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Serf and turf war

The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN) produces the majority of Russian research - but are its members, set to vote for a new president, “serfs”?The election will take place at the end of this month....

Israel Academia Monitor fears the enemy within

Debate on academic politics in Israel has been reignited by Stephen Hawking’s decision to boycott a presidential conference after lobbying from Palestinian colleagues.Meanwhile, a campaigning Israeli...

Science without Borders (and hoped-for numbers?)

Flagship foreign study scheme may have failed to attract desired numbers. Donna Bowater reports

News in brief

AfricaContinental shift on plagiarismAcademics from across Africa will meet later this month to discuss plagiarism on the continent. The inaugural African Academic Integrity Seminars will take place...

Odds and quads

The archive of the Animation Research Centre, housed at the University for the Creative Arts Farnham, contains more than a million objects tracing the development of British animation from the 1940s...

Edinburgh scholar suggests speaking in tongues

Scholar hopes to ensure language’s future with help of new Edinburgh role. David Matthews writes

News in brief

Unistats websiteHefce report spots local difficultiesA report on the first year of the Unistats website, which gives prospective students information on course fees, graduate salaries and other data...

Online salvo supports postgrad’s Leeds battle

More than 350 people, including several academics, have signed a petition protesting against the University of Leeds’ treatment of an international postgraduate student.The university’s Institute of...

What’s your game? Union objects to US grade scheme

Students’ union and businesses look askance at use of US grade scheme. David Matthews reports

THE Executive Focus and Appointments

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Letters

Pros and cons of the metrics systemThe main problem with the research excellence framework is the huge amount of time and money that it consumes, distracting academics from scholarly activities and...

Laurie Taylor

‘Lend me your ears shock’One of our leading psychologists, Dr Fritz Itzig, is currently languishing in a police cell after a day-long series of attempts to increase the research impact of his work on...