By Ralph Marnham
The university rankings that are announced each autumn have been met with increasing levels of attention from academic institutions around the world. When Cambridge beat Harvard for the number one spot in the QS World University Ranking System this September, they put out a press release. Likewise, when Harvard topped the Times Education Supplement two weeks later, it was their turn to boast.
By Andrea Marrinan
Last week, students and lecturers united on the streets of London to voice their rage at UK government plans to raise tuition fees.
By Monika Urbanski
AT LEAST 1000 students took to the streets of China’s western Qinghai province last month in a rare protest against curbs on using their language in schools. The protests were caused by educational reforms already implemented in other parts of the Tibetan plateau, which order all subjects to be taught in Chinese and all textbooks to be written in Chinese, except for Tibetan language and English classes.
By Aine Pennello
On Tuesday 19 October, three hundred French students barricaded the road at the Place de la République in Paris, chanting and throwing bottles at police. Objecting to the government’s proposal to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62, students as young as 15 have joined the nationwide demonstration movement.
By Ralph Marnham
A new government bill has been given the green light by a select committee in the New Zealand’s parliament. The Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill was proposed by Heather Roy, an MP with the ACT New Zealand political party, and has the backing of the majority National party.
By Ralph Marnham
A GROUP of Yale undergraduates stood before reporters on Tuesday 5 October at Phelps Gate on the university campus to give their versions of what had happened when police interrupted a private party in downtown New Haven the previous Saturday morning. They recounted an incident in which they say police, some in SWAT gear, barged into Elevate club, barked orders and profanities and provocatively threatened arrest for anyone who questioned their presence or asked the most basic questions.
By Ines Novacic
Serbia’s second Gay Pride parade took place in Belgrade on Sunday 10 October, with 5,000 police officers and members of special anti-terrorist Gendarmerie guarding the procession. By the time the parade was set to begin, police faced over 400 protesters chanting “death to homosexuals”. Most of these were students between the ages of 17 and 21. They argued that the money put aside by the State to provide Pride security could have been used to pay student fees.
By Ralph Marnham
For the past three months, the warning signals from the coalition government in the UK have been clear: there will be cuts to the university budgets and the current system of capped tuition fees is unsustainable. Next month, a radical review of university funding will be published by Lord Browne, the former BP chief executive.
