In 2018, the publication of a new study on learning a second language made a big splash in the British press. From the BBC to the Daily Mail , via the Guardian , a whole series of headlines have conveyed this depressing message: it would be impossible to be able to speak fluently a foreign language by beginning his apprenticeship after the age of […] … learn more→

When you think about your own school days, you might have had a furry friend to keep you company in the classroom – maybe a school hamster, rabbit or guinea pig. But what about a school dog? That’s what’s being suggested by the vice chancellor of the University of Buckingham, Sir Anthony Seldon, who made […] … learn more→

As the school year begins to wind down, high school seniors – and those who care about them – typically have their eyes on two prizes: getting into college and graduating from high school. While both milestones are worthy of celebration, there’s much more that students and parents should do after those two milestones are […] … learn more→

This week saw the closure of Google+, an attempt by the online giant to create a social media community to rival Facebook. If the Australian usage of Google+ is anything to go by – just 45,000 users in March compared to Facebook’s 15 million – it never really caught on. But the Google+ shutdown follows a string of […] … learn more→

When it comes to views about Europe, it’s well known that Germany and England differ sharply. Research after the Brexit vote shows that 68% of Germans are in favour of the European Union and only 11% would support withdrawal. Compare this with 54% of UK respondents who are favourable to the EU. Similarly, during the 2017 general […] … learn more→

These are the days where we’re supposed to be very paranoid over other countries’ influence on our institutions…even as our media refuses to mention how our country influences entire governments of other countries. That said, the Chinese government does have outposts on our campuses. I see little reason for outrage, as these things are hardly […] … learn more→

Anyone who goes to a library will see that the children’s section is increasingly populated by large format books, full of illustrations and with little text. We enter a bookstore and from the window we already see the presence of works for children in hard cover and with impressive images. There is no Early Childhood classroom that […] … learn more→

The upper echelons of British society are filled with graduates from elite universities. These universities are, in turn, disproportionately full of students from wealthier backgrounds, many of whom went to private school. For these graduates, their top education and superior knowledge of the “rules of the game” regarding how institutions work gains them entry-level graduate jobs in […] … learn more→

I commenced my PhD programme in Molecular and Cell Biology of Infectious Diseases at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), the University of Ghana in August last year. WACCBIP is a world class research centre where young African researchers are groomed to be research leaders who would change the landscape […] … learn more→

Before I begin, I need to make it clear that I have no children. As such, I apologise if some of what I say about families and research is a little off-kilter. This post stands in stark contrast to Sarah Haye’s beautiful piece, ‘How having kids made me a better academic‘. Think of me as […] … learn more→