The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 25 March 2013.
Global: University drinking culture doesn’t lead to future alcohol abuse
Research carried out at Penn State University has found that the drinking culture that exists at many universities in the West does not tend to lead to substance abuse in later life. There is a chance that it may actually reduce the chance of abuse in those who wouldn’t be expected to attend university for social and economic reasons. The findings are based on a series of intermittent interviews with a group of 1,100 Americans who completed high school in 1979.
US: University of California-Davis is ‘taco school’ according to Google
Here’s a terrifying fact: Google sometimes makes mistakes – for no apparent reason. If you did a search for the University of California - Davis last week, Google would have told you that it was (this is good) a ‘taco school’ which is ‘lead by King Arthur’ (sic). It is unclear why the error occurred, though it is now fixed, reports The Huffington Post. The university has released a statement saying that, though it is not a taco school, a wide range of tacos are available on campus.
US: NYU student invents gel to stop bleeding
A student studying at New York University has created a gel which stops bleeding in the same way as a plaster or bandage. Joe Landolina, 20, is studying a bachelor’s degree in biomolecular and chemical engineering and a master’s in biomedical engineering – so it’s certainly clear that’s he’s a clever boy! His gel is an artificial version of the connective tissue which holds animal’s bodies together. It has been tested on rats and will now be tested on bigger animals, reports the New York Post.
US: Man faces jail for stealing personal information to rig campus election
A former student at California State University San Marcos pleaded guilty to a charge of mass identity theft in order to rig a student election. Matthew Weaver was running for the presidency of the university’s student council – a post that pays US$8,000 – when he electronically stole the passwords of nearly 500 students in order to cast votes for himself. He faces up to 33 months in jail, reports UT San Diego.
UK: UK gets second private university
Publically owned universities dominate the UK higher education landscape, so news that a new private university is to open is certainly noteworthy. ‘Open’ perhaps isn’t the right word, as it is more of a change in status, as the institution – Regent’s College – has been functioning since 1984. It will be changing its name to Regent’s University London as a result of the change. The new university, with a student body of 4,500, is twice the size of the University of Buckingham, the country’s only other such institution. Fees are higher than at public institutions, standing at £14,000 (approx US$21,000 today), while public universities can charge a maximum of £9,000 (US$13,650).