Hungarian academic 'rejected by Heriot-Watt'
A Hungarian academic with two doctorates claims she was rejected for a job at a Scottish university just because she was not born in an English-speaking country. Dr Katalin Egri Ku-Mesu, 47, who has three masters degrees and has lived in Scotland for 12 years, told an employment tribunal yesterday that Heriot-Watt University would only consider applicants whose first language is English. At the end of July 2005, Dr Egri Ku-Mesu applied to be the programme administrator and tutor of English at the university's School of Management and Language.
The Scotsman
'President Bartlet' to study at Irish university
The West Wing star Martin Sheen will begin studying next month at a university in Ireland. Sheen, who played US president Jed Bartlet in the award-winning TV series, has enrolled for a degree in English literature, philosophy and oceanography at the National University Ireland, in Galway. A spokesman confirmed yesterday that Sheen, 66, who has appeared in such films as Apocalypse Now and Wall Street was due to start his course in September.
The Scotsman
Sun, sea and surf lure students Down Under
For most British youngsters, Australia and New Zealand are unbeatable places to while away a gap year. But now increasing numbers are being lured Down Under to further their education. Since 2002 the number of British students seeking to study at under and postgraduate level there has risen by more than a third, with more than 6,250 studying there last year alone. This year, as 53,000 students look unlikely to gain places at British universities, five leading antipodean institutions are offering scholarships to encourage them to look farther afield.
The Times
Nearly 3,000 students driven to bankruptcy in just seven years
Nearly 3,000 Scottish students have declared themselves bankrupt since Labour and the Liberal Democrats came to power at Holyrood, it has emerged. Official figures uncovered by the Scottish National Party show that 2,732 undergraduates who took out student loans have gone bankrupt since 1999. The SNP said the figures reinforced the need to scrap loans and the graduate endowment, a demand dismissed by ministers. The bankruptcy figures were recorded by the Student Loans Company and obtained by the SNP from the Commons library.
The Scotsman
Saxon chief's gilded buckle found
A Saxon buckle that may have belonged to a tribal leader has been unearthed in southeast London. The buckle, left, from the 7th or early 8th century, was gilded in gold or tin, and would have glistened so much that its wearer was sure to be noticed. It goes on display at the Museum of London today. The site, possibly a Saxon grave, cannot be disclosed until archaeologists have been able to excavate the area, which could be a grave site. The discovery demonstrates London’s long history as a hub for migration. The buckle, a copper alloy with a Byzantine design, would usually be found in what is now southern Spain or Portugal.
The Times
From the weekend's papers:
Saturday
- The University of Essex is trying to unravel the truth behind a 21st century "disease" produced by exposure to electrical equipment. The Daily Telegraph
- Napier University is set to launch the only advertising degree of its kind in the UK. The Scotsman
Sunday
- Top universities at full capacity, leaving thousands to scramble for places at newer institutions. The Independent On Sunday
- SNP wants abolition of 'anti-English' university charges. The Sunday Times
- Government plans for half of young people to go to university are being scuppered by boys' underachievement, figures have revealed. The Sunday Telegraph
Monday
- Tickets to lecture by former Clinton aide in Edinburgh are sold out. The Scotsman
- Female graduates in Scotland can expect to earn around £3,000 less than their male counterparts after leaving university, a report has revealed. The Scotsman