$577k for a University party?

That's how much Purdue University is said to have spent on a bit of a do for some of its donors (ie around £290k). According to the Chronicle, the bash was to celebrate the end of a seven year campaign which raised $1.7B (around £850m). So is it reasonable to splurge under half of a …

Changes in the Registrar’s Department

There will be a number of changes taking place on 1 August. A statement about the changes is available here.

Subsidising international students

Interesting report from HEPI on the economic costs and benefits of international students. The basic argument is that international students benefit the UK economy hugely. It is therefore in the nation's interest to have more of them and it is cost-effective to subsidise their studies (perhaps even offer almost free places as Germany does?) because …

Digby (Lord) Jones: Honorary Degree

A really good speech from Lord Jones at the Graduation Ceremony on 19 July: The audio is available on the University of Nottingham Podcast site. Video also available (for the full gowned effect). He generously (and, of course, justifiably) compliments the University in many ways and there is a nice anecdote about being picked up …

Two Ministries better than one?

Mike Baker on the BBC website comments on the possibilities for a "messy divorce" following the break up of the DfES. All seems harmonious so far though, apart from a bit of confusion in the post-16 area. The role of the new Department which features "Universities" in its title, DIUS, is particularly of interest though: …

Clearly a slow news day…

Leeds Met "offers degree in northernness" University students can learn about coal-mining, rugby league and brass bands as part of a new degree course in northern life. And pies? The one-year Master of Arts course in Northern Studies will run at Leeds Metropolitan University from September. It is thought to be the first time an …

Feedback of a sort

on Graduation See this chap's blog He is arguing about whether the change in fees has brought about a genuine change of attitude in universities and whether we do see students as customers now. Whilst it is not at all as straightforward as this what he does do is commend the University of Nottingham's graduation …

All shall have academies

Ed Balls has announced that every university should be working on an academy. Ed Balls, the new Schools Secretary, used his inaugural speech to the House of Commons to call for an accelerated expansion of the academy programme. Mr Balls said he now wanted "every university to actively engage with academies" - the so-called independent …

Notes from the Departmental Meeting

Notes from the Departmental meeting are available here (note University of Nottingham access only). Apologies for not posting these sooner. Thank you again to everyone who contributed and wrote up notes from the discussion (any subsequent errors are entirely down to me).

Aussies draw back…

...from international programmes. Following the withdrawal by UNSW from its Singapore expedition, others are reining in too according to the Chronicle The University of Southern Queensland last week confirmed that nearly one-third of its 37 offshore programs had recently been culled, with more cuts likely in the near future. "I'm not going to tell you …

Defusing the ‘demographic timebomb’

(Ok, strictly speaking, even if there was a demographic timebomb you would require something a bit more drastic than a detailed analysis of the data to 'defuse' it) A new Hepi report on future student numbers: Demand for HE in 2020 and beyond This little report is a striking one for two reasons - first, …

Student records progress

A slightly breathless PR about the fact that we are implementing SITS has appeared. It is quite difficult to make this kind of thing sound genuinely interesting and I think this represents a decent attempt. However, the most important thing is that this is a really significant development for the University and as someone says …

Really really interest-ing

Writing about: Really interest-ing BBC just reported on 'Help for poor with tuition fees' More students from poorer families in England and Northern Ireland are to receive full grants for university, the government has said. Students whose families earn less than £25,000 a year will get a full grant - up from the present level …

Really interest-ing

According to the Guardian the Government is about to raise the level of interest on student loans to commercial levels: The head of the newly formed Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, is set to make a big announcement on student support to the House of Commons today. The new minister's statement is …

Community relations – not the first

Reading University has just employed a community relations manager University bosses have appointed a troubleshooter to put an end to antisocial behaviour by students affecting residents. Reading University's new community relations manager, has vowed to take "prompt action" over any student troublemakers. But she emphasised that most students were "an asset to the community". The …