U.K. to back Innovation Universities project

The United Kingdom is committed to supporting India as it develops 14 world-class Innovation Universities, said David Willetts, British Minister for Universities and Science.

Addressing academics at IIT-Madras Research Park, Mr. Willetts said eight U.K. universities – Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Essex, Birmingham, Newcastle, Exeter and the Open University – are eager to forge links during the design and eventual creation of the new Innovation Universities.

“We are keen to identify 14 British universities that can work alongside from the beginning. After talks with Kapil Sibal, I will go back to Britain to identify the 14 British universities to match up with the universities here,” the British Minister said.

Keen on flow of postgraduate and research students and academics between the two countries, Mr. Willetts said he would encourage the British academics to come to India. “There is scope for PG and Ph.D students to study in both countries to obtain a single award. Twinning arrangements between universities sharing staff and resources is beneficial,” he said, outlining the broad contour for collaboration.

The UK already has more than 80 university-related collaborations up and running in India, making it the most active international partner here.

To move things on substantially, Mr. Willetts said he would be visiting India again in November with leading UK university vice-chancellors to establish a framework for collaboration as India and the UK have a solid base to build on.

Recent commitments on co-funded research projects are worth about £60 million. Indeed, funding pledged by the UK bodies for collaboration with India this year has already approached 1 per cent of its science budget, a level that some argue should be the budget set aside for international collaboration, Mr. Willetts said. Jointly funded and administered research programmes will concentrate on priority areas for both countries – food security, water resources and sustainable energy. The UK has offered to commit up to £6 million for research in areas such as off-grid power generation technologies and ICT to improve services in, and the economic capacity of, rural communities in both countries. In the area of civil nuclear energy, the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and India's Department of Atomic Energy are collaborating on five new projects, including areas such as plant safety and nuclear waste management, the British Minister said.

Mr. Willetts held discussions with IIT-M officials led by its Director M.S. Ananth, and then visited facilities at the TeNet Laboratory and Research Park on the campus.

NEWS BY:http://www.thehindu.com

Books: final chapter yet to be written

Printed works aren't about to be killed off by digital readers just yet, says global publishing expert

The reassuring news about printed books - for those who devour them - is they are not ready to surrender to the digital tide.

That's the perspective of a book lover who reads ebooks and who sits at the top of the world's publishing industry.

Jens Bammel, a German lawyer and secretary general of the International Publishing Association, watches the business of books from Geneva. He likens its condition to surfing an avalanche, given that the irresistible momentum of digital publishing is sweeping all before it.

In areas like trade publishing and highbrow scholarly works, the revolution is complete. Articles go directly online and users subscribe to a database.

The digital market for mainstream fiction, paperbacks and self-help works is big and getting bigger. Erotic titles are popular too. Bammel thinks the attraction might be that "no one sees what you're reading on screen when you're on the tube."

A standout space in bookshops, much to the delight of an industry under pressure, remains filled with cookbooks.

It's the same in Britain, where Jamie Oliver sells titles by the trolleyload, or New Zealand, where self-published Annabel Langbein had two titles in the top 10 last year.

"With cookbooks you are buying something that you can't replicate on a screen," says Bammel.

But publishing cannot survive forever on titles churned out by celebrity cooks. The industry remains under siege on several fronts, nervously watching the next move of Amazon.com and Apple, which typically has a dazzling new piece of technology called iBooks Author - now the target of much online heat.

Author Jonathan Franzen thinks ebooks are fouling the shelves of printed works. The bestselling novelist fears that as "a literature crazed person" the prospect of bound books giving way to letters on a screen means "it's going to be very hard to make the world work if there's no permanence like [the printed book]."

NEWS BY:http://www.nzherald.co.nz

Live Commentary: England vs. Wales

Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of this Six Nations clash between England and Wales at Twickenham.

England, despite winning both of their games so far this tournament, go into this match as underdogs. With Owen Farrell moving to fly-half and Manu Tuilagi coming in at centre, England could be dangerous in midfield.

Wales are favourites but have not won at HQ for a long time. Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones return to the pack, giving Wales a slight advantage upfront. England will not want to let this one slip, but there is nothing the Welsh love more than beating England, especially at Twickenham. This could be the match of the Championship so far.

(Please refresh this page to see the latest updates)

00mins No controversy over the anthems today as the teams line up.

01mins Here we go! Steve Walsh blows and Farrell delivers wide. Toby Faletau takes. Early penalty to Wales as England fail to release after a tackle. Priestland kicks to touch.

02mins George North breaks down the middle and looks to be on but falls to an ankle tap. Priestland tries the chip on but it goes too long. England restart and North tries again, this time down the line but is bundled into touch.

04mins Wales maul down the wing but Ian Evans is adjudged to be offside. England kick back and Wales gather at half-way.

05mins England win a penalty on the half-way line. Farrell finds touch.

07mins Wales win a scrum after two restarts. They attempt the dink-on but it goes into touch.

09mins Warburton forces a penalty after the tackle as Farrell holds on on the ground. They find touch in the English half. England pinch the lineout.

10mins England clear but not past their halfway line. Wales win the lineout.

12mins Priestland delivers high but Dixon gathers. England go long and Halfpenny glances off two tackles. A risky pass from Alun Wyn Jones is intercepted but knocked on by Strettle.

13mins Penalty to Wales off the scrum. Priestland kicks to the English 22.

15mins Wales creep into the English 22 from the lineout. The English defence looks solid.

16mins England turn over but it goes for a scrum. The ref awards Wales the put-in.

17mins The scrum is resent after some confusion off a Faletau pick.

18mins Wales with a mighty heave from the scrum. England are penalised. Halfpenny will go for the posts.

19mins Halfpenny pushes his attempt wide.

20mins Wales knock on after the restart to award England a scrum in their own half.

21mins England take a quick penalty and burst down the centre. They go wide and into the Welsh 22.

22mins Farrell attemps a drop gaol after penalty adventage is called. He pushes it wide and it goes back for the spot kick.

23mins PENALTY! Farrell puts England on the board. ENGLAND 3-0 WALES

24mins Botha penalised for going off his feet at the ruck. Halfpenny to go for three.

25mins PENALTY! Halfpenny evens the scores. ENGLAND 3-3 WALES

27mins North takes the ball into touch to give England a dangerous lineout. England win and spread wide to get inches from the Welsh try line.

28mins Wales defend extremely well and play is called back for an offside penalty. England try to take it quick but Walsh calls it back. Jamie Roberts is threatened with the bin for offside.

29mins PENALTY! Farrell puts England ahead. ENGLAND 6-3 WALES

31mins England go down the line and look extremely dangerous. This is encouraging for the men in white as they hold on to possession.

33mins A penalty to Wales puts a halt to English momentum.

34mins PENALTY! It's a hard one for Halfpenny but he sends it over. ENGLAND 6-6 WALES

36mins Priestland bounces off Tuilagi as England mount their attack. Wales win it back from a failed chip-on.

37mins England turn over and go down the line. A pass is intercepted but England win a penalty on the floor.

38mins PENALTY! Farrell goes three-from-three. ENGLAND 9-6 WALES

40mins England slow it down to wait for the clock, before Dxon boots it out.

HALF TIME: ENGLAND 9-6 WALES Wales started off well but England have had some great momentum towards the end. It's still too close to call and the second half looks set to be a thriller.

40mins Referee Walsh gets the second half underway.

41mins Wales battle into the English half but England win a penalty.

42mins Farrell boots to touch just outside the Welsh 22.

43mins Wales turn over and Mike Phillips boots long. England gather and restart their attack.

44mins YELLOW CARD! A Priestland kick is charged down and England look to set up a try. Priestland comes in for a late tackle and is sent for a 10 minute cool down.

45mins PENALTY! Farrell sends another one over, ENGLAND 12-6 WALES

47mins Wales slow down play as they advance to the English 22.

50mins Slow, disciplined work from Wales as they hang on to possession. The phases are going well until England win a penalty. Farrell boots for touch and finds the Welsh 22.

52mins England maul from the lineout and are held at the 22. England spill and Wales isolate the English defender. Wales miss touch but England's clearance sets up a Welsh attack. Wales win a penalty at the ruck.

53mins PENALTY! Halfpenny sends it over. ENGLAND 12-9 WALES

54mins Ryan Jones replaces Alun Wyn Jones.

55mins Priestland waits to come back on as England knock on in the Welsh half.

56mins Priestland rejoins play as the teams pack down.

57mins Wales win a penalty for offside from the scrum. They boot for touch but don't find much territory.

59mins England with a series of turnovers on the half way line. They spread wide and advance to the Welsh 22.

60mins Play is halted as the English attack is bundled into touch. All the pressure is on Wales and England are looking extremely hungry for a try.

61mins Youngs is on for Dixon. Tom Croft pinches the Welsh lineout.

62mins England are penalised but Priestland misses touch. England return and win a penalty on the floor.

63mins Farrell misses his kick.

65mins England with a relentless onslaught on Wales. The men in red can't seem to get out their own half. Toby Flood comes on for Farrell.

66mins Wales get into the English half and are awarded a scrum.

68mins Wales burst into the English 22 and come inches from the line. England steal on the floor and clear.

69mins England are penalised for bringing Warburton down from the jump at the lineout. Wales kick for touch and find the English 22.

70mins England penalised for a hand in the ruck. Halfpenny to go for the posts.

71mins PENALTY! Halfpenny levels the scores. ENGLAND 12-12 WALES

73mins England mount a fast-paced attack but get an unlucky offside call. Wales kick for touch.

74mins Priestland sends it high into the English 22 and Foden calls the mark. They send it back to Wales and win turnover.

76mins TRY! Replacement Scott Williams steals ball and hacks on. He wins the foot race and dives over. Halfpenny converts. ENGLAND 12-19 WALES

77mins England come within a whisker as George North knocks an English grubber kick into touch on the five-metre line.

78mins England with a penalty and kick for touch for five-metre lineout. Wales set up their defence.

79mins Wales look to have turned over but England are awarded the lineout. They kick for touch and go for the five-metre lineout.

80mins England spread wide and go over the line, but it looks to be held up. It's going upstairs.

83mins INCONCLUSIVE -NO TRY!

FULL TIME! ENGLAND 12-19 WALES Wales win the Triple Crown! To be fair, though, England were extremely unlucky to lose this match. It's a cliche but it could have gone either way. England will take a lot of positives from this game, but Wales take the 2012 Triple Crown, and their first ever Triple Crown at Twickenham.

NEWS BY:http://www.sportsmole.co.uk

Tracing musical style through technology

Aberdeen academics will employ the techniques of DNA sequencing to look at how music has changed over the centuries.

They are part of an international team successful in securing a £100,000 grant from the Digging into Data project, which supports researchers using computational techniques to change the nature of humanities and social sciences research.

Dr Frauke Jurgensen, a lecturer in music at the University of Aberdeen, will lead the Aberdeen team, working alongside academics from Canada and the USA, to study changes in musical style from 1300 to 1900.

They will employ computational techniques, including those more commonly used in genetics research, to pinpoint transitions in musical style which could ultimately change the way in which we appreciate and perform music from this era.

Dr Jurgensen will focus on Renaissance music, analysing the changes in musical chords and melodic motions using advanced music information retrieval techniques.

She said: “As a singer I have a strong interest in music from a performance perspective, and if you are going to perform or even listen to music then you have to understand it.

“Modern audiences are not going to be familiar with much of the music we are looking at, since we subconsciously build up an understanding of the music we normally listen to.

“Much of the music we are investigating deserves to be performed, and we hope that by developing our understanding of the way it is constructed, we can help modern audiences and musicians to connect to it.”

Dr Jurgensen will use the digitised collections of several large music repositories, including the music of Palestrina and his contemporaries, to extract answers as to how the styles of the composers differ.

She will work with Professor George Coghill, Head of Computing Science at the University of Aberdeen and Dr Ian Knopke from the BBC, with Dr David Smith, Head of Music at the University of Aberdeen, acting in an advisory role.

“The collections we are looking at extend to thousands of pieces and if you were to attempt this kind of analysis by hand it would take many years.

“By using digitised data we are able to use pattern matching techniques similar to those in DNA sequencing to look at both similarities and differences in the music.

“We will be able to pinpoint the way in which a composer writes a piece of music that makes it different from another composer from the same period.

“This way of looking at music should help us to understand not only how this older music works, but also affects our understanding of newer music, which is underpinned by similar concepts.”




NEWS BY:http://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/details-11607.php

Cambridge University unveils letter from Charles Dickens to his son

It's like any letter written by an affectionate dad to his student son at university: work hard, keep a close eye on your spending, and if you have any problems, let me know.

A revealing missive penned by Charles Dickens to his son Henry nearly 150 years ago has been highlighted by Cambridge University today on the 200th anniversary of the great writer’s birth.

The letter was written while the author of Great Expectations was staying at a hotel in Liverpool, in October 1868. Dickens’ son, Henry, then just 19 and the first of the writer’s 10 children to go to university, had just arrived at Trinity Hall in Cambridge, to study maths.

His message to his son, which begins "Dear Harry", reveals that student debt is by no means just a 21st century phenomenon. It says: "I enclose you another cheque, for £25," and goes on to discuss his allowance, £250 a year ("handsome for all your wants") his requirements for furniture and clothes ("I strongly recommend you to buy nothing in Cambridge") and his decision to send him a consignment of drink, so he can enjoy the undergraduate life – three dozen bottles of sherry, two dozen bottles of port, three dozen light clarets, and six bottles of brandy.

Dickens Senior then exhorts his young son to be prudent when handling money: "Now observe attentively – we must have no shadow of debt." Throughout his life, Dickens was haunted by the memory of his own father sinking into debt, and being sent to prison as a result. Charles was sent to the pawnbroker’s with the family books and much of their furniture, and was later sent to work at Warren’s Blacking Factory, aged just 12.

The letter, given to the Cambridge college in 1957 by Christopher Dickens, one of Henry’s grandchildren, tells the young student: "You know how hard I work for what I get, and I think you know that I never had money help from any human creature after I was a child. If you ever find yourself on the verge of perplexity or difficulty, come to me. You will never find me hard with you while you are manly and truthful."

Dr Jan-Melissa Schramm, fellow in English at Trinity Hall, has written two books for Cambridge University Press about Charles Dickens. She said: "The letter speaks very powerfully to the parents of students today, not only about caring for their children’s spiritual well-being, but also about supplying their material wants.

NEWS BY:http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Education-and-Training/Universities/Cambridge-University-unveils-letter-from-Charles-Dickens-to-his-son-06022012.htm

UK university reviews funding from Libya

"We have also received scholarship funding in respect of advice given to the Libyan Investment Authority in London," it continued.

"No further receipts are anticipated."

In 2009, the university was pledged £1.5m from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation for its North Africa Programme.

The university said it has accepted £300,000 of that grant and the funds so far had been used to develop a research programme on North Africa, focused on politics, economics and society.

"In current difficult circumstances across the region, the School has decided to stop new activities under that programme.

"The Council of the School will keep the position under review.

"The School intends to continue its work on democratisation in North Africa funded from other sources unrelated to the Libyan authorities."
'Opportunity for reform'

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, 38, enrolled at the LSE in 2003 for an MSc which he completed. He continued his studies there, and was awarded a PhD in 2008.

Professor David Held, who supervised his PhD studies, said he watched his former student's speech and was "deeply disturbed by its failure to grasp the changing circumstances of the Middle East in general, and of Libya in particular".

"Rather than seeing the opportunity for reform based on liberal democratic values and human rights, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi stressed the threat of civil war and foreign intervention.

"I have known Saif al-Islam Gaddafi for several years since he did a PhD at the LSE. During this time I came to know a young man who was caught between loyalties to his family and a desire to reform his country.

"My support for Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was always conditional on him resolving the dilemma that he faced in a progressive and democratic direction.

"The speech last night makes it abundantly clear that his commitment to transforming his country has been overwhelmed by the crisis he finds himself in. He tragically, but fatefully, made the wrong judgement."

The LSE Students' Union said it was "totally unjustifiable and contradictory of LSE to operate on funds which contravene its guiding principles".

"We welcome the School's decision to take no further funding from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation; however, we believe that this does not go far enough.

"The school should take action to ensure that the money that was stolen from the Libyan people for our benefit, is now used for the benefit of Libyan people."
The London School of Economics has said it is reconsidering its links with Libya "as a matter of urgency".

The LSE has run courses for Libyan officials and has received a £1.5m donation from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation.

Colonel Gaddafi's second son, Saif al-Islam, studied at the LSE, gaining both a Master of Science and a doctorate.

The LSE statement follows a speech made by Saif on Sunday, in which he said the regime in Libya would stand firm.

He warned of civil war and rejected foreign intervention.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi wrote his doctoral dissertation on the role of civil society in the democratisation of global governance institutions.
Courses

The LSE has offered executive education programmes to Libyan officials. "No further courses are in preparation," the university's statement said.

NEWS BY:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12537155

Silverstone to house new technical college

Silverstone motor racing circuit is to house one of the first in a new wave of specialist university technical colleges (UTCs).

Set up with Northampton University and a local college, it will be one of 13 UTCs to offer highly technical subjects to teenagers from next year.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said the UTCs "have the potential to change the lives of thousands for the better."

Others argue they risk setting children on a rigid career path too early.

The government also announced on Monday that it had approved 55 new free schools.

This includes one being set up by the prestigious independent school Brighton College in a deprived part of east London but targeting poor, bright teenagers across the city.

And plans for the first bilingual primary school, which aims to teach in English 50% of the time and Spanish the rest, have also been approved.

Like free schools, university technical colleges are a flagship Conservative policy. They are being pioneered by former Education Secretary Kenneth Baker.

They are similar to German technical schools, where students can elect to follow skills-based education from their mid-teens.

The other 12 new UTCs will be established in Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Burnley, Bedfordshire, Daventry, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Sheffield, Southwark and Wigan.

There are already two UTCs open in England, one sponsored by heavy plant manufacturers JCB in Staffordshire and the other, The Black Country UTC, in Walsall in the West Midlands. And three more are already in the pipeline.

They offer 14- to 19-year-olds the opportunity to take a full time, technically oriented course of study and are supposed to be very well equipped with modern technical facilities.

They are sponsored by a university and aim to offer clear routes into higher education or further learning in work.

NEWS BY:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-15216987

UK University Foundation Courses

Russian high school programs finish a year earlier than those in the UK, which means Russian students looking to do a UK degree course almost always need a need to do a foundation year first.

There are two types of foundation programs. One has its course content validated by a UK university, and successful students are guaranteed a university place. These offer courses in specialist subjects together with academic English. They employ highly qualified teachers - the English language staff, for example will have at least a diploma. The other kind does not have validated courses and does not guarantee a university place. At best they offer a good top-up in a specialist subject and/or a solid academic English course.

From 2009, Russian students who wish to study at private institutions will need to enroll in a college accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC) or a language school covered by Accreditation UK to obtain a visa.

Unfortunately, the BAC inspects only specialist subjects while Accreditation UK inspects only English-language teaching. Foundation programs should offer both. In addition both schemes accredit courses that don't guarantee university places as well as those that do.

So how do you choose a good foundation year? By asking some very tough questions.

If you already know which university you want, simply ask the admissions office. The university may run its own foundation program or outsource it to a state college, private college or a language school while guaranteeing degree places to successful students.

In either case, it is important to check what assistance is available if the student fails. "If a student [barely] fails the foundation year, we help them find a place somewhere else," says Claire Ballard of Reading University's International Office.

An increasing number of universities have private-sector partners who run foundation programs on the university campus. Students can enrol direct with these partners and get help choosing a university subsequently. Most of these organizations have formal arrangements with other universities for students who don't quite make the grade.

Study Group, for example, runs international study centers in nine British universities but many more universities accept people on their foundation program.

INTO is involved in joint ventures, currently with three British universities, which means the university remains responsible for academic quality. Again other universities will accept their course. INTO are building on-campus centers for their courses which include pre-foundation courses for those whose English is weak through to English-language support for students during their degrees.

Students who haven't decided on the university to which they wish to apply, could consider a foundation year at an accredited college whose programs are formally accepted by a number of university partners. For example, those at Bellerby's Colleges, part of Study Group, is accepted by forty British universities. There are language schools, too, which have validated courses. The program run by the Bell School in Cambridge, for example, is formally accepted by twelve universities and students are guaranteed a place at a university on successful completion of the course.

Some language schools are building a reputation in specialist subjects as well as English. IH London has a business track and another for science and engineering. These are accepted as entry qualifications for specific degree courses in universities such as King's College, London; Queen Mary, London; and Nottingham University.

Proper validated foundation years do not come cheap. University-run courses cost in the £7,500 to £13,000 ($14,900 to $25,820) range for non-EU students and the private-sector fees are much the same.

Courses without validation can be much cheaper. But if no university will accept them, what is the point?


NEWS BY:http://www.themoscowtimes.com/careercenter/JC/article/381487.html