The THES Diary

Support from the wife

The appointment of David Gibson, principal of City College, Manchester, prompted one college principal to remark: "I am more proud of him than ever. I think he will be just brilliant." Praise indeed, although the speaker admits to a slight bias. She is Carol Gibson, Oldham College principal and his wife.

Dust conservation

Just about anything getting frayed around the edges attracts the energies of conservationists. The prestigious Jerwood Foundation Museums and Galleries Commission 1998 Conservation Awards recognise that conservation work on the V2 rocket or the uncompleted Iraqi Supergun are not to be sneezed at. Not true of the work by David Ford from the Victoria and Albert Museum and Stuart Adams from Queen Mary and Westfield College. They are shortlisted "for their cost-effective approach to monitoring and analysing dust".

A wee dram of praise

Whenever overseas, Chris Masters, chairman of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, hears Scotland praised for its education system and whisky, he told delegates to the Scottish Higher Education Principals' annual forum: "We have an outstanding reputation in respect of both the mind and spirit."

Bottom of the list

In the run up to the Scottish parliament, NUS Scotland has been wondering whether to change its name to stress its independence from the National Union of Students. But higher education's obsession with acronyms meant delegates at its Scottish council reluctantly abandoned a suggestion for the Autonomous National Union of Students.