RAE results predictor?

Predicting RAE outcomes before the submission Interesting RAE pre-results (by 13 months) commentary in The Guardian According to a league table based on research impact, PhD numbers and income - which was drawn up by Evidence for EducationGuardian.co.uk - the frontrunners will remain the big research players, known as the "golden diamond": Imperial and University …

Not another transcendental university

That's all we need Not entirely clear from the Guardian story exactly how the "Invincible Donovan University" will qualify for the award of the university title but guess these things will just kind of happen: Donovan claimed that the practice of transcendental meditation would enhance the learning experience. "It will be a normal university but …

Closing Oxbridge?

Not quite. But in a recent entertaining debate in the US, it was proposed that three members of the Ivy league - Harvard, Yale and Princeton - be shut down altogether. A fanciful notion but it clearly gave rise to lots of deep-seated prejudice - largely from those who weren't admitted in the past it …

Understanding a little more about WP

An important new report on some of the biggest challenges in widening participation. The report focuses on areas with the lowest HE progression rates: between 8% and 13% of 18- and 19-year-olds in these constituencies pursue a higher education course at a university or further education college, compared with 33% nationally. The argument is about …

Degree classifications: just too good to lose

The final report of the group on measuring and recording student achievement has been published. The report (available from UUK) basically accepts that changing the traditional degree classification system is just too darn difficult and that we can only get round it by adding a new and improved transcript (with a new name - HEAR) …

Another interesting league table

Presented by the Aspen Institute and with the intriguing title of 'Beyond Grey Pinstripes'. This table offers an alternative ranking of business schools which focuses on integration of corporate social responsibility issues. And Nottingham University Business School (deservedly) does rather well.

Princeton downgrades

Princeton resorts to norm-referencing From the Chronicle, September 18, 2007 Princeton Gives Top Marks to Its 3-Year-Old Policy to Control Grade Inflation It’s harder to be a straight-A student at Princeton University than it was three years ago, according to Nancy W. Malkiel, dean of the college. In a faculty meeting on Monday, Ms. Malkiel …

5% “cheat on UCAS forms”

Large number of UCAS cheats But to what end?! Anyway, UCAS is going to scan all personal statements this time around according to the BBC. We'll see how many use the burnt pyjamas story next time (284 in the trial last year I think). So, we'll find out when a personal statement is not actually …

Admissions issues

From the Chronicle: Investigation Uncovers Admissions Scandal at Prestigious University in Uganda, by WACHIRA KIGOTHO Makerere University, in Uganda, one of the most prestigious universities in Africa, may revoke more than 200 degrees awarded in the past four years after an internal investigation discovered that the students had been enrolled without any evidence that they …

In-house Facebook?

According to Business Week, this is what the big companies are now doing, ie providing an internal social networking alternative. By luring employees into a network, companies hope to leverage their skills and contacts. But they also hope that all that collaboration will cut out time that's now spent mailing documents and e-mailing comments. A …