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Month: September 2012

£40 million to turn ex-Manchester student straight

Written by Andrew Williams on . Posted in News.

A former University of Manchester student has become the subject of a £40 million ‘bounty’ in a bid by her billionaire father to turn her straight.

Gigi Chao, 33, tied the knot in a civil ceremony earlier this year. But her father is believed to be devastated by Ms Chao’s same-sex marriage, which took place in the UK though is not recognised in her home state of Hong Kong.

Now Cecil Chao Sze-tung, one of Hong Kong’s richest men, is offering a huge cash reward to any man who can win his daughter’s heart. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, the businessman – who claims to have slept with over 10,000 women – explained: “I don’t mind whether he is rich or poor – the important thing is that he is generous and kind-hearted”.

The cash, he explains, is intended “to attract someone who has the talent” to support his beloved daughter – “a very good woman with both talents and looks”. However, she has dismissed the offer as “quite entertaining”.

Ms Chao, a former architecture student at the University of Manchester, graduated in 1999. She went on to work for renowned British architect Sir Terry Farrell, the man responsible for Charing Cross Station and the iconic Newcastle Quayside.

When two tribes go to war…

Written by Andrew Williams on . Posted in Features.

Beer-fuelled spectators, testosterone-driven competitors, inebriated streakers – a potent cocktail to enliven even the dampest autumnal evening. But add in one final key ingredient – a fierce rivalry between two universities who share a city – and the stakes are raised dramatically.

So when the University of Manchester renewed hostilities with Manchester Metropolitan University on Wednesday night for the annual Rugby Union Varsity match, it was no surprise that the abundant tension spilled over inside the first ten minutes. Tempers flared on the benches as the game’s first rogue tackle precipitated one punch, then another, then another, all in the name of institutional pride.

It wasn’t long before the animosity that exists between these rival residents of Oxford Road boiled over again. “There’s more fighting than rugby to report on, as yet another score is settled on the far touchline,” reported The Mancunion’s Tom Acey midway through the second half. Cue a new spate of handbags, soundtracked by the familiar refrain “you can shove your fucking redbricks up your arse” from the Man Met minority. And so it went on. I need not remind you of the final scoreline; suffice to say that the University of Manchester triumphed for the umpteenth year in a row.

On this evidence, it would be easy to conclude that the Uni versus Met rivalry is a bitter, deep-seated conflict – the angry by-product of a chequered history pockmarked by enmity. The truth is somewhat different. The rivalry that we saw played out in the first of many Varsity fixtures between these universities this year is more indicative of the heated nature of sporting battle – just go to any lower-league football match on a Saturday afternoon – than it is of a particular aversion on the part of one set of students towards another.

That is not to say that there is no needle between Manchester Uni and Manchester Met. It doesn’t take a genius to spout clichéd insults in either direction: for University of Manchester folk, it’s the suggestion that Man Met is somehow a lesser institution, populated by those who didn’t make the grade. Meanwhile, Man Met students hit back in the opposite direction with accusations of snobbery and privilege.

Internet message boards – those modern day barometers of keyboard warrior consensus – are filled with baloney specifying the apparently Babushka-like relationship between the various seats of further education that inhabit this great city. Take this particularly flippant post on The Student Room, for instance: “Manchester > Man Met > Salford”. To reduce three universities to such an arbitrary series of classification serves no useful purpose.

In the cold light of day, such petty insults are nonsensical – and I think it’s fair to assume that the vast majority of those who engage in similar tit-for-tat sparring (we’ve all been there) do so in a good-natured and light-hearted manner rather than with vitriolic intent. Apart from anything, the University of Manchester – a Russell Group university with a near 200-year history – offers a vastly different programme of degrees than its younger cousins.

As a budding physicist, Manchester – with its multiple Nobel Prize winners, including two current members of staff – is undoubtedly the place to go. But how about a high quality qualification in teaching? Man Met is recognised as one of the top teacher-teachers in the country. Salford University’s School of Music, Media and Performance, meanwhile, draws on Manchester’s phenomenal musical heritage to offer an unrivalled three year education in what it takes to make it in the music industry.

All of this is a long-winded way of saying that here in Manchester, our universities lack a truly great rivalry. Whilst Uni and Met are adversaries to some extent, their struggle is in its infancy. The rivalries that cut deepest are those which are forged over time, an accumulation of centuries of antagonism as generation after generation proffer increasingly outlandish stories as evidence that THEY started it; that WE are far superior to THEM.

Unquestionably, Oxbridge offers up the example greatest example of genuine inter-university rivalry. With a combined 1,500 years of history, Oxford and Cambridge can claim to be by far the most historic universities in the country and some of the oldest in the world. Not content with hogging the top two spots on any UK university league table worth its salt, they regularly compete for the title of best in the world. 41 of our 55 Prime Ministers studied at Oxbridge, but the influence of these two great seats of learning extends far beyond politics.

Scrapping over courts and quadrangles has become a way of life for those who inhabit the dreaming spires, with duels played out on sports pitches, on television and, most notably, on the River Thames. It is impossible to underestimate the significance of the annual Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, with millions of pounds every year poured in punishing training regimes at top notch facilities. In recent years, lucrative scholarships have been handed out to encourage the fittest, strongest rowers from across the globe to study at Oxbridge – all in pursuit of a year’s worth of bragging rights, to be fought for over 4.2 miles of water on an otherwise calm spring Saturday afternoon. As it stands, Cambridge lead the all-time competition 81-76.

For all of those reasons, Oxford versus Cambridge is a confrontation which endures to this day; but more often than not, the conflict is eschewed in favour of inter-college dick measuring. (In the absence of any genuine rivals in their vicinity, the University of Exeter is similarly divided by halls of residence. Holland Hall, for example, has garnered a not unfounded reputation for housing only the wealthiest of Daddy’s little girls. Rumour has it that you can’t get in without an unkempt mane of bleach blonde hair and an Abercrombie store card.)

Indeed, the rivalry between respective Oxbridge colleges is perhaps even more intense than the university grudge match. Former students have gone as far as to construct league tables which rank Oxbridge colleges according to academic performance; the Tompkins Table (Cambridge) and Norrington Table (Oxford) respectively used by those at better performing colleges as a stick to beat those at ‘lesser’ colleges with.

When it comes to sport, it doesn’t get much more serious than the inter-college Cuppers competition. A plethora of sports are contested of the course of each season as colleges do battle in an attempt to demonstrate their superior sporting prowess. This is no friendly Wednesday afternoon knockabout: the 2006 Oxford Rugby Cuppers final descended into farce, culminating in a fight between the Pink Pembroke Panther and the St. Peter’s Squirrel.

Inevitably, the United States do rivalry on a monumental scale. Football, in particular, serves as the basis for vehement discontent between rival institutions, with the outright hatred between Ohio State and Michigan serving as a fine example. Whereas university sport in this country is first and foremost a social activity, college football is played in front Premier League quality stadia and can be the golden ticket to a multi-million dollar career as a professional footballer.

From an academic perspective, Harvard and Yale are America’s answer to Oxford and Cambridge. In recent years, Harvard can claim to have played a significant part in the founding of Facebook – kickstarted by Mark Zuckerberg in his college dorm – whilst Yale can count five of the last six US presidents amongst their alumni. “The Harvard-Yale rivalry is not substantial enough to merit attention,” Yale spokeswoman Gila Reinstein told Newsweek back in 2008. Harvardians and Yalies would doubtless attest that nothing could be further from the truth.

Comparatively, the University of Manchester – Manchester Metroplitan rivalry is trivial. Perhaps the absence of a despised adversary is lamentable – wouldn’t it be nice if we had some sort of yardstick which would allow us to rank ourselves against comparable institutions? Something more reliable than the ridiculous league tables which, depending on who you believe, rank Manchester as the 32nd best university in the world but only 41st in the country.

Then again, there is much to be said for the freedom that we have in defining ourselves as students of Manchester rather than soldiers in the fight against an apparently lesser alternative. To do so, to paraphrase Derren Brown, would be to describe yourself as an aphilatelist – and nobody defines themselves by the fact that they don’t collect stamps.

This article was corrected on 11 October 2012 to reflect the fact that the University of Manchester does offer the PGCE.

Government loans launched for student start-ups

Written by Oliver Taylor on . Posted in News.

A government initiative to loan money to students and young people has launched.

The Start-Up Loans scheme, announced in May 2011’s Budget, will lend £82.5 million to prospective entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 24. Loans of up to £2500 are offered with £10 million of funding available in 2012 and the rest being made available in subsequent years if the first tranche of loans are deemed successful.

The scheme was launched by Vince Cable, the minister for Business, Innovation and skills. Speaking at the MADE Entrepreneurial Festival in Sheffield last week, Mr Cable announced: “With more young people than ever before looking to start their own business, Start-Up loans will provide the support they need to help get their business ideas off the ground.”

“The scheme is not just about money. They will also get access to professional mentors who will pass on their knowledge and expertise about running successful enterprises. Money is going out of the door now, so those who want to take advantage should apply today.”

The first business loans are being distributed by The Start-Up Loan Company, which is chaired by James Caan of Dragon’s Den. He told a crowd at ‘AT MADE’ festival: “Start-Up Loans are exactly what young people need to get them on their way to launching their own businesses. Through the Start-Up Loans Company, we are encouraging young people to be more entrepreneurial by taking their future into their own hands and creating their own opportunities.”

Freshers focus of police safety campaign

Written by Jonathan Breen on . Posted in News.

First year undergraduates at the University of Manchester are the focus of a Greater Manchester Police initiative aimed at preventing muggings and street robberies.

The annual ‘Student Safe’ campaign launches next week and will target known offenders and use video cameras to gather information.

Inspector Andy Smith who is leading the operation, said: “Students can…follow some simple steps to protect themselves from becoming a victim of crime.

“While out and about, stick to well-lit areas, stay in groups, pace your drinks and keep valuables such as phones and MP3 players out of sight.”

“At your student accommodation, make sure that doors and windows are locked, even when you are in, and remember to set the alarm. If you’re going out at night, leave a light on to give the impression someone is home.”

Inspector Smith also encouraged students to join the Manchester Student Safety Facebook page, created by the police, Manchester City Council and Manchester universities.

Students are frequently targets of crime and the new safety campaign comes after a trio were jailed earlier this month for violently attacking student Daniel Whiteley in February this year.

As a part of the operation officers will give safety talks to new students in the city and urge them to become “security savvy.”

They will also be shown a short film featuring Manchester students talking about their own experiences as victims of crime and discussing methods of how to keep themselves and their property safe. Letters and a DVD copy of the film will also be sent home to parents to encourage them to keep an eye on their safety.

Community Support Officers will be visiting students’ homes to carry out crime prevention surveys and provide advice.

University spokesman Jon Keighren said crime comes with city life and Manchester is not a special case.

“All big cities have problems with crime and Manchester is no better or worse than London, Liverpool, Glasgow or Birmingham.

“It makes sense to take reasonable precautions, especially if you are new to living in a city.

“The good news is that the University campuses and halls of residence are relatively safe areas, scenes of ‘little crime’ compared to other public places.”

He added that the university is unique in having its own on-campus University Police Liaison Office.

PC Scott Schofield and his colleagues run drop-in sessions for students in the Dover Street Building every Thursday between 4pm and 6pm in term time, or students can call 0161 275 7042 at any time.

The University also offers advice in its Crucial Guide issued to all students and have made a video in association with Greater Manchester Police offering personal safety advice to students. It is available on the university website.

NUS welcome High Court London Met decision

Written by Ellen Conlon on . Posted in News.

International students at London Metropolitan University have been granted permission to remain in the UK to complete their studies.

Students will be allowed to start their courses and continue at the university until the end of the academic year or until their course finishes.

The National Union of Students has welcomed this decision after intervening as a third party, representing the needs and interests of students in the UK, and, represented by leading law firm Bindmans, presenting evidence to the court.

The NUS spoke as the democratic voice of students in the UK, as the UK Border Agency’s (UKAB) decision to revoke London Met’s Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) status is estimated to currently affect as many as 2,600 students.

Liam Burns, NUS President said: “We are delighted that as a result of our third party intervention, interim relief has been granted by the High Court to current international students who have been unfairly affected by UKBA’s decision.”

“Our third party intervention was crucial in ensuring the interests of students were recognised by the High Court.”

“These students came to London in good faith and had already spent tens of thousands of pounds on their education, before having the rug pulled from under their feet.”

But Liam Burns recognises that this is not the end of the problem. “The future for international students at London Met after July 2013 is still uncertain and we need clarity as soon as possible,” he continued.

“This whole ugly episode has also thrown up wider questions about the treatment of international students in this country. Unless these questions are urgently addressed, the UK’s global reputation for higher education remains tarnished.”

 

Ask Keir: How to stay healthy at University

Written by Keir Stone-Brown on . Posted in Lifestyle.

You’ve just arrived at University and you’re getting used to a new place to live and making new friends, which means probably the last thing that’s on your mind is your health. But keeping on top of your mind, body and soul can really smooth the transition from home to University life so here I am just to give you a few useful pointers and contacts to get you started.

Mind

For most of us moving to University is the first time we’ve moved away from home and, whether we like to admit it or not, it’s a big leap into the unknown. Everyone’s aware of the great possibilities when moving to University, like making friends and moments you’ll treasure forever, but if things don’t go according to the book in the first few weeks it can be disheartening. It’s a fact of life that when you’re placed in accommodation it’s a bit of a lottery and you may find yourself with a set of flat-mates that just aren’t your kind of people. First up, remember there are always people in the same boat as you and there’s always a solution, so if this does happen there are a few solutions to bear in mind.

1. Wait it out – sometimes your new best mate can be right in front of your eyes but you only get properly chatting after a couple of weeks when the whole fresher bonanza is over.

2. Course mates – quite a few people find they bond best with people on their course and naturally, as you see them infrequently to begin with, it can take a while.

3. Join a society – every student union has a number of societies and there’s one that’s bound to interest you. They’re a great way to meet like-minded people as well.

4. Ask for your accommodation to be changed – this is the very last step and it’s rare for students to feel so strongly as to do this, but if you really are feeling like these halls just aren’t for you, contact your universities accommodation office.

Body

While you’re out partying with new mates and getting to know the big, beautiful city that is Manchester, our diets can go out the window. Quite a few of you will have known people that have gone to University and come back a bit on the heavier side by Christmas. The principle culprit for this is almost always the tasty takeaway. As with most foods, moderation is the key but being away from home and not being used to cooking for yourself everyday can lead to takeaways becoming the staple of any students’ diet. To prevent the pounds piling on get a student cookbook for some quick, easy and healthy recipes to cook on those evenings you aren’t prepared to cook a gourmet feast. I personally recommend “Nosh for Students: A Fun Student Cookbook” which you can get for as little as £6 online. There are plenty of others to have a look at that might suit you better. Next hindrance on the list is the frustratingly stubborn ‘freshers flu’. If you do like to go out and have a drink and enjoy Manchester’s fine night life it’s quite possible to over do it in the first few weeks leaving your body run down and open to the ravages of illness. To keep your head above water and your form in fine fettle, try to have a night off every other night or swap every other alcoholic drink for a glass of water. Also keep an eye on your diet and try to get some shut eye in so you’re not a walking zombie in those pesky lectures.

Soul

The big change in moving to a new city, making new friends and fending for yourself can take a strain on the strongest of characters and sometimes we find ourselves feeling down or getting worried about things in a way we haven’t before. When this does happen (and it happens to more people than you might think) having someone to talk to can be of great help. So if you want someone to lend an ear to your worries then all the universities in Manchester and Salford have great confidential counseling services that can see you at short notice and help you work through any problems you might be having, as well as pointing you in the right direction for any future help.

Rubbing salt in a wound helps, says research

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

High-salt solution therapy can reduce potentially life-threatening inflammation, researchers at the University of Manchester have found.

Injecting an inflamed area with a solution already used in IV drips in hospitals reverses the effects of inflammation, according to a study published in the journal Immunity. Inflammation, the swelling of cells in an area of the body, is a normal reaction to tissue damage such as a cut or burn.

The team, led by Dr Pablo Pelegrin, Research Associate in the Faculty of Life Sciences, found that even bathing the affected area could have similar internal effects. Vincent Compan, who undertook much of the research, wrapped the legs of mice in bandages soaked in the hypertonic solution, which reduced inflammation.

This study focussed on the molecular reasons for the solution’s effect, which were previously unknown. Dr Pelegrin’s team found the molecular target, which triggers an inflammatory response, can be switched off by bathing in the solution. The research, undertaken mainly at the University, provides a scientific explanation for why Victorians “took the waters” to ease their aches and pains.

Spa towns such as Bath were centred on the ‘magical’ properties of the water. The hypertonic makeup of the spring water means they could still be beneficial. Dr Pelegrin said, “This research opens up exciting opportunities for the use of hypertonic solution as a treatment for inflammatory illnesses such as arthritis.”

LIVE: The return of BBC Question Time

Written by Andrew Williams on . Posted in Opinion.

23:49: Andrew Williams —

POSTSCRIPT: That opening montage for This Week was more entertaining than anything that an hour of Question Time served up. Long live Andrew Neil! Thank you, and goodnight.

23:46: Andrew Williams —And on that bombshell, we conclude the first of many editions of Question Time between now and June.Thank you for joining in with your comments, tweets and opinions – it’s been fun. Until next time, Dimble on.
23:45: Andrew Williams —Kirstie Allsopp, your mother in law is wrong #bbcqt
23:44: Andrew Williams —Boom! Danny Alexander delivers the knockout blow. At least, he would have done had he been able to put his ideas across in a less-than-moribund manner.
23:42: Andrew Williams —Another Jacob Rees-Mogg history lesson gives me the opportunity to remind you that this edition of Question Time will be repeated at 2.40am on Saturday morning. I’ll let that one wash over you…
23:41: Andrew Williams —Did I spot some surreptitious flirting there? Harman and Alexander, Danny reveals, are getting the train home together. Stranger things have happened…
23:40: Andrew Williams —“The Lib Dems are there to prop up the Tories”, says Harriet Harman. No indication that her party would turn down a Lib Dem coalition, however.
23:37: Andrew Williams —(somehow, we think not) #bbcqt
23:37: Andrew Williams —Is this the moment when Danny Alexander comes out against Clegg and signals the beginning of the end of the Coalition? #bbcqt
23:36: Andrew Williams —*SILLY QUESTION KLAXON* #bbcqt
23:36: Andrew Williams —Tick ‘audience member in garish shirt’ off your Question Time bingo card!
23:33: Andrew Williams —Allsopp and Harman have ventured into a no-mans-land of entertainment here. It’s 11.30pm and the last thing that anyone wants to hear about is planning regulation. Ever the consummate professional, Dimbleby moves on.
23:31: Andrew Williams —Audience questioner nodding more furiously than Churchill at Alexander’s response there – but not, it seems, in agreement. Curious.
23:29: Andrew Williams —Alexander explains that the banks are beginning to lend again #bbcqt
23:28: Andrew Williams —Kirstie Allsopp up first, drawing on her Location Location Location Location Location Location Location Location ad infinitum… experience to tell us to “kick the banks, and kick ‘em hard” – whatever that means.
23:27: Andrew Williams —A pertinent question for us students now: can young people afford to get on the property ladder without going to the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’?
23:24: Andrew Williams —In the words of The Thick of It, let’s hope for a ‘funny question’ to lighten the evening a little in the coming moments #bbcqt
23:21: Andrew Williams —*IRATE FINGER POINTING MENTAL PERSON KLAXON* – down another drink!
23:20: Andrew Williams —We’re really struggling to take Coogan seriously now. The line between him and Partridge is finer than I ever thought possible – a feeling underscored by his decision to use the unusual metaphor “racist football”.
23:18: Andrew Williams —Kirstie Allsopp’s voice cracks with emotion as she claims that the girls in question have been “let go by the state” #bbcqt
23:16: Andrew Williams —A serious question, now, on the case of the grooming of underage girls. A seasoned campaigner on women’s issues, Harman is unsurprisingly strong on this issue #bbcqt
23:13: Andrew Williams —Consensus at Mancunion Towers is that Coogan is letting himself down thus far. Comes across as a dogmatic, dyed-in-the-wool lefty who refuses to change his mind
23:10: Andrew Williams —We’ve reached the halfway stage. Who is coming out on top so far? #bbcqt
23:09: Andrew Williams —A remarkably salient pointg from Frankie Boyle on Twitter, who asks: “Did Kirstie Allsopp just talk about politeness then shout bollocks at someone?”
23:08: Andrew Williams —“Steve Coogan”, writes Piers Morgan on Twitter, “has become a quite monumentally crashing pub bore”. That statement with no hint of irony.
23:07: Andrew Williams —Allsopp does, however, get the better of Coogan in that particular exchange #bbcqt
23:07: Andrew Williams —Give that lady a medal! The wittiest question of the night goes to “do you educate your children privately purely through alturism?”
23:05: Andrew Williams —On the subject of qualified apologies, I’d like to apologise for suggesting that I found Kirstie Allsopp irritating. But she still pisses me off.
23:04: Andrew Williams —What do you make of ‘Gate-gate’? Should Andrew Mitchell have apologised more profoundly? #bbcqt
23:03: Andrew Williams —Coogan argues that Tory party policy essentially constitutes “pleb management”. Agree? #bbcqt
23:02: Andrew Williams —My housemate – a former public schoolboy himself – informs me that Eton is “where you send your stupid, rich child”. Interesting… #bbcqt
23:01: Andrew Williams —Tonight’s second question: “Would we be better off with more plebs, and fewer public schoolboys, in power?” #bbcqt
23:01: Andrew Williams —Is it just me, or has this panel been arranged from upper to working class from – ironically – left to right? #bbcqt
22:59: Andrew Williams —Here’s Jacob Rees-Mogg to explain that it would all be better if Thatcher was here #bbcqt
22:58: Andrew Williams —*BASH THE BANKERS KLAXON* – you can finish your drink now #bbcqt
22:57: Andrew Williams —Who should bear the greatest load when it comes to tax? The highest earners, or those who inherit the most? #bbcqt
22:56: Andrew Williams —Meanwhile, Twitter is alive with commentary on Channel 4′s ‘Drugs Live’. Imagine, for one second, if we could combine the two…
22:55: Andrew Williams —Get ready for Daily Express columnist Kirstie Allsopp to reveal her shockingly left-field position…
22:55: Andrew Williams —Alexander responds well to his initial confrontation with Dimbleby. His argument that Labour pursued an unfair tax policy whilst they were in government seems to placate the audience.
22:53: Andrew Williams —Coogan wastes no time in putting the boot into the Tories. A rare moment of praise, I suspect, for the Liberal Democrats there #bbcqt
22:53: Andrew Williams —Pray silence, please, for Coogan #bbcqt
22:52: Andrew Williams —Audience member in careful and considered point shocker #bbcqt
22:52: Andrew Williams —Nice of Sting to make an appearance in the audience this evening #bbcqt
22:51: Andrew Williams —What would you prefer? A government headed by David Cameron or a government of bureaucrats? #bbcqt
22:50: Andrew Williams —Hello Jacob. Yes, please regale us with a paper you prepared at your last Oxford PPE seminar #bbcqt
22:50: Andrew Williams —Harman does the ‘disappointed mother’ tone rather well, doesn’t she? #bbcqt
22:49: Andrew Williams —Harman responds with an accusation that we’ve categorically not heard before. The Coalition government, she suggests, are cutting too far and too fast #bbcqt
22:48: Andrew Williams —Alexander kicks off with a truly scintillating piece of oratory #bbcqt
22:47: Andrew Williams —The good news: STEVE COOGAN. The bad news: KIRSTIE ALLSOPP. No Kirstie, I am not interested in your useless crafts. Go back to Channel 4.
22:47: Andrew Williams —Well, it seems that only three of the five panellists we were promised have appeared… #bbcqt
22:46: Andrew Williams —WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HASAN AND ALLSOPP? MY PREVIEW IS NULL AND VOID! #bbcqt
22:46: Andrew Williams —(Almost) live from Brighton. Expect Lib Dem bashing, angry accusations that “Labour left us in this mess” and endless use of the phrase “national interest”. Here we go… CUE THE MUSIC!
22:45: Andrew Williams —“The more flies in the Tory ointment, the better” – another furiously extended Coogan metaphor there #bbcqt
22:38: Andrew Williams —Five minutes to go. Before we get started, here’s Kirsty Young with a touching love story news of the appeal to find missing 15-year-old Megan Stammers #bbcqt
22:34: Andrew Williams —Meanwhile, @octobrrr offered this reaction to the return of #bbcqt
22:33: Andrew Williams —“DIMBLEBOT SHALL OBSERVE WHILST SOME OF YOUR MORE VOCAL MEMBERS ATTEMPT TO TWIST YOUR ACTIONS INTO A ZIONIST CONSPIRACY THEORY”, he says of our erstwhile Students’ Union.
22:32: Andrew Williams —Indeed, @DIMBLEBOT himself has been in touch to wish us the best of luck tonight #bbcqt
22:31: Andrew Williams —And I use the phrase ‘post-mortem’ quite deliberately. The conference was at best a damp squib, and at worse could be seen to have damaged Clegg and Co. further. His apology over tuition fees was quite spectacularly ridiculed in a parody video which almost reached the UK Top 40 on Sunday. Can The Artist Formerly Known As Nick do no right?
22:29: Andrew Williams —High on the agenda tonight: a post-mortem of the recent Lib Dem Party Conference #bbcqt #LDConf
22:26: Andrew Williams —Well, that could have gone worse for him I suppose. Couldn’t it? #Cameron #Letterman
22:24: Andrew Williams —Meanwhile, Huw Edwards reports that a man from Downton Abbey unexpectedly found himself answering questions about his own country last night #bbcqt
22:20: Andrew Williams —Whether or not this becomes a regular fixture in our liveblogging schedule depends entirely on your reaction tonight and, more importantly, whether my social life improves to the extent that I have something better to do next Thursday night. Passing on Sankeys in favour of Question Time is no easy pill to swallow so be gentle, people.
22:19: Andrew Williams —Well, if that’s not enough to whet your appetite, we might as well all pack up and go home #bbcqt
22:16: Andrew Williams —No panel could be complete without one of the great joys of Question Time – the wildcard seat. From Will Young to John Lydon, countless minor celebrities have tried and failed to display a grasp of current affairs in this, the most intimidating of televisual areans.Tonight’s seat was scheduled to be filled by comedy-great-turned-Murdoch-botherer Steve Coogan. Alas, Coogan has pulled out, leaving something of a charisma vacuum on tonight’s panel. His replacement? Investment shy Dragon and alleged entrepreneur, Deborah Meaden.
22:12: Andrew Williams —Bringing some sense to proceedings, we must pin our hopes on New Statesman journalist Medhi Hasan. A biographer of Ed Miliband, Hasan has since recovered from the mind-numbing experience of writing an entire book about Britain’s most vanilla political leader
22:10: Andrew Williams —Propping up the inevitably flailing Chief Secretary to the Treasury is his Coalition counterpart, moptopped product of nepotism and quintessential Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg
22:08: Andrew Williams —In the orange corner – in more ways than one – we have Beaker the Muppet representating the ever-popular Liberal Democrats. Yep, it’s imaginary  breasts exponent Danny Alexander
22:06: Andrew Williams —In the red corner, representing Labour – the thinking chauvinist’s feminist, Harriet Harman #bbcqt
22:05: Andrew Williams —And so, to tonight’s panellists, those expert verbal jousters who hope to wow you with their supreme competance tonight #bbcqt
22:01: Andrew Williams —The one man broadcasting machine, 108, has been presenting #bbcqt for over eighty years. And that’s a fact.
22:01: Andrew Williams —A sneak preview trailed ahead of the 10 O’Clock news displays a characteristically bold choice of tie from Dimbleby #bbcqt
21:58: Andrew Williams —Toss in a seasoned journalist and an out-of-her-depth wildcard and, hey presto! We have ourselves enough cannon fodder to satiate even the most rabid of clueless audiences.
21:56: Andrew Williams —Just forty minutes to go now. Your favourite septuagenarian and mine, David Dimbleby, is locked, cocked and ready to unload on another year of fruitless political wrangling, presiding as he does over the shameless attempt by three flummoxed politicians to prove that they’re not fighting over the same square inch of political ground (honest).
21:52: Andrew Williams —Remember the time before Twitter? That barren land of emptiness and nothingness before we had a thoughtless echo chamber to pour our every inanity into? If you do, you can always get involved the old-fashioned way – just comment at the bottom of the post and let us know your thoughts.
21:47: Andrew Williams —Dimbleby gets a laugh? DOWN YOUR DRINK! Feel free to propose your own rules as and when #bbcqt
21:45: Andrew Williams —At a loose end with an hour to go? Pondering the irony of us live blogging a programme which has already been filmed but not yet shown? Why not construct your own Question Time drinking game! Use of the phrase “national interest”? ONE FINGER! “Labour got us into this mess.” TWO FINGERS! Irate finger pointing from a clueless audience member? THREE FINGERS!
21:37: Andrew Williams —You can follow all the live action here from 10.00pm, or via our@TheMancunion Twitter feed. Alternatively follow me @awilliams_7, where I might be getting a touch more irate than this blog allows. Don’t forget to tweet us your thoughts using the hashtag #bbcqt.
21:35: Andrew Williams —Hello, good evening and welcome to this, The Mancunion’s inaugural Question Time live blog. Over the next two hours or so (wine permitting) I’ll be here to provide commentary on the return of the BBC’s flagship political programme to our screens after the summer recess.

Interview: Palma Violets

Written by Daniel Jones on . Posted in News.

Having formed little more than a year ago and with less than a week to go before they embark on their first UK tour as headliners, everything seems to be falling together nicely for Palma Violets.  They’ve just signed to Rough Trade this year, they’ve played the likes of Bestival and Reading this summer and their first proper single was featured as Zane Lowe’s ‘hottest record in the world’ a few weeks back.

“We’ve never really paid too much attention to the hype, but the Zane Lowe thing was kind of surreal,” says Will, the band’s drummer, “We were all sitting around the radio and couldn’t quite believe what we were hearing.  We knew that he was going to play the single, but he also did a proper little monologue about us before he played it – it was all pretty unbelievable.”

The rest of the four-piece is comprised of Sam Fryer (lead/vox), Chilli Jesson (bass/vox) and Pete Mayhew (keys).   Will, Sam and Pete all went to the same school before deciding to rent out a place in which they could write, rehearse and play live to whoever wanted to see them – “It’s called Studio 180, it’s kind of like our base, I guess.  Upstairs we can work on our own stuff, then in the basement we’ve got quite a good space to put on shows.  It’s not just for us; there have been quite a few local artists who’ve put on things down there.”

In order to afford the rent for their base, Sam and Pete worked together at the British War Museum, and Will got a job as a life-guard, so at least he’s well experienced with diving into crowds of people. “Chilli joined later on,” he continued, “initially, he wanted to be our manager but we needed a bassist more, so he picked it up and we took it from there.”

You can see Studio 180 for yourself in the video for ‘Best of Friends’, a dingy pad to say the least but one that the band can clearly class as home.   They’ll be leaving it behind come the 3rd October when they venture up to the Deaf Institute for the fourth stop on their 22-date October tour.  “We’ve played Deaf a few times,” Will explains, “it’s definitely one of the more memorable venues out there.  I’m a big fan of disco balls so the giant one in the middle of the upstairs room is something I look forward to revisiting!”

Their style has been described as ‘zombie-rock’, a reference to the grungy, driving tone that undercuts all of their songs.  Influence-wise, it’s hard not to recognise the echoes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Iggy Pop, especially in ‘Tom the Drum’, which is arguably their best track thus far.  I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t included on their forthcoming debut album which is due sometime around February 2013, just after the Christmas rush.

Instead of counting their chickens, the band seem very modest when asked about this prospect – “We never expected to come this far this fast and I still don’t think we’re as good as people make us out to be.  We need to work on a couple of songs, but everything should be ready for early next year.  This tour should help us to work out exactly how we want each track to sound in the studio.  It might well be the case that we strip some back when it comes to recording.”

As for the name, they obviously like confectionary from the 1970s – “We didn’t want to take ourselves too seriously and when somebody asked what we were called, Sam just said Palma Violets and after that it kind of stuck.  At the end of the day, we weren’t too fussed about what we were called.”

Whatever their collective name may be, Will, Pete, Sam and Chilli have carved out an opportunity for themselves to become big players in the next wave of UK indie bands.   If they get the right producer, the album could be a very interesting release indeed.  Don’t get me wrong, they’ve managed to get themselves into a very credible position already, but they don’t seem content to rest on their laurels.

You’re definitely not wrong in thinking that guitar rock is an overly saturated genre, but that is purely testament to the fact that Palma Violets have managed to break ahead of the ensuing pack of denim-jacketed wolves.   Let’s see how far they’ll go.

Why I Love / Why I Hate

Written by Helen McCarthy on . Posted in Theatre.

Why I Love: Alan Bennett

 

Without doubt the master of comedy on the stage. From The History Boys to Habeas Corpus, he can make even the printed words in the hard copy hilarious, never mind the on-stage action. And thanks to his collaborations with Nicholas Hytner of the National Theatre, the adaptations to the big screen are just as satisfying. There is literally nothing I would rather do than sit and listen to his flat Yorkshire tones in an interview, never mind sit in a plush red seat and watch his characters knock the theatre dead. His one-liners are on a par with Woody Allen’s, but rather than the ‘neurotic Jew in therapy’ stereotype that Allen has down to a gilded T, we get the Yorkshireman turned Oxford graduate and it is so very addictive.

 

Why I Hate: Wicked

Hate is a little bit strong, but my brief is ‘love and hate’ not ‘I don’t mind it’ or ‘it’s a bit crap’. In all honesty, I just think that Wicked is ‘a bit crap’. I’m a hardcore musical lover, but I much prefer the classics like West Side Story and Chicago and Cabaret. I like seedy, dark undertones, not a woman with a green face being paraded around as ‘hideous’ when in fact she’s one of the most radiant people I’ve ever seen on stage, she just happens to look like Kermit the Frog. The plot is clunky, the score is instantly forgettable (despite the fact that I re-listened to it on Spotify in an attempt to give it a chance) and it left me stone cold. What makes it worse is the fact that The Wizard of Oz is such a famous and wonderful film, plus it has Judy Garland at its helm. What moron decided that this was a good platform to bounce another musical off? I don’t care that Idina Menzel has a jaw-dropping voice, she can bow down at the mere thought of Judy.

Escape the rain, study abroad for less

Written by Lisa Murgatroyd on . Posted in Opinion.

It is estimated that over three million students worldwide study abroad, but only around 20,000 British students make up that number. All the studies say that there are at least 70 graduates competing for every one position out there in the big mean world, so what can you do to make yourself stand out?

The rush to get in under the last year of lowered fees meant that many students would have missed out on the opportunity to take their ‘gap yah’. While it may be knocked by many as just an opportunity to bum around the world for a year, time spent living and travelling independently abroad is a much sought after, employable skill.

What many might not know is that they have the chance to study abroad instead.

This isn’t just an opportunity for students studying languages (where a period of study abroad is compulsory in a native speaking environment), but the majority of the top global universities offer courses in English. Not to mention those universities in English speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia to name a few.

In May of this year, the Universities and Science Minister David Willetts announced plans to offer substantial discounts for students seeking to go abroad. From the academic year 2014-15, those that spend two or more semesters at an overseas university on a UK-based degree course will pay only 15 percent of the year’s fees. Erasmus students (a scheme operating in the European Union) already benefit by being exempt from tuition fees for the period spent abroad, and can also receive bursaries to the sum of 370 Euro per month.

Of course, these amazing opportunities aren’t particularly well advertised. One student who spoke to The Mancunion said, “If I hadn’t seen the signs for a study abroad fair, I would never have known about it.” Elizabeth Yeatman, a recent graduate of a combined masters in Geology, spent a semester abroad in Toronto. “It was such a great experience, I met so many different people that I’m still in touch with now. It was a bit expensive living out there, but so worth it.”

In a survey conducted by study abroad blogging platform thirdyearabroad.com, 86% of students considered a year abroad to be the most valuable part of their degree. I know I’m certainly one amongst them, having spent a year in Jerusalem, Israel, studying and working.

This experience of new cultures and the opportunity to learn new languages is of particular interest. According to a poll published in December 2011 by ICM, three out of four employers fear that the UK will be left behind unless young people learn to think globally. Each year the number of students taking languages on to A-Level decreases, leaving a gap in the market for those that have picked up something more than GCSE French or Spanish.

There’s also the option of taking your whole degree abroad. Many European countries are far cheaper than their UK counterparts; in the Netherlands courses are around £1,500 a year, in Germany, £800. Courses available in English, whilst limited in comparison to options available in the UK, are still very attractive. There are also many opportunities to take intensive language classes; in Denmark, for example, there are free language classes available for three years after arrival in the country.

Wherever grabs your attention, make sure you research the institutes you’re considering, just like you would your home university. Check the QS world rankings, a good place to start to check out the reputation for teaching and research, but this is not the full picture. Some universities are leaders in specific fields, and outside of the academic realm, you want to make sure you’re going to enjoy living there!

Whether it’s the continental lifestyle, or getting to know the truth behind sororities and frat houses; maybe the sun and surf in Australia appeals, or dissolving into a completely different culture altogether, check out the options. Studying abroad is really the best of both worlds.

“Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union”

Written by Eve Fensome on . Posted in Opinion.

“Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union” – goes the chorus of the song Union Maid written in 1940 by Woody Guthrie in the office of the Oklahoma City Communist Party. Though I’m not sure if I’d ever refer to myself as a ‘maid’, be it preceded by ‘union’ or otherwise, a ‘union maid’ is essentially what I have become. Or another, albeit less succinct way to say it is: ‘last week I joined Unite – the biggest union in Britain’.

A union is an organisation which uses collective bargaining to achieve common goals. As students we (all seven million of us in Britain that is) are represented by the National Union of Students (NUS). The NUS uses its power to further students’ interests in relation to matters such as tuition fees and recently to take legal action on behalf of the students at London Metropolitan University who were threatened with deportation.

However, it is not actually us students who are ‘members’ of the union, but in fact the 600 university students’ unions which are members, with ours being the University of Manchester Students’ Union.

So while most students are represented by a union, few are actually a member of a union. Now this is the bit where I get to talk all about my shiny new Unite Community Membership. Prepare yourself… Community Membership is a fairly new scheme, having been available for less than a year. It is a way for individuals to become a member of the Union without necessarily being in employment.

Unite’s website states: “Even now in the 21st century, too many people in our country are being pushed to the margins of society. They deserve to be heard; they too deserve the support to organise collectively. It is with this in mind that Unite has founded its community membership scheme.”

“Unite’s community membership scheme brings together people from across our society.  Those not in employment are welcomed into the union family, adding another dimension to our strength in thousands of workplaces across the UK.”

The beauty of the Community Membership is that members of society not in paid employment, who also tend to be some of the most marginalized and deprived, are able to unite as one and create much needed support networks. Students, individuals prevented from working due to disability, the long-term unemployed, full-time carers and the retired can have their interests represented by Unite and forge links between employment unions and community unions to together organize and engage in grass roots activism.

Community Membership costs £26 annually which works out at 50 pence per week which is significantly cheaper than Unite full-time employed membership at around £144 per year.  Members enjoy a number of significant benefits including access to Unite’s legal helpline with legal professionals available 24 hours a day to give advice as well as having available resources designed to help get a job including tools to create CVs and application letters plus guidance on job interviews.

This is in addition to debt advice (may come in handy to do with the old student loan), energy comparison services, benefits check-ups, tax refund advice, free accident cover (for all those treacherous nights out on the lash), discounts and access to “one-off hardship grants to members in need of assistance.” But, while all these services offer significant, tangible benefits to the individual member, I think students in particular may find becoming Community Members attractive for other reasons.

The Unite website says: “At Unite we have 1.5 million members – just imagine what you can achieve with them standing by your side?”

While approximately 50,000 students demonstrated in 2010 against a rise in tuition fees and numerous university societies opposing the rise have been formed, the action taken by student groups has been sporadic and resulted in no significant change. Just as the ladies in the Ford factory in Dagenham would not have achieved equal pay had they not received the support of fellow union members, students need to join forces with workers unions so industrial action and demonstrations can be coordinated and achieve shared aims.

The second reason students may find the idea of becoming Community Members attractive would be the greater integration and cohesion in the local community. As a student it is easy to become insular, only focusing on campus life, whereas to join a union is to make a conscious decision to not distance oneself from the wider society. In the current climate where many applicants chase few jobs, students need to find practical ways to make the leap from education to the world of work.

Joining a union means students become better acquainted with those in employment, opening doors for students into their first graduate job and creating opportunities for skills sharing. In addition, mixing with members of the community not in paid employment could benefit students by encouraging them to look beyond campus life to the city they inhabit and develop a more caring approach towards the people they share a city with. Students have the power to bring the community together and provide a platform for the disenfranchised and those unable to find their voice alone.

On our own we cannot achieve much, but together we are strong. This may not be the big society, but it could be the Great Society, so I suppose the question is: “Buddy can you spare a dime?” – Well I guess I can.

Manchester up in green league table

Written by Jonathan Breen on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

The University of Manchester is up 30 places in a national ‘green’ league table, but still far behind Manchester Metropolitan University.

Manchester is ranked 59 in this year’s People & Planet Green League Table, up from 89 in 2011, while Man Met is at 10, up seven places from last year.

“We managed to climb 30 places in the past year because this is a priority for the University,” said University spokesman Jon Keighren. “We are rated lower than MMU because we are a research intensive university, unlike MMU.

“A lot of our carbon comes from labs, high performance computing…which MMU doesn’t have. Also we have a lot more older buildings, which by nature are less energy-efficient.”

The British student-led organisation ranks universities on policy and management, and performance, divided into 13 categories varying from ethical investment and carbon management to water consumption and carbon reduction.

Manchester scored 37 out of the 70 points available, doing well in policy and management, but poorly in performance with 1 out of 6 available marks for renewable energy – generating none of their electricity from renewable sources.

Manchester Met scored 49 overall and did better than University of Manchester in carbon reduction and waste and recycling, but got 0 out of 3 in ethical investment.

In last week’s Mancunion members of the Students’ Union condemned news of BP’s investment in the International Centre for Advanced Materials to be based at Manchester – saying the university was “helping BP to research new and better ways in which to damage the environment.”

Also this week the University’s new energy-efficient Alan Gilbert Learning Commons opened, primarily designed to reduce CO2 emissions.

Speaking on behalf of the Students’ Union about the green league table, Campaign’s and Citizenship Officer Khalil Secker said, “The University’s approach towards environmental sustainability is always evolving.

“People and planet make some great points which we expect the university to address as they continue to reduce their carbon footprint, promote sustainable behaviour and minimise its impact on the environment.

“At the Students’ Union we continue to support student led sustainability initiatives, such as the Electronics Club who managed to reduce the water consumption of one of their buildings by 60%.”

The Manchester Young Green’s felt the ranking of Manchester was not good enough and demanded something be done.

“The University of Manchester’s ranking in People & Planet’s Green League Table is appalling,” Manchester Young Greens Public Relations Officer Clifford Fleming told The Mancunion. “The University must act immediately to address these issues.

“Some of the University’s poorest scores were down to water reduction, waste reduction and recycling, these areas need to be addressed by the senior management at the University now.”

Maverick Sabre

Written by Charlie Boydell-Smith on . Posted in Music.

It’s a testimony to Maverick Sabres voice that he sounds as good live as he does on his soul tinged debut album Lonely Are The Brave. Entering the stage to Bob Marley’s ‘Jammin’ certainly set the tone for a laid-back evening with Sabre taking inspiration from multiple genres – encompassing soul, motown, reggae and dubstep.

While the heavens predictably try to pour through the venue’s rafters, Sabre brings a  much needed energy to a typical Manchester evening. Beginning with ‘Open My Eyes’- accompanied by female backing singer Chantelle – tuneful melodies and hip hop  are effortlessly bridged and   it seems hard to define Sabre as either  rapper or  singer. The rapport with the female heavy audience is evident from the start, as the biggest cheer of the night comes when the singer stripped down to a black vest.

Alongside tracks from his debut album such as ‘These Days’, which samples The Turtles’ instantly recognisable ‘You Showed Me’ – Sabre treats the crowd to a brand new upbeat song ‘Just Smile’. And regularly asking the crowd if they are “old school fans”, Sabre delves back to treasured musical roots with a cover of reggae hit ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ accompanied by a particularly ironic rendition of Seals and Crofts’ classic, ‘Summer Breeze’.

Hit single ‘Let Me Go’ sounds huge with a backdrop of swaying hands and a constellation of lighters and flashing cameras, whilst encore ‘I Need’ proved to be the biggest hit of the night – the refrain ‘I Need Sunshine’ more poignant than ever. Despite wet jeans not yet having fully dried from the persistant Mancunian drizzle, the audience were more than happy to leave the Academy and walk into the night with the lyrics to ‘Just Smile’ echoing around their weary heads.

New Learning Commons opens

Written by Jonathan Breen on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester’s new Learning Commons will finally open on Monday 1st October.

The £24million Alan Gilbert Learning Commons – named after the University’s inaugural President and Vice-Chancellor –  will stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

University Library staff are managing the building.

University Librarian Jan Wilkinson said, “The facilities that have been created for our students are undoubtedly amongst the best in the UK.

“This new building is an extension of existing facilities, catering very much for students of the 21st century who are looking for the best possible learning environment.

“The building has been kitted out with the equipment and technology to support that.”

Professor Alan Gilbert, who recommended building a learning commons, died just after his retirement in 2010. In a press release the University said the new building was a “tribute to his vision.”

The state-of-the-art facilities include 400 computers, laptop charging lockers, 30 bookable group study rooms, a Skype area and media screens for presentations and group work.

There is also Wi-Fi available throughout the building and outside, extending to the ground floor café, which is open to the public.

The structure is designed to minimise C02 emissions, and has a multitude of energy saving technologies at work.

Natural ventilation is being used, as well as heat recovery systems to limit the amount of heating and cooling of fresh air. There are also photovoltaic tiles on the roof and solar thermal systems to provide hot water for the café.

The concept of a learning commons was first developed in the US and Australia to describe a building where students can get together and learn, on an individual basis or by working collaboratively in groups.

Students have created designs which are printed on the walls, doors and glass panelling of the learning spaces.

The Learning Commons were developed in consultation with representatives from the Students’ Union to make sure that users needs have been fully taken into account.

Luke Newton, Education Officer at the University of Manchester Students’ Union, said: “

Majority of European languages at risk of extinction

Written by Anthony Organ on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

An investigation into 30 European languages has found that 21 lack the digital support needed to survive in the digital age.

The study was performed by META-NET, which consists of 60 research centres in 34 countries, including the University of Manchester’s National Centre for Text Mining (NaCTeM), and published to coincide with the European Day of Languages on September 26th.

It looked at “language technology” support for each language, which includes spelling and grammar checkers, interactive personal assistants on smartphones (such as Siri on the iPhone), call-centre voice recognition, automatic translation systems and web search engines.

Professor Sophia Ananiadou, Professor in Computer Science at the University of Manchester and director of NaCTeM, said that “in the UK, most of us use software that incorporates language technology without even realising it”.

“It is vital that sophisticated language technology support is available for a wider range of languages, otherwise collaboration with our European neighbours will become more difficult.”

Although English was found to have the best support, it was only classed as “good” rather than “excellent”, since the technology was found to be “in urgent need of more focussed strategies”.

Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian and Maltese are at the highest risk of disappearing, scoring consistently poorly on each area of language technology support that was assessed. Other languages facing extinction include Irish, Greek, Danish and Polish.

The report compared the “digital revolution” with Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press in the 15th century, which helped further the exchange of information across Europe but also led to the extinction of many languages.

It warns that poorly supported languages could follow those such as Cornish and Dalmatian which were rarely printed and ultimately became obsolete, with the last speakers of each thought to have died around the end of the 19th century.

Professor Douglas Kell, Research Chair in Bioanalytical Science at the University, said: “Language technology has the potential to add enormous value to the UK economy. Without language technology, and in particular text mining, there is a real risk that we will miss discoveries that could have significant social and economic impact.”

‘Professional impersonators’ sit exams in place of students

Written by Michael Williams on . Posted in News.

Students have been paying tens of thousands of pounds to ‘professional fraudsters’ to sit crucial exams in their place, a consulting group has warned.

The highest amount paid so far was $48,000 – almost £30,000 – to an impersonator to sit a medical exam in place of a student.

Dr Daniel Guhr, managing director of the Illuminate Consulting Group, said that even prestigious universities in the UK and US have fallen victim to this kind of academic fraud. Universities that failed to pick up on fraud “risked their reputation”, he said, as employers begin to “blacklist certain programmes because [graduates] are not good enough”.

“Universities would rather not mention it. People will also say: ‘Of course fraud happens, but not at my institution.’ However, it’s a much bigger issue and it’s happening at a global level […] this goes all the way up to the Ivy League”, Dr Guhr explained. One job application to Illuminate from an Ivy League alumnus with a masters’ degree from a “leading London university” contained “non-existent grammar” and “32 mistakes and exaggerations”, the conference heard.

The International English Language Testing System was the most common target for fraud, as international students sought to gain places at top Western Universities. Over 7,000 institutions use the IELTS score to evaluate applicants, including the University of Manchester. The average price paid to IELTS impostors was £1,230, with Asia being the source of most of the crime.

Durham University was embroiled in controversy over IELTS cheating in 2008, when director of the international office David Baker told The Guardian that he was discovering more students at Durham with forged IELTS certificates, calling the situation “worrying”. Also in 2008 the University of East Anglia announced that it re-tests the 500 international students it receives each year to “check the accuracy of original scores” – Dave Allen, then- academic director for language programmes told The Guardian that they saw “double the amount of rogue scores” as they did five years prior.

Jon Keighren, Head of Media Relations at the University of Manchester, told The Mancunion that exam imposters are “not particularly a problem” at the University. Mr Keighren stated that the University did not re-test international students arriving at University, but that “there is a robust system in place and thorough checks are made on all students joining the University”.

Tory councillor sacked after ‘joke’ about murdered policewomen

Written by Michael Williams on . Posted in News.

Conservative councillor for Derbyshire, David Stephenson, has been sacked from his post after making a joke about murdered Greater Manchester police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes.The wife of Nottinghamshire officer Sergeant Jason Farrar was shocked when Stephenson remarked to her: “If you get 100 points for shooting one policewoman and 200 points for shooting two policewomen, how many do you get for shooting a lawyer?”

Ian Hanson, chair of the Greater Manchester Police Federation, called Stephenson’s comments “an absolute disgrace.”

When Sargeant Farrar called Stephenson to confront him about the ‘joke’, he claims Stephenson replied by saying “go away, you silly man.”

Councillor Stephenson claims to have made the comment because he is “very anti-smoking” and saw a group of women, including Mrs Farrar, standing outside the council office – some of whom were smoking.

After being reported, Stephenson was subject to “immediate and severe action” from council leader Chris Corbett. “I [am] removing him from his post as a lead member of the borough council and he will no longer serve on the council executive to take effect immediately,” stated Corbett. “As the father of a serving police officer myself, I am well aware of the hurt being suffered by the police force at present and know the worries experienced by their families. I apologise for the great upset this matter has clearly caused to all those involved.”

The sacking comes just days after comedian Steve Hughes apologised for making a joke about the murders at the Manchester Comedy Store in Deansgate. An inspector from Greater Manchester Police was in attendance on the night, and walked out in disgust.

New MMU Business School “miles ahead” of competition

Written by Anthony Organ on . Posted in News.

Manchester Metropolitan University’s new award-winning £75 million Business School has been praised by business people from all over the North West.

The endorsements came as around 200 business professionals attended the launch of the new combined Faculty of Business and Law.

“It’s fantastic for MMU,” said John Buckley, from the Federation of Small Businesses. “[It is] miles ahead of anything any other universities in the area have got.”

David Fox, Director of Business Development at John Smith’s Group said: “The facilities for students are mind-blowing.” He saw the building as “a real statement of intent, a demonstration of confidence in the future.”

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor John Brooks, echoed this sentiment: “It’s an ambitious building which underlines a confidence around MMU which we trust will raise ambition and up everyone’s game,” adding the structure was “the jewel in MMU’s crown.”

Business Studies at the University has improved this year in national rankings, up seven places to 61 in The Complete University Guide.

The building won ‘Best Education Development’ in the North-West category of the LABC Building Excellence Awards, which promote the design and construction of safe, accessible and environmentally efficient buildings.

It features varied styles of teaching rooms as well as different types of study spaces to meet the needs of groups and independent students. It is also a new ‘Student Hub’ with a restaurant, showers and a roof terrace.

Freshers face egg-throwing protestors

Written by Ellen Conlon on . Posted in News.

Freshers at philosopher A C Grayling’s new private college faced egg-throwing protestors on their first day of term.

New students at the £18,000 a year university turned up for their first day and were confronted with between 20 and 30 demonstrators opposed to Grayling’s Ivy League-style, for profit approach to education.

The protestors held up placards and chanted slogans, denouncing Grayling and calling for the closure of the university. Police were called after eggs were thrown at the university windows.

The New College of the Humanities (NCH) has not filled any of its courses for this year and only 60 students have been enrolled out of the planned 180-200.

But demonstrators still see the college as a dangerous precedent in higher education.

One protester said: “By charging £18,000 per year, they are putting out a clear signal that they want the Government’s program of privatisation to work, which of course means priority [for some] and under-funded education for the rest of us.”

“They have the right to pay high fees if they want but it has never been about that. It is about the very real effect that this institution might have – if it doesn’t fold – and the precedent that it sets for other self-serving ideologues and financiers.”

The college, based in Bloomsbury, central London, offers undergraduate places in Economics, English, History, Law and Philosophy and will hold lectures by Richard Dawkins, Niall Ferguson and Steven Pinker.

Liam Burns, general secretary of the National Union of Students, called NCH a vanity project: “It is no surprise that students are failing to sign up. Our research shows that students value teaching ability and interaction with other students and academics over inaccessible star names with a mountain of publishing credits.”

A spokesperson from New College of the Humanities said: “There was a small gathering of students outside the building yesterday for about 45 minutes at lunchtime. There was no disruption to our timetable for the day.”