The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 10 May 2013.
UK: Protests over Oxford University partnership with Shell
Oxford University students and alumni are protesting over the university’s partnership with oil company Shell, The Guardian reports. The university’s Earth sciences department is accepting funding from Shell for the opening of a new laboratory and research over the next five years. Campaigners say the affiliation undermines the university’s work on climate change, while the university says it is committed to ensuring its research remains “independent and objective”.
Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi seeks help in rebuilding universities
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is calling on UK university leaders to help Burma rebuild its higher education system, BBC News reports. In a video message, the Nobel Peace Prize winner said the country’s universities have “almost been destroyed by half a century of military rule”. She is currently chairing a parliamentary committee working to reform Burma’s higher education system, and emphasized the importance of international partnerships.
Sweden: Ranked world’s second best for higher education
There’s cause for celebration in Sweden, as the country has been ranked the world’s second best for higher education for the second year running, The Local reports. This is according to the annual report from Universitas 21, which evaluates countries’ higher education systems on criteria including resources, output, connectivity and environment. The US again topped the list, while Sweden’s fellow Nordic countries fared well – Denmark 5th, Finland 6th and Norway 12th.
Hong Kong: HKUST building ties with Turkey
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has sent a committee on a tour of universities in Turkey in a bid to establish ties, Hurriyet Daily News reports. HKUST president Tony F Chan says the university currently has only seven Turkish students, but is keen to recruit more. He added that HKUST hopes to establish research collaborations and student exchange schemes with Turkish universities.
Australia: Fears over cuts to science funding
Anxiety is growing among Australian scientists, due to anticipation that the federal budget announcement on 14 May will bring cuts to research funding, Nature reports. Cuts have already been announced to university funding, and scientists are also concerned about delays to a long-term funding plan for scientific infrastructure and access to international facilities.