You would be forgiven for thinking you misheard certain comments at the latest Indian Science Congress. Among them: Einstein's theory of relativity was "a big blunder"; gods created dinosaurs; and gravitational waves should be renamed 'Narendra Modi waves'. Opened by ...
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Four higher education trends to watch out for in 2019
Higher education is changing. Many commentators are questioning the relevance of the physical campus. Degrees are no longer prerequisites to work at some of the world's biggest companies. And government funding patterns are changing. How can Australian universities remain relevant ...
More »Scientists slam closed-access publication model as EU open access plan gathers steam
What unites a Venezuelan computer scientist, a Swiss engineer, an Israeli professor and a American 'mad scientist'? The open access movement, of course. In September, twelve European nations and two charities announced their intention to make all science research they fund ...
More »MIT defends Saudi Arabia ties in wake of Khashoggi murder
As the reverberations of the Jamal Khashoggi murder continue, Saudi Arabia has found an ally: MIT. The top university released a report declaring it wishes to continue its relationship with the Kingdom, despite its egregious human rights violations, of which ...
More »VET review: Professor urges schools to ditch VET/uni dichotomy
A Murdoch University professor has criticised schools for encouraging students to choose between a VET or university pathway. Barry Down, a VET and student engagement specialist, says this dichotomy has become unrealistic. "The reality is that society requires smart workers and citizens with ...
More »Japan finally opens new doors for international students
While Japan can no longer claim the lowest birth rate in the world, its rate of 1.44 births per woman is a full point below the global average. The famously insular nation is now taking radical steps to rectify issues, like labour ...
More »‘Contrived, pointless, and a total waste of taxpayer money’: groups respond to freedom of speech review
On Thursday, university personnel, fittingly, exercised their freedom of speech. Responding to the government's announcement of a review into freedom of speech on campus on Wednesday, the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) came out on blast. "There is no ...
More »The fight for free speech: what it means for universities seminar – 21 November 2018
Universities are the guardians of robust debate. However, questions about the roles and responsibilities of universities in providing a forum for open debate are repeatedly being raised. Are universities in Australia adequately equipped to protect free speech? Are existing university ...
More »Let universities fail: UK gov
Unlike banks such as Lloyds and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), failing UK universities won't have it easy if they're near collapse. Announcing this at Wonkfest – a higher education festival in London – Sir Michael Barber, the head of the ...
More »Informed consent not as effective as you think: ethics prof
'Put down the paperwork'. It's an unlikely message from an ethics professor, but Mike Burgess, Chair in Biomedical Ethics at the University of British Columbia in Canada, says that what's good on paper isn't always in practice. In Perth to ...
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