The number of private school pupils is on the increase at seven out of the top ten universities in the UK, according to new research from the University of Exeter. Oxford was one of three where their number has declined.

Of the ‘traditional’ subjects such as engineering, sciences and languages, 24% of private school students go on to study these at university, while only 17% of state schoolers make this choice.

These results will dishearten ministers who have pumped money into education to attempt to close the gap.

Not all was doom and gloom, however, as Oxford, Exeter and UCL all recorded an increase in state school students. Numbers have been rising since 2003/4, but Chloe Wildman, an Oxford student who went to state school pointed out “by studying more diverse subjects more students might stay in education, even if they didn’t go to a top ten university, which is a positive result.”

Cambridge University is now in proud possession of its first online tabloid, The Tab.

Taymoor Atighetchi, one of the paper’s founders, described the paper as an antidote to “a particularly conservative and dry Varsity.”

The Tab is not without its critics. The weekly feature ‘Tab Totty’ has attracted the anger of the CUSU’s Women’s Union, which launched a campaign to have the paper closed down.

Despite this, The Tab website is proving to be massively popular. It received 88,000 hits in its first week.

According to Atighetchi, Varsity, the independent Cambridge student newspaper, is losing readers to this new rival. He commented, “Colleges are complaining that not enough people are taking the newspaper from porters lodges leaving thousands of copies left for the bins.”

Launched on May Day, the Tab is still in its infancy, but its light-hearted and more comic take on the news seems to be providing a welcome service for Cambridge students.

Oxford has named Stephen Garrett as the News International Visiting Professor of Broadcast Media.

Garrett, the TV and film producer best known for his work on ‘Hustle’ and ‘Life on Mars’, is also Executive Chairman, of Kudos Film & Television Ltd.He succeeds Paul Gambaccini in the role.

Garrett will be lecturing in January and February on the subject of TV fiction, focusing on the relationship between commerce and culture. His first lecture is entitled ‘How to Grow a Creative Business According to the Laws of Chance’.

Garrett commented, “The appointment is a huge honour, and above all a great tribute to Kudos’ work over the past few years, as well as to my colleagues on both sides of the camera who have made it all possible.”

He will hold the position for the rest of the academic year.

Oxford will not be offering the Philosophy, Physiology and Psychology course after next year. The University is introducing a degree course in Biomedical Sciences as a replacement.

The medical sciences division, which will be providing the course states on its website, “The course is aimed at motivated students with grounding in science that have an interest in and aptitude for the processes underlying cell and systems biology and neuroscience. The material covered and the style of teaching will suit students who are eager to study how cells, organs and systems function in the human body.”

Students applying to start at Oxford in October 2010 will be the last PPPists, and those currently studying PPP will not be affected by the change.

A team of Oxford scientists has discovered that juggling can increase your brain power.

In a recent study volunteers learnt to juggle from scratch and researchers noted a 5% increase in white matter in their brains over 6 weeks.

White matter is the communication network of the brain, whereas grey matter is the storage area. This is the first time any sort of training has been shown to alter white matter.

Juggling has already been shown to increase grey matter in the brain. Oxford University Juggling Club President, Rob Wooley, said that juggling has improved his dyslexia, “It helps me think about more than one thing at a time, so I can read more quickly.”

The study could have implications for the treatment of degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

A group of anti-arms investment campaigners have been committing acts of graffiti on University property. The acts come in response to the University’s decision to review the way it invests money.

Last Friday night, graffiti appeared on Magdalen, St John’s, New College, Teddy Hall and Jesus colleges, as well as on the Sheldonian. The campaigners were protesting against what they argue are unethical investments by certain Oxford colleges and by the University.

Magdalen, St John’s, New, Nuffield, St Anthony’s, Corpus Christi, and Wolfson all invest more than £100,000 in companies that deal with arms manufacturing or arms dealing, such as BAE Systems and VT Group, according to figures collected by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT).

The University does have a Socially Responsible Investment Review Committee, which is currently being re-examined. Campaigners wanted to raise awareness of the issue ahead of the review. One activist, who wished to remain anonymous said, “Basically, we think that as members of the University, students shouldn’t have to feel associated with such an immoral and destructive business, and that it is therefore our duty to campaign until these policies are changed. The first step in this campaign is to let people know (because most don’t).”

BAE Systems have a history of unscrupulous dealings, and are currently being investigated about allegations that they bribed many countries from Africa, to the Middle East and Eastern Europe in order to secure contracts. The University also has more than £5 million invested in other arms companies in the UK and USA, according to CAAT figures.

The activist said, “We think ‘ethical investments’ don’t include companies whose explicit purpose is to produce weapons that kill not just other soldiers, but innocent civilians.”

Emily Middleton, President of Oxford University Amnesty International said, “I believe every college should have a policy of ethical investment, and should look carefully at exactly what their money is funding.

Each year, at least a third of a million people are killed directly by arms and many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. There is simply no excuse for colleges investing in corporations that could be fuelling this deadly trade.”

A spokesperson for the university said “the University supports free speech within the law; indeed, reasoned debate is central to University life. However, the University condemns illegal actions (such as vandalism).”

Merton students have been outraged this term by the hit of a sudden rise in rents due to a deal struck four years ago.

The JCR President, James Nation, has explained that the rents at the College increased this year by 12%. He described it as “regrettable and disappointing.”

The change was a result of a former JCR’s decision in 2005; a deal was negotiated whereby rent would be frozen for several years with no increases. Nation considered this unusual agreement “short-sighted… as you can imagine, [it] has caused frustration among the current crop of Mertonians.”

The JCR Executive has taken action to ensure the rent hike cannot reoccur, including producing a detailed rents report with recommendations for future rent discussions and advice on the considerable hardship grants available from the college.

They further gained assurances from the College that this type of rise would not happen again. The College have added a number of sections to their official handbook which state that yearly projections of rent will now be available. Nation assured students, “I’m told that rent will only increase in line with inflation for the foreseeable future.”

Nation says that the students at Merton “did not protest since most passively accepted that this had to happen.” A second-year Merton student explained, “The College didn’t really give the JCR many options as the decision was made several years ago.”

The JCR’s measures to ensure students feel supported during this period have had some success. Despite the hike, Tim Sherwin, a third year Classicist feels “perfectly happy and not bothered.”

He added, “The previous JCR committee probably did what they felt right at the time.”

Although one third year English student described the increase as a “shock,” they added, “Our College provides accommodation to students for the duration of our course, so we don’t have to live out at all, and this is not a big increase.”

Nation stressed, “We are still in the bottom third for rent costs compared to other Oxford Colleges – Mertonians do get a very good deal here and no doubt it will all turn full circle when other Colleges have to act. Who knows, we may be among the cheapest once again.”

Visa processing problems have prevented Pakistani students from taking up their places at Oxford this term.

Difficulties related to IT systems prevented the UK border agency in Pakistan from swiftly dealing with the applications over the summer. 5,000 people are caught up in the backlog, whilst a further 9,000 appeals against visa refusals are pending.

Pakistani student Razi Farooqui was due to begin his MSc studies at Oxford this term, but is currently stuck in Pakistan without a passport or visa. “Right now I should be a student at Oxford University. My classes started two days ago, but I am unable to attend, because I am stuck in Pakistan with no visa and no passport.

“I was informed by the university that they have deferred my admission until October next year, meaning I’ve lost a whole year. The university has been very supportive – they kept sending faxes and emails to the British high commission asking them to grant me a visa. God knows what is happening, but I know one thing – it shouldn’t take three months to check details that can be easily verified.”

Engineering student Murtaza Murad, based in Islamabad, has yet to receive his visa. His tutors at oxford have given him until 21st October to take up his place.

Oxford University Pakistan Society President, Qasim Raza commented, “I think the Home Office should be extremely ashamed of not being able to rectify the problems that are causing these insane delays in visa applications. Two months should be more than enough to sort out the IT problems that the home office said they were facing. They have to take this matter very seriously.”

An Oxford University spokesperson said, “The Student Information and Advisory Service is available to provide advice and assistance to any student who is having problems obtaining a visa.

“The UK Border Agency has admitted that there have been serious problems with the processing of visas for students from Pakistan this year due to problems with IT systems. The University is aware of a handful of cases where Oxford students have been caught up in the backlog and is working with the UK Border Agency to resolve these as swiftly as possible.”

The fact that visa applications must be made so close to the time of departure also seems to be affecting the speed of the process. Vice-President of Oxford University Pakistan Society, Ayyaz Mallick, commented, “One thing that has played a big part is not being able to apply for visa until 4 weeks before visa. This wasn’t the case when I applied four years ago.”

Home Secretary Alan Johnson visited Pakistan at the start of the month to discuss “counter-narcotics, crime and counter-terrorism”, but such is the fury over the applications backlog that the two-day visit threatened to be overshadowed by the visa row.

A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said, “During his visit to Pakistan Home Secretary Alan Johnson assured the Pakistan Government that the UK Border Agency is committed to providing an efficient visa service to its customers and is working hard to reduce visa processing times. He said he recognised and regretted the distress that had been caused to legitimate applicants due to IT problems experienced during the summer.

“We have introduced tough checks around the world for anyone applying for a visa to enter the UK, with applications checked for fraud and forgery, with individuals fingerprinted and checked against a range of watch-lists.”

Oxford’s new Vice Chancellor, Andrew Hamilton, has outlined his position on a number of Oxford’s biggest challenges this week. He announced that he has an American-style vision of “tying alumni [to a] life-long relationship with Oxford,” which he insisted is “not about money.”

Hamilton went on to talk to Cherwell about the future of University funding and the problems of his own image as an ‘outsider’ from America. He also discussed how he intends to tackle the University’s media image, its recent slip in an international poll of Universities and the lack of female academics in top University jobs.

Hamilton stressed the importance of University life; one of his chief ‘imported’ aims is to help current freshers to continue to feel connected with their University into their old age. “The three or four years that you spend at Oxford are often the three or four years where you find the passion in your life,” he said. “Also in those three years you make life-long friends, you engage in the interests that become important in your life.” He commented, “The American Universities have done this very well.”

While considering his vision to be part of a response to the funding problem, he argued, “People often think too quickly that it’s about money. It’s not about money; it’s about a life-long relationship with the University… The money comes later, the money becomes a natural deepening of the relationship that an alumnus or alumna who perhaps has been successful in their life feels the affinity with the University and wants to ensure that future generations have the same benefits and experiences that they had.”

He defended his ‘outsider’ status, saying, “You say an outsider as if that represents something foreign and problematic; absolutely not. I think it gives me a perspective of many different aspects of education, research and University administration which I hope will give me an advantage.” He added, “I am the first Vice-Chancellor not to have an Oxford degree. It’s not an advantage or disadvantage – it’s who I am.”

Since getting the job in June 2008, Hamilton has been trying to dispel the myth that he intends to Americanise the University. He pointed out, “the leading American Universities are, in fact, trying to become more like Oxford, they’re building colleges, they’re focusing on undergraduate education in an intense and excellence driven way in the way that Oxford does.”

He admitted to being frustrated recently by the Guardian’s description of his trans-Atlantic twang and shiny white teeth. “I think they were wishing to portray me as an American. While I have spent many years in America I still retain and have retained close links with the country of my birth.” He made clear that his teeth were “the product of 1970s British dentistry.”

In light of the recent ‘When Boris met Dave’ programme, he attacked the media’s often outdated depiction of Oxford. “The media has a perception that is much developed for their own purposes; that Oxford is an exclusive place with Sebastian and his teddy-bear on every street corner. That’s not the Oxford I’ve discovered; I’ve actually found a very modern, very vibrant, very diverse place that is firmly focused on the future.”

Hamilton lauded student ambassadors and bloggers who set about “busting the Oxford myth,” but agreed the University, too, had a duty to do more to tackle an off-putting ‘exclusive’ image. “We need to work harder to project the real Oxford. We’ve got to counter the perception of Oxford by a blizzard of stories of our own on the real Oxford.”

He was not worried by Oxford’s slipping in international league tables. “We should recognise that league tables are a very poor mechanism of judging the enormous complexity of a University and its many different dimensions. It’s very puzzling that here we have a University that only a few months ago achieved a remarkable performance in the research assessment exercise. It is odd to see that drop of one place. If one looks very hard at the details you will see that the only change that occurred from the previous year is a drop in the citations per paper.” Noting the drop had come in the very week of his taking up the job, he joked, “How careless of me!”

The male-dominance of the University’s staff was more of a concern. “I think it’s an area we’ve got to pay very close attention to; it’s a process that begins at the very beginning of recruitment, we’ve to be sure that we’re searching aggressively far and wide for candidates of the very highest academic quality but who come from different backgrounds.”

When pressed upon his position on student fees, he avoided committing himself to a side of the debate, “I’m not going to support or reject anything at the beginning of a debate – it’s too early for me to support or reject any part of that debate. I’m going to listen and consult… I want more information in front of me before I make any personal comments on the advantages or disadvantages of a particular strategy.”

He was, however, adamant in his focus on upping bursaries and scholarships. “I feel very strongly an important part the university has to play is in ensuring that, as the debate about fees unfolds, the issue of bursaries unfolds at the same rate.”

Oxford University has slipped beneath UCL in a world league table published this week, undermining its position amongst British and international institutions.

Oxford was placed joint-fifth with Imperial College in the Times-QS World University Rankings, whilst UCL assumed Oxford’s position from last year in fourth place, up from seventh.

Cambridge was ranked as the second-best institution in the world, the place occupied by Oxford just two years ago.

Phil Baty, editor of the table, explained reasons for the changes. He said, “UCL was only fractionally above Oxford overall. It gained points over Oxford for having a higher proportion of international students on its campus, and it achieved a higher score for its research excellence, suggesting that the work of its researchers has become more influential. Oxford comes out with perfect scores on reputation but citations per staff have slipped slightly while UCL has improved dramatically.”

Oxford achieved full marks in the opinion survey of academics, and in the survey where employers were asked whose graduates they most look to recruit, yet it lost points for research citations. Those compiling the league table concluded that while the top rankings were “very tight”, UCL’s investigations into issues such as global health and climate change, and its strong proportion of international students, merited its new position above the “global super-brands like Oxford”.

Oxford University has responded to the news by drawing attention to its high rankings in other tables. A spokesperson said, “League table rankings can vary as they often use different methods to measure success, but Oxford University’s position is surprising given that Oxford came top of the table for [research] funding, has the highest research income of any UK university, and has come first in every national league table.”

Jonny Medland, OUSU Vice-President of Access and Academic Affairs, was of the opinion that the league table should be considered within the bigger picture, “One result in a league table shouldn’t be viewed with too much concern. The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise showed Oxford as being the most powerful research university in the UK and the THE-QS rankings use a methodology which don’t fully take this into account. There is, however, always room for improvement.”

The UCL President and Provost, Professor Malcolm Grant, was happy with his university’s position commenting, “We are pleased by UCL’s spectacular progression up the tables in recent years. [It] is a remarkable place. It has an edginess to it, a spirit of restless energy, and its traditions are of radical change and innovation.”

The table also suggested that Oxford faces increased competition from international universities, particularly in India and the Far East. Phil Baty pointed out, “Spending on higher education in Asia is phenomenal and that’s why you see their results going up.”

Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group commented, “The broad message of these tables is clear – the leading UK research universities are held in high esteem internationally but countries like China and Korea, which are investing massively in their best institutions, are snapping at our heels.”

The announcement that Oxford had attained its worst placing since the tables began in 2004 has concerned some students. Anna Bone, a second year Human Sciences undergraduate said, “If Oxford really is struggling financially, that’s bad news. I’m surprised by this league table, because I thought Oxford was top of them all.”

The table was drawn-up on the basis of a survey of 9,386 academics, a poll of top 3,281 employers, staff-to-student ratios, recruitment of international staff and students, and research citations.