apparently: The advert ban from the Google search engine has been "warmly welcomed" by university authorities. But it has angered essay writing firms which say this will unfairly punish legitimate businesses. From next month, Google will no longer take adverts from companies which sell essays and dissertations - and the …

The really top UK universities?

Is this really that shocking? Not quite controversial (but entertaining as always) article by Peter Knight in the Guardian. Basically, he argues that some universities are genuinely better than others. Difficult to disagree, especially when his nominations include Oxford and Cambridge. But the really interesting point here is that part of his argument in selecting …

Students in bloom

Bloomin' marvellous As part of Nottingham in Bloom students are being encouraged to do a spot of gardening. This should also serve to show that not all students conform to the traditional stereotype. Decent prize too. Although I think the closing date has now passed. Anyway, just a really good idea I think. Students in …

Studentification in Swansea

It seems we're not the only place with issues... The "studentification" of peaceful localities is destroying communities, says Liz Morris, secretary of the residents' association for the Brynmill and Uplands area of Swansea. Transient populations of students with no long-term interest in the area turn up for eight months of the year, party hard, dump …

League Tables presentation from AUA 2007

For information Presentation delivered at AUA conference 2007 at Nottingham Nothing terribly revolutionary and pre-dates the Guardian 2007 table so already past its sell by date. Probably the last time it will appear in this form so there is some merit in posting I guess.

Sim University – More real than reality?

Writing about web page http://thesims2.ea.com/about/ep1_index.php Now I suspect that this has been around for a while but have only just noticed. There is something absolutely appalling and yet fascinating about these descriptions though: In The Sims 2 University players for the first time will play through the new "young adult" life stage as their Sims …