Universities Unite UK universities have
united together to announce their opposition to plans to
establish an EU watchdog for higher education. HE institutions
fear they would be restricted by bureaucratic red tape if such an
organisation was created. However, the universities and NUS have
called for the creation of a European research council. By
Emily Ford ‘Green’ Glass Oxford Brookes
University scientists are working with landlords to reduce the
500,000 tonnes of glass that is thrown out by pubs and clubs
every year. Around 84 % of this waste goes to landfill. A pilot
study, called the Glass Goes Green project, was carried out
earlier this year and indicated that many licensees would be
willing to recycle glass despite the cost involved. Similar
projects are now planned across the country. Reaffiliation Following a vote last Friday
Exeter MCR are to reaffiliate to OUSU. The MCR, which
disaffiliated last year due to disatisfaction with OUSU’s
graduate provision reviewed the situation last week and decided
that there had been positive changes. The MCR expressed pleasure
at the changes made under VP graduates, Dan Paskins. Split Ends An article by two Oxford
professors have given split ends the official scientific name of
‘distral trichorrhexis nodosa’. The authors, Drs Ali
and Dawber, also suggest that a few split ends are normal but too
many may indicate excessive damage from poor hair-care and that
the condition could be an inherited characteristic instead of
being caused by calcium deficiency, as previously assumed. By
Tess Andrews Freemasons The ‘Grand Charity’ of
the United Grand Lodges of England and Wales of Ancient Accepted
Freemasons has donated almost £35,000 to a research project in
Oxford. The study will investigate the link between Diabetes and
a respitory condition, both of which affect around 10% of the
population. Dyslexics first A recent study by researchers
at Plymouth University has found that students with dyslexia are,
in fact, “slightly more likely” to achieve top-class
degrees than their peers. Carole Sutton, coauthor of the report
is keen to stress that the figures are “statistically
insignificant”. She explains the findings by noting that
students who recognise their dyslexia are often motivated to seek
out the relevant support on offer to them and to work harder to
overcome their difficulties. By Lucy Oliver
Breathaliser A University spin-off company,
Oxford Medical Diagnostics, is developing a form of breath
analyser that claims to detect any disease. The ‘breath
test’ method is very sensitive, non-invasive for the
patient, and gives a result in seconds. By Alasdair HendersonARCHIVE: 6th week TT 2004
News in Brief
