Oxford has been giving credibility to a fake university by allowing it to use Univerity premises, a BBC investigation has revealed.The documentary exposed the ‘Irish International University,’ which has hired rooms in the Divinity School near the Bodilean Library for academic ceremonies, even though the IIU has been told repeatedly to stop claiming university status. Photos of the ‘Convocation’ ceremonies were posted on the organisation’s website.Although it claimed to have a campus in Dublin, the IIU exists only as a business with a postal address. The organisation approached Oxford to host cermonies after it was denied a venue at Cambridge.In Michaelmas Cherwell revealed that a British-Malaysian company, Oxford Centre for Leadership, had held ‘graduation’ ceremonies for its ‘5-day Millionaires MBA programme’ at Keble, and used images of the college on its website. Keble subsequently banned the company from hiring out its facilities again.Seán Ó Foghlú, Chief Executive of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland said, “The Irish International University is not a recognised higher education institution in Ireland, nor are its awards nationally recognised in this country.”“In Ireland the title of “University” is regulated. The Irish International University is registered only as a business name. In fact, [the Department of Education and Science have] written to IIU on a number of occasions instructing them to cease using the term University.”A spokesperson for Oxford said, “Oxford University will not be renting its facilities to the Irish International University in the future. This is not an institution with which we wish to develop a relationship.”The BBC also discovered that the IIU’s Honorary Chancellor, His Excellency Baron Knowth was actually Professor Jeffrey Wooller, a chartered accountant from London. His professorship was awarded by IIU, and his ‘Baron’ title has been purchased.The IIU’s web pages also promised that its degrees are backed by the ‘Quality Assurance Commission’, an organisation which was discovered to be owned by the IIU’s Executive President, Prof. Hardeep Singh Sandhu.In a statement, the IIU argued that the accusations of deception were unfounded.It read, “The BBC investigation into an education scam perpetrated by a UK private college in the United Kingdom should be well applauded in undressing the true art of corrupt educational practices but not in the expense of the Irish International University; a reported story with no true essence.”“Yes the ceremonies held are for graduates from various study centres in Africa and Asia as we have always claimed to be a ‘Transnational University’ , thus Oxford and Cambridge for its educational image was used for graduation, not seduction.”The IIU had booked a dinner in September last year at Peterhouse College, Cambridge, but was denied the venue after further investigation by the college. The IIU was then able to book an room in Oxford at short notice to host its ‘Eighth Convocation ceremony’, held on 29 September at Convocation House in the Bodleian Library. According to the IIU’s website the ‘European Gala Event & Networking’ was also held last year at the Divinity School.A Cambridge University spokesperson said, “Regrettably from time to time others attempt unfairly to trade off our internationally renowned reputation. The university’s solicitors have objected on a number of occasions to IIU’s use of logos and other material which falsely suggest an association or connection with the University.”Gregory Hayman, Head of Communications at Cambridge University explained that the IIU had approached individual colleges to use their conference facilities. He explained that each college has its own policy on renting out its property but said it seemed that the IIU had “slipped through the net by booking rooms for functions out of term time.”The organisation has 5,000 students worldwide, thousands of graduates, and encourages foreigners to spend thousands of pounds in return for one of its qualifications.by Nadya Thorman

Keble finalist lost his way coming from from nightclub and died of hypothermiaBy Billy KenberA Keble student hasdied of hypothermia while on a college ski trip in France. Jon Hard, a 21-year-old PPE finalist became disorientated while returning from a night out on December 16th in the French ski resort of St Sorlin d’Arves. Leaving a late-night party without a coat he became lost and later collapsed from the cold. He was still alive when he was discovered the following morning but attempted resuscitation failed to save him.Jon’s father, David, told The Times what happened at the end of the ‘Rubik’s Cube’ party. “It came to an end at about 1am. He went back to the chalet and didn’t pick up his coat. He had obviously had a fair bit to drink, but he’s done it before. He didn’t have to be terribly drunk to do that. But he headed back in the wrong direction. “I’ve no idea what he was wearing. Knowing Jon, just a sweatshirt. He collapsed and cold overcame him. It was only when he didn’t turn up for skiing the next morning that he was missed.” Jon’s brother, Tim Hard, warned others of the dangers of cold weather. He said, “Speaking to some Swiss and Swedish friends, it is quite common for a very cold environment to confuse people quickly due to sheer ‘body shock’, with or without alcohol.” At the time of his death Jon Hard was on the Keble College ski trip with around 100 other students. The students had left Britain in coaches on December 14th and the ‘Rubik’s Cube’ party was intended to mark the first night of the week-long trip. After the tragedy a number of students returned home early. The ski trip committee have donated £100 from the trip’s budget to a charity fund-raising website set up in his memory. Keble is to hold a college memorial service of January 15th while many students attended Jon’s funeral at Leamington Spa on January 7th. Friends described the finalist as an “immensely popular and wellliked student at both school and university.” Dan Dimson, a fellow Keble third-year said, “This tragic accident couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy or a closer friend. Jon had many admirable qualities. To name but a few, I will remember fondly his smile, humour, caring nature, sensitivity, thoughtfulness, loyalty, compassion and his ability to listen. Jon will be missed by all, and will not be forgotten. Rest in peace.” Other students were made aware of Hard’s death in an email from the warden, Averil Cameron. Cameron wrote, “I am very sorry indeed to have to tell you of the tragic death of Jonathan Hard (3rd year PPE) while on the college ski trip. “We are all shocked and distressed by this very sad news and our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with Jon’s family and friends”, she added. John Maher, Keble JCR President, said, “Jon’s death is a tragedy that has shocked and saddened our college. He was a warm, friendly and well liked presence around Keble and will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this hard time.” Jon had rowed for Keble and represented the university in this year’sBritish Universities Karting Cham pionship. He was educated at Warwick School and lived with his parents in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. He had hoped to continue his studies after Oxford in the US. Friends listed his interests as including skiing, go-karting, rugby, kickboxing, fishing and gliding. A Facebook group set up in memory of Jon Hard has attracted more than 500 members. Friends called the student “One of the nicest guys I’ve ever met” while another said, “He was the kind of guy that everyone aspires to be like and was and will always be spoken highly of.” Jon’s parents have asked that anyone planning on buying flowers instead donate to his favourite charity, Mary’s Meals, which feeds children in the developing world. Those wishing to donate can do so by going to www.justgiving.co.uk/jonhard. Mr and Mrs Hard have promised to match all donations, up to a maximum of £6,000.

OUSU will reject £8,000 in advertising revenue from UBS next year in protest at the company’s links to the Sudanese government.UBS has come under extensive criticism over its assistance in launching PetroChina, a subsidiary of the China National Petroleum Company, on the Shanghai stock exchange. The CNPC provides financial support to the Sudanese government and military.The student union is seeking alternative advertisers for the Oxford and Cambridge Careers Guide 2008. The Oxford Student will also avoid using UBS advertisements from Michaelmas 2008. UBS has used both publications in the past for its graduate recruitment.Responding to the vote, Lincoln student and Aegis Trust Student Chair Mark Darby said, “We’re very pleased that OUSU is taking a stand against immoral corporations. Students have always been at the forefront of ethical campaigns against multinational companies and we hope to keep it that way.But concerns have been raised about the financial implications of the move, which has the potential to leave a substantial hole in OUSU’s budget for next year. OUSU’s Vice- President of Finance, Rich Hardiman, nevertheless played down the importance of the loss of income, stressing, “These things are always under review – the ideal situation is that they stop underwriting genocide.UBS declined to comment directly on OUSU’s decision but reiterated previous denials of any direct link to the situation in Darfur. The company’s website boasts a substantial section on corporate responsibility and claims, “We take human rights standards into account when vetting potential clients.” Amnesty International has already dismissed the distinction made by UBS between PetroChina and the CNPC as a “legal fig leaf.”by James Stafford

Oxford is receiving sponsorship contracts from arms companies worth at least £19 million, a report published last week has revealed.The report, Study War No More, was published jointly by the Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and looked at the contracts of 26 universities between 2001 and 2006.Oxford has received funding for 124 projects, the third most of any of the universities surveyed. It has received the 8th largest amount of money.Daniel Lowe, OUSU Environment and Ethics Officer, said the funding could contradict OUSU’s campaign for Socially Responsible Investment. He said, “Some years ago, OUSU began a campaign for socially responsible investment. The committee doesn’t ban investments per se, but provides a framework for removing unethical investments without harming the University’s revenue. What is ethical will be determined by committee policy, but the arms trade is one of the most likely contenders to be included.”Rolls Royce and QinetiQ are amongst the University’s top research sponsors. Their business interests include the study of marine electrical systems, development of fuel systems, and defence and security.In the past, they have worked with Oxford to investigate the properties of nickel alloys and contributed to research of computational fluid dynamics. Along with research grants, arms companies were found to have sponsored a number of bursaries, industrial placements and careers fairs.In 2005 the University laid out the benefits of the funding when announcing a collaboration with QinetiQ. A spokesperson said, “University and the company [will be] working together to identify areas of common technological interest. The partnership will allow QinetiQ to access the science and technology expertise of Oxford, and maintain an active involvement in its research innovations.”A spokesperson for the University stressed that the companies are not necessarily military ones, saying, “The legitimacy of the report relies entirely on whether its definition of ‘military’ projects is sound.”According to one analysis, the Ministry of Defence is in need of new weapons and University research is instrumental to the development of these.Professor Hartley of York University’s Centre for Defence Economics said, “Production of such weapons requires both research and development. Research precedes development and generates new technical knowledge… Development involves engineering design, manufacture and testing which might result in the eventual production of the equipment for the Armed Forces.”by Omotola Akerele

An American court has upheld Oxford don Tariq Ramadan’s exclusion from the United States, marking another defeat in the Muslim academic’s fight to enter the country.Judge Paul A. Crotty adjudicated that Professor Ramadan should be denied entry to the US on the grounds of donations he made between 1998 and 2002 to a Swiss charity that provides aid to Palastinians, which the U.S government claims was supporting terrorist groups. In a statement Ramadan’s attorney Jameel Jaffer claimed the verdict was “a very sad thing…both legally wrong and deeply unjust”. He said his client was excluded “not because of his actions, but because of his ideas”. Ramadan, Professor of Islamic Studies at St. Antony’s College, advocates the formation of a new European Islamic identity that embraces Western culture. Jaffer accused the court of having followed the government’s decision, “without any evidence at all”. Matt Gosho, Press Officer of the US-Embassy in London, said, “Professor Ramadan was excluded on the basis of donations he made to an organization supporting known terrorist groups in direct violation of our immigration statute.”The organisation was blacklisted by the U.S government in 2003 due to potential violations of the Patriot Act. Crotty ruled that laws enacted in 2005 should be applied retroactively to donations made before the organisation was blacklisted.Gosho continued, “The US Government does not bar, or seek to bar, foreign scholars from visiting, speaking, teaching or publishing in the United States, regardless of those scholars’ political views.
“In point of fact, there are thousands of such scholars are teaching, lecturing and speaking on campuses and in think tanks all over the United States. The U.S. Government, through the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security, actively supports their presence in the America by facilitating their visas applications and entry into the United States. A scholar’s (or student’s, or businessperson’s, or tourist’s) political views are never a factor in determining that persons eligibility for entry into the U.S.” by Sophie Luebbert
 

ROWING Oxford University Boat Club began preparation for the Boat Race by holding the traditional ‘Trial Eight’ Race on the 13th of December. Named ‘shirts’ and ‘skins’ so as to remind spectators of the amateur nature of the event, both Eights were blighted by illness leading up to the race. After winning the toss the ‘skins’ took an early lead that that lasted until the Milepost straight. From here onwards, the race belonged to the ‘shirts’. By St. Pauls, they had stripped their opponents of the lead and eventually won by three lengths. The squad is currently training in Spain before they return on the 12th January to enter the final stage of their rigorous preparation. FOOTBALLOriel have been eliminated from the Cuppers competition for fielding an ineligible player in their 2nd round victory over Corpus/ Linacre. Goalkeeper Simon Noall, a student of Regents Park who was fielded by Oriel in the game, had already featured for New in the first round and was therefore judged ineligible. Despite lodging an appeal against the ruling, the decision was maintained by the committee who deemed it ‘a simple case of an ineligible player.’ Corpus/Linacre will continue to the next round.

By Jack FarchyAnimal rights activists have renewed their threats against Oxford and its new laboratory, promising to make the new laboratory “the new Huntingdon Life Sciences.” The threats were made by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), a extremist organisation which has been implicated in previous attacks on the University and its staff. They were posted on the website ‘Bite Back’, which publicises the actions of ALF, and also claimed responsibility for two attacks on Oxfordshire companies alleged to be suppliers to the University. It read, “We will stop businesses dealing with the Uni, the only question is how much money they decide to lose themselves first!” “Oxford Uni – you can’t possibly win this. You may have nearly finished building work but how long do you think you can afford to keep the lab open? We will never stop so get used to being the new HLS [Huntingdon Life Sciences, the Cambridge project that was abandoned as a result of protests]. Let it begin.” The companies targeted have denied any links to the University. Thames Valley Police are currently investigating the incidents of vandalism. Robin Webb, a spokesperson for animal rights activists from the Animal Liberation Press Office, said, “Any group or organisation associated with the University is a legitimate target. It is up to these people to withdraw their support.” He praised the website for publishing the comments. He said, “Bite Back is an American website: in America, they genuinely have freedom of speech.” A spokesperson for Oxford University said that the University remains firmly committed to the completion of the animal research laboratory. “It has long been clear that certain individuals opposed to potentially life-saving research using animals are willing to use illegal intimidation, harassment and threats as part of their campaign. It is totally unacceptable that companies and individuals engaged in entirely lawful activities are being threatened in this way,” she said. Last month Mel Broughton, one of the co-founders of Speak, was charged with conspiracy to blackmail, possessing an explosive substance and having an article with intent to damage. He appeared before Oxford Crown Court on December 21 for a preliminary hearing, and is currently in custody awaiting his trial on March 7.

Apart from Joe Roff hanging up his boots to begin a career in commerce, the major talking point before Varsity Rugby was the new kick-off time. By moving the match to 4 o’clock on a Thursday, it was expected that hundreds of London businessmen would be able to come and watch after work. But there was a distinct lack of Suits in the diminished Twickenham crowd. The reason for this is simple. Businessmen measure things in terms of performance, product efficiency and profitability. It didn’t take Alan Sugar to point out to them that a ‘better’ deal could be found elsewhere. You don’t pay for amateurs. Fact. For £29 one can watch a professional performance by Wasps in the Guinness Premiership. Compare this ‘investment opportunity’ to watching a group of mature students playing rugby and the businessman can only make one choice: Joe Roff….“You’re fired”. Sorry, I meant retired.by Harry MacDowell

Friends of Benazir Bhutto, the opposition leader and former Prime Minister of Pakistan who was assassinated during the vacation, have remembered fondly her time at Oxford.Bhutto read PPE at Lady Margaret Hall between 1973-1977, and in 1977 she became the first Asian woman to be elected President of the Union.The election that she won was filled with controversy, and had to be rerun after Bhutto accused her rival of illegal canvassing. There were also allegations against Bhutto’s supporters and calls for an election tribunal to be held. However, it seems that no action was taken against Bhutto or her opponents.Cherwell reported in 1976 after winning the Presidency her rival candidate attacked her staircase, setting on fire a bin at the bottom of her staircase, and launching fireworks at her door.Buckets of sand were emptied out and light bulbs were smashed on her staircase.Her term as President was not without amusement. In an debate in 1977 Peter Oppenheimer, now a Fellow of Economics at Christ Church, said in a debate that Bhutto was “was the next best thing to [American actress and sex symbol] Raquel Welch in the chair.”Alan Duncan, who was Bhutto’s campaign manager in the Union elections and is now a Shadow Secretary of State, has described her as “fiery and fun.” In a comment piece for this week’s Cherwell he recalls, “For some absurd reason she decided to repaint the President’s office powder blue and some of us willingly helped her; only I don’t think we ever removed the books first. I took a call on the President’s red telephone while Benazir was up a ladder with a paintbrush, only to find myself speaking to her father. He was the first Prime Minister I’d ever spoken to. A few weeks later he was deposed by Zia ul Haq and, in an act of unspeakable act of viciousness, hanged a year later.”Michael Crick, another contemporary and Political Editor of Newsnight, told the national press that she had shown determination in her electoral bid to become Union President, and said that she had actually failed to win the election three times.He said, “She put all this effort into becoming president of the union, which was a bit pointless given she intended to scale much higher peaks.” Crick said that though Bhutto had bipartisan appeal, with friends in both Labour and Conservative camps in Oxford, she was not entirely popular. “Some people thought she was using her name and money to buy the presidency,” he said.Crick recalls that one particular speaker at the Union “brought the house down” by referring to Bhutto with the words, “Your father is, I believe, a butcher”. At this time, her father was facing accusation of murdering family members of a rival leader in Pakistan.Another long-time friend who she met at Oxford, the author Victoria Schofield, said, “She was very charismatic. […] We were a drab lot of 1970s students, messy and not very well-off… and there was this exotic woman who drove a sports car, when we mostly rode bicycles, and had lots of friends.“She enjoyed the Union but she liked socialising as well, she liked parties and wearing nice dresses.”
by Mohsin Khan

 ****Winner of the Palme d’Or, this is the latest acclaimed film from the burgeoning Romanian film industry. The second feature from director Christian Mungui, it tells the story of a student in 1987 communist Romania seeking an illegal abortion. The pregnant Gabita (Laura Vasiliu) is aided by her roommate Ollita (Anamaria Marinca). As they try to avoid the prying eyes of the state and a prison sentence they seek the help of Mr. Bebe who is to perform the operation.
The defining feature of this film is its sometimes shocking realism. The camera does not shy away from the details and this is vital to its ultimate success. By denying the preservation of his characters’ dignity, Mungui creates an effect of reality that immediately grips the viewer, aided by the conspicuous absence of music. He makes the most of a low budget with inventive use of the camera. The action switches between long stationary takes, often forcing the viewer to follow the characters from afar, to fast-moving handheld shots, many at night, which make the action difficult to follow but help to create a tense atmosphere. There is also good use of subtle tools such as background movement, light and shadow that keep one’s eyes glued to the screen, even through long periods of no dialogue.
The standout of this film, however, is the wonderful performance from Marinca as its resourceful heroine. There are very few moments when she is not on screen as the story is told from Ollita’s perspective, a wise choice by Mungui that results in riveting tension and fully utilises Marinca’s undoubted talent. Often she is alone and there is reliance only on her facial expression and body language to carry the shot, but she is a magnet for the camera. Vasiliu provides excellent support as the timid Gabita; indeed the performances are good all round.
Occasionally Mungui tries too hard to demonstrate the difficulties of living under the communist regime: a scene at the dinner table of a party which hurriedly covers most of the faults in Romanian sociey feels a little too blunt. But ultimately the film is a great achievment; captivating yet grounded in realism throughout. by Ben Williams