Professor AC Grayling, former Professor of Philosophy at Birbeck College, University of London is leading the launch of the College, along with other world class academics Richard Dawkins, Sir David Cannadine and Niall Ferguson.

Speaking of the college, which will offer eight undergraduate degrees in five areas of the humanities, Grayling says, “Our students will be challenged to develop as skilled, informed and reflective thinkers, and will receive an education to match that aspiration.”

The London-based College, which is due to open next September, has sparked much debate among educational professionals and professors across the UK in regards to equality and financial fairness.

Commenting on the institution, Baroness Blackstone, Vice Chancellor of the University of Greenwich said that The New College of Humanities would be “an institution for the very rich”.

Whilst General Secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) Sally Hunt said, “While many would love the opportunity to be taught by the likes of AC Grayling and Richard Dawkins, at £18,000 a go it seems it won’t be the very brightest but those with the deepest pockets who are afforded the chance.”

Speaking at an event in London on Tuesday, Grayling found himself facing stern criticism and angry chants about budget cuts and his responsibility to the education sector from audience members. Defending his position Grayling stated: “We’ve set up a charitable trust as well that is already taking endowments. We want to be able to educate gifted people from the state sector for free – we might be the only institution doing this.” He continued “We are not in it to get rich, God knows that is not going to happen.”

What do you think? Is The New College of Humanities a good idea? Do you think it discriminates against poorer students?

Bangor University has officially opened an office in Beijing, China with the launch being led by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor John G Hughes and including speeches by both the UK’s Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood CMG and Director An Yuxiang of the Chinese Services Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE). The event also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between CSCSE and Bangor University.

In his introduction Professor Hughes said “Bangor is well established as a destination of choice for Chinese students and China forms a key part of Bangor’s strategy to recruit 20% of its students from overseas.” However the underlying theme of the event was not one of recruitment but partnership, Bangor’s commitment to which was illustrated by the agreement with CSCSE that was signed at the same event. Professor Hughes said “Partnership is the way forward and that is not just in the terms of student recruitment and exchange but in areas such as research collaboration and quality assurance. These partnerships need to be underpinned by deep, trusting relationships and joint activities.” He went on to add “In my opinion the UK Education sector has a lot to learn from their Chinese counterparts. This new office and the MoU with CSCSE demonstrate Bangor’s intention to be at the forefront of this knowledge exchange.”

In his address Ambassador Wood took up the partnership theme saying, “The Prime Ministers of both China and the UK have recently confirmed their commitment to a ‘Partnership for Growth’ in which they will contribute to each others development strategies.” He went on to talk about how, as China moved into the next phase of its development that the UK was well placed to be a valuable ally in the development of the Chinese service sector particularly in areas such as finance, business and education. He concluded by congratulating Bangor on the establishment of its Beijing office saying “I am confident that it will lead to a further deepening of Bangor’s relationships with its Chinese partners to mutual benefit.”

Before signing the MoU Director Yuxiang, again echoing the theme of partnership, said that “It is a special day for the CSCSE and Bangor as this MoU will deepen cooperation between the two institutions, to the benefit of both, and provide greater opportunities for Chinese students.”

Summing up the success of the event Dr Xinyu Wu, Bangor’s International Development Director concluded by saying that she expected that this type of activity would allow partners to increase “Mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutually beneficial collaborations.”

Also present were British Council Education Marketing team, senior representatives from a number of Bangor University’s partner universities based in Beijing including Beijing Normal University, China University of Political Science and Law, Renmin University, Beihang University, State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) and the Chinese Services Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) and a number of Bangor’s Chinese Alumni.

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Republished with the kind permission of Wales International Consortium. To read more about international education in Wales, visit the WIC website at http://www.walesinternationalconsortium.com/

The merger would see three of the five University of Wales Alliance institutions -the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (Uwic), Swansea Metropolitan University and Trinity Saint David in Carmarthen, join as one body. They would become a single entity and would be under the direction of just one vice-chancellor.

The three universities already work together to provided students with University of Wales degrees. It has been said that the other two universities in the existing alliance- the University of Wales, Newport and Glyndwr University, may be able to join the new university in the future. Should this happen, the university will be the largest in terms of student numbers in Wales.

Further details of the merger are to be discussed today by senior management of the three universities, in order to finalise the proposals.  Should they be given the go ahead, it is understood that the ‘super university’ would be unveiled next year in August.

The new plans follow a warning by Welsh education minister, Leighton Andrews, last year that universities would only be allowed to increase tuition fees in 2012 if the could show their ability to collaborate more closely, in effect telling them to “adapt or die”. The Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCW) also published plans to halve the number of universities in Wales by 2013, making the number of institutions in Wales no more than six, with not more than two institutions in each region.

However, this is not the first time a Welsh ‘super university’ has been discussed; in 2003, Uwic and the nearby University of Glamorgan were in talks to merge, creating the biggest university in Wales, but the talks later fell through. Uwic’s involvement in this new merger may be a surprise to some, given its location in the southeast of Wales. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Swansea Metropolitan University, both located in the southwest, had already announced plans to join as one body at the end of last year.

Uwic has seen great success since joining the University of Wales Alliance, climbing the ranks in the National Student Survey to become the best university in Wales for 2010 in terms of student satisfaction with their university experience.

It seems such collaborations can be beneficial to institutions, and students, and it is believed that further initiatives between universities will be discussed in the future. A University of Wales spokesman told the BBC that the Alliance wanted to “to ensure that Wales continues to be competitive on the global stage and builds on its strengths in research, teaching, knowledge transfer and innovation.”

For more information about studying in Wales, please see our i-studentadvisor UK guide.

The announcement came at a roundtable for Canadian and Indian university presidents in the presence of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Canada’s Minister of State (Science and Technology) and India’s Minister of Human Resource Development, the Honourable Kapil Sibal. This event is part of the historic Canadian university mission to India designed to forge mutually beneficial links between Canada and India – one of the world’s most dynamic economies. The visit is organized by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and includes fifteen presidents from universities across Canada.

“We all recognize the importance of a deeper engagement with India, for the individual Canadian universities that form this delegation, and also more broadly for the entire Canadian higher education sector,” said Stephen J. Toope, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia in making the announcement on behalf of the delegation. “The mission has been an effective catalyst, inspiring universities across Canada to create new awards for Indian students and form new partnerships with Indian universities and institutes.”

“Thanks to the leadership of our government, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and its member institutions, Canada is becoming a destination of choice for international research talent,” said Minister of State Goodyear. “We will continue to vigorously pursue the tremendous opportunities for scientists and businesses to conduct research and invest in innovation in Canada.”

The centrepiece of the package announced today is the Globalink Canada-India Graduate Fellowship Program which will provide up to fifty-one awards valued at more than $3.5 million for Indian students who have participated in the MITACS Globalink program in 2010, an initiative that brings Indian undergraduate students to Canada for summer research internships.

Eight Canadian universities – McMaster University, Simon Fraser University, The University of British Columbia, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, University of Waterloo and The University of Western Ontario – are providing funding for these new graduate fellowships.

The additional Canadian university investments in India come in the form of India-specific initiatives by participating universities including new scholarship programs for Indian students from The University of British Columbia, OCAD University, Queen’s University, University of Regina, Royal Roads University, Saint Mary’s University, Vancouver Island University and Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as funding for institutional partnerships for the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Manitoba.

“These new investments are a concrete demonstration of Canadian universities’ commitment to partnering with Indian universities and supporting Indian students in the spirit of international education,” says AUCC President Paul Davidson. “Higher education is essential to the advancement of our participation in the global knowledge economy – both for Canada and India. This type of academic cooperation and mobility facilitates that progress.”

Dr Kriti Narain, Principal of Jai Hind College in Mumbai and Professor John Vinney, Vice-Chancellor of UK based Bournemouth University, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the two institutions to work more closely together.

Jai Hind is a leading college in Mumbai, affiliated to the University of Mumbai. They have both Junior and Senior Colleges, the latter educating students to degree and masters level.  The subjects offered include Media, Commerce and Science.

The link between Jai Hind and BU has been developed by the University’s Media School and International Marketing & Student Recruitment Team.

Following the formal signing ceremony, the visitors met with Stephen Jukes, Dean of the Media School, and his colleagues followed by a tour of facilities.  They then visited with Dr Xavier Velay and Dr Reza Sahandi in the School of Design, Engineering and Computing before meeting Professor Matthew Bennett, Dean of the University’s School of Applied Sciences and visiting the School’s labs, escorted by Dr Daniel Franklyn and Iain Green.

This is the third visit BU has received from Jai Hind over the last year. Staff from BU have also made many visits to Jai Hind in Mumbai to meet staff and present to their students. This visit to BU was very successful and the University looks forward to developing the link further.

Since the system was introduced ten years ago, UCAS has rated the level of qualifications and grades achieved by students and awarded a certain amount of points; these points are then used by universities to assess the aptitude of students and offer places on degree courses.

At the time the system was created, the majority of university applicants had A-Level qualifications. Now, however, only half  of university applicants pursue A-Levels prior to university, with many students achieving alternative qualifications. In light of this greater diversity, and the limitations of the current system in showing how one particular qualification may be of more value than another, UCAS are beginning a review into the points-based system which is expected to take up to two years.

Professor Sir Robert Burgess, chair of the UCAS Board and Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University, said: “The UCAS tariff has been very valuable to the higher education sector which uses it in many different ways to support the admissions process and understanding of qualifications. A review is appropriate at a time when applicants are using an increasingly diverse range of qualifications to progress in to higher education.”

The announcement has received support from both the National Union of Students and the Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, who said: “I’m very pleased UCAS is undertaking this review, because our universities admissions system needs to recognise the full range of modern qualifications, including apprenticeships. It is important to ensure that we value both academic and vocational qualifications, provided they are rigorous. That is the way to make sure people have the best possible chance to go on to higher education.”

The chief executive of UCAS, Mary Curnock Cook, added: “Getting onto your chosen course in higher education has always been competitive. UCAS wants to make sure that everyone can understand the currency of particular qualifications for entry to particular courses and can make a realistic and successful application.”

For more information on studying in the UK, read the latest UK i-studentadvisor guide.

The scheme is aimed at students completing the professional practice certificate in Special Educational Needs established through the UK-India Education Research Initiative (UKIERI).

As well as participating in UKIERI, Roehampton has established further partnerships in India with the Gujarat government as well as the University of Baroda.

Roehampton vice-chancellor Paul O’Prey said “In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the government’s assessment of the quality of research conducted in our universities came out as one of the best of any modern university. A third of our research is rated internationally excellent.”

Speaking of Roehampton’s Indian connections, O’Prey added: “India is becoming a very important part of our academic activity and we are becoming popular with Indian students wanting to study at our university at Master’s level.”

For more information on the scholarships, contact Roehampton University via their website here.

To get all the advice and guidance you need on applying to UK universities check out the latest edition of our UK e-magazine.

Professor Borysiewicz was nominated by the University Council. Subject to the approval of the Regent House, the University’s governing body, he will succeed the present Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alison Richard, at the end of her seven-year term on October 1 2010.

The Vice-Chancellor is the full-time, resident head of the University and its most senior academic officer. The role dates back to 1412 and Professor Borysiewicz will be the 345th office-holder. The nomination is the culmination of an international search, which the University Council’s Advisory Committee began earlier this year.

Professor Frank Kelly, Master of Christ’s College, Cambridge, who oversaw the search, said:

“In its 800th anniversary year the University has had much to celebrate from its past achievements and its transforming effect on lives and society, and it looks to the future with confidence and ambition.

“Professor Borysiewicz’s wide experience and outstanding personal qualities equip him superbly to lead Cambridge as a world-leading centre for education and research.”

Prior to joining the MRC, Professor Borysiewicz was Deputy Rector at Imperial College London, having joined in 2001 as Principal of the Faculty of Medicine. In his latter role at Imperial, Sir Leszek was responsible for the overall academic and scientific direction of the college, particularly the development of inter-disciplinary research between engineering, physical sciences and biomedicine. During his time at Imperial, Sir Leszek was also Governor of the Wellcome Trust (2006-2007), Chairman of the UKCRC Integrated Academic Training Awards Panel (2005-2007), and he continues to Chair the HEFCE RAE Main Panel A Assessment Panel.

Previously he had been a Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Cambridge (1988-1991), as a member of Wolfson College where he is now an Honorary Fellow, before moving to the University of Wales as Professor of Medicine (1991 – 2001).

Professor Borysiewicz was knighted in the 2001 New Year’s Honours List for his research into developing vaccines, including a vaccine to prevent the development of cervical cancer.

Professor Borysiewicz said: “I am delighted to be nominated for the position of Vice-Chancellor and excited by the opportunity to build on Cambridge’s strong tradition of academic excellence in both teaching and research. I will be sad to leave the Medical Research Council but I am proud to have helped the MRC write the next chapter in its long and successful history of improving human health through the impact of its excellent research.”

University of Exeter Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Steve Smith, and colleagues, met alumni in all three cities and shared with them the University’s progress and successes.

Alumni across a number of decades, including many who graduated in 2009, attended the events. All enjoyed the opportunity to meet old friends and catch-up on the latest news from the University. They heard that Exeter is now ranked 9th UK university in The Times Online Good University Guide and learned about University developments, including the Forum project, which are now underway.

The events took place during a visit to South East Asia by Professor Steve Smith and senior colleagues, which covered Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia.

University of Exeter Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Steve Smith said: “It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet so many University alumni in South East Asia. Each year we run many events like this for Exeter graduates all over the world. It is always a great pleasure to talk to alumni about their memories of Exeter — whether they graduated months or years ago – and to tell them about the exciting things that are happening here now.”

The University of Exeter now attracts students from 120 different countries and welcomed a record 1,700 international students this year. There are now 2,600 international students.