The spring legislative season is well underway, and, as has been the case for the last several years, a number of states are again considering and passing amendments to their anti-bullying laws. This year, Florida and Kentucky, for example, saw amendments to their anti-bullying laws introduced in their general assemblies. Florida’s bill, which has been […] … learn more→

The rate by which Americans are earning two-and-four year degrees continues to lag stubbornly behind what’s needed to meet national goals, and declining college and university enrollments threaten to make things worse, according to a new report. But a change in the way the figure is being calculated has caused a one-time leap in in […] … learn more→

A colleague of mine recently posted a plea on an open forum asking for someone with access to please send her a copy of a journal article. This colleague works at one of the premier research institutions in the EU which has an annual budget of over €100m, yet she had to ask her connections […] … learn more→

The idea that Africa’s development depends critically on science, technology and innovation is embodied in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This document emphasises economies that are led by innovation and driven by knowledge. But the continent has some serious work to do if it’s to create such economies. It starts at a disadvantage: Africa is […] … learn more→

Doing a PhD part time while working full time seems like the stuff of nightmares, but for some students it works perfectly. For me it was the only option. You see, I came to the PhD world relatively late, at the age of 40. By that time I was already living and working overseas as […] … learn more→

“Hugging it out” is often touted as a good way to solve a problem. Now a group of Europeans have decided that that’s all Britons need to convince them to stay in the EU. Their #hugabrit campaign, in which people send in pictures of themselves hugging a Briton, aims to launch “a lovebomb” across the […] … learn more→

Admin: “To facilitate student demands, we’re creating a fake algebra course that will satisfy the math requirement…” –Yes, faculty protested. No, we didn’t have the power to stop this. Yes, we told admin that doing this would shut too many students out of useful degree programs, to no avail. Now we have millions of waiters […] … learn more→

The question of whether warfare is encoded in our genes, or appeared as a result of civilisation, has long fascinated anyone trying to get to grips with human society. Might a willingness to fight neighbouring groups have provided our ancestors with an evolutionary advantage? With conflicts raging across the globe, these questions have implications for […] … learn more→

Tomorrow’s universities are being reshaped as I write this. Next year’s students are already fundamentally different in attitude and mindset to those who were making their university choice just five years ago. These students don’t want the “polished” version of what a university can offer and they don’t want a cookie-cutter response to their questions.  […] … learn more→

My grandmother (sole-deceased on a Reverse Mortgage) signed a TOD (transfer-upon-death) deed over to me before her death. A few days after her death, I recorded it and sent a letter to the lender with a copy of the deed notifying she had died and “I was looking forward to paying off the loan by […] … learn more→