Polish students go for gold
NISKO (sandomierz) -- Students from the Regional Centre for Professional Education in Nisko have won gold and silver medals at this year’s International Exhibition of Inventions. The students presented an innovative project, called ‘wireless transmission of electricity’. The event is the biggest of its kind in Poland, and research institutes, universities and polytechnics were represented there ... read more 02.11.2017
Berlin: A paradise for Brexit refugees?
BERLIN (esna) -- The prospect of a ‘no-deal Brexit’, which would sharply hinder British science in its cooperation with the continent at large, is looming on the horizon. This coupled with rising tuition fees, and a growing sense of ‘Brexit McCarthyism’ is driving British students away, and Berlin is all too happy to have them ... read more 10.11.2017
What’s the right student loan interest policy?
LONDON (inside highered) -- At the moment, the pendulum in most of the world is to reduce interest on student loans – and certainly to avoid anything that looks like a market rate. A Dutch solution – providing loans to students at government rate of borrowing for the life of the loan – is a good middle-ground solution ... read more 05.11.2017
Gap between academic training and research in Russia
MOSCOW (krasnaya vyesna) -- Alexander Sergeyev, head of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has criticised the current system for research in Russia, by which the function of producing innovations is given to universities, while academic institutions train personnel. He calls for further integration of the two bodies ... read more 31.10.2017
Mandate from heaven
ROME (wiadomosci) -- Pope Francis at a symposium on migrants and refugees, held at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome with the International Federation of Catholic Universities, has spoken about the need to study the causes of migration and xenophobia, saying “it is essential to give people the right not to be forced to flee their country” ... read more 04.11.17
Irish students are choosing Dutch universities
GALWAY (galway advertiser) -- There are currently more than 1,000 Irish students registered on English-taught degree programmes in Dutch universities, a number that has nearly doubled in recent years. Irish students are now enrolling in Dutch research universities, most of which are higher-ranked than University College Dublin, studying subjects such as psychology, law, business, politics, engineering, and life sciences. They are also attracted to the excellent applied universities ... read more 26.10.2017
Refugee shelters for Dutch students
GRONINGEN (science guide) -- The university council in Groningen is ringing the alarm bells over the lack of student accommodation in the city. In September, the shortage was so dire that an emergency shelter for refugees was used to temporarily house students. “We are now asking for a permanent solution”, says Sjoerd Kalisvaart of the city’s Student Union ... read more 02.11.2017
Baltic States create joint scholarship
TARTU (jurist vārds) -- The rectors of leading universities from the three Baltic States have met to sign a cooperation agreement for the creation of a new scholarship. It will be awarded to students who either speak or study all three languages of the nations ... read more 06.11.2017
New teaching method for Moldovan students
CHIȘINĂU (adevarul) -- Six Moldovan universities have implemented a new method of problem-based teaching and learning, with less theory. Liliana Ţurcan from the State University of Moldova praises the initiative: “We are changing attitudes. Students become more independent, more active, and generate ideas.” This project is supported by Erasmus+ programme with 1.5 million euros ... read more 25.10.2017
British universities to uphold free speech
LONDON (uo) -- British Minister of State for Universities and Science in the UK, Jo Johnson has made an announcement outlining plans to allow the Office for Students (OfS) to impose sanctions on student unions, should they ‘no-platform’ controversial speakers. This comes not long after British MP, Christ Heaton-Harris’s controversial letter to universities, naming and shaming lecturers teaching about Brexit, brought up concerns about academic integrity ... read more | and here 03.11.2017
US environment agency's conflict of interest crackdown
WASHINGTON (nature) -- The US Environmental Protection Agency has moved to ban researchers who receive grants from serving on the agency’s advisory boards, in an effort to crack down on conflicting interests. However, scientists and environmentalists have criticised the move ... read more 31.10.2017
Turkey: Burdur’s universities to pay their share
BURDUR (burdur gazetesi) -- Turkish regional governor Şerif Yılmaz has said in a statement that “universities should be more integrated into the city”. The governor met with rector, Adem Korkmaz to evaluate how the university can attract new people to the region, and support to the production and exports of the local agricultural industry ... read more 02.11.2017
Latvia lied about science funding goal
RIGA (baltic course) -- The president of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Ojārs Sparītis has condemned his country’s government over their broken promise to commit 1.5 percent of GDP to science by 2020. The country lied to the European Union and the European commission about that goal, the scientist said. As of the moment, the funding has only reached one tenth of this amount ... read more 20.10
Alliance of Saxon technical universities
DRESDEN (dnn) -- The technical universities in Dresden, Freiberg and Chemnitz have founded the Light Construction Alliance of Saxony. The region aims to become a leader in the sector of lightweight vehicle construction through the combined knowledge of these institutions ... read more 30.10.2017
Horizon 2020 on the home straight
BRUSSELS (science business) -- The plan for the soming last three years of the EU research funding programme Horizon 2020 sees a tighter focus, with more funding for research into security and migration, money for foreign researchers, and a pledge to help poorer member states develop their own science bases ... read more 31.10.2017