DIARY

Gordon Brown is keen for universities to get close to industry - and some universities are obliging. The latest, the London School of Economics (LSE), has done a deal (right) with Abbey, part of the Santander Group, which will see the finance house giving scholarships, travel research awards and training in entrepreneurship. It will also be helping the economic and social science powerhouse to introduce smart cards for students and staff. Two other institutions, the Cass business school and University College London, have already signed up for the Abbey shilling. So, how much money is involved? A spokesman couldn't say. Universities supported by Santander get around 20 scholarships a year. So, the LSE should get 20 students coming from Spanish-speaking countries or Portugal and another 20 will go from the LSE to study in one of those countries.

A new think-tank on higher education is about to burst on to the scene. Run by Anna Fazackerley, the former Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) reporter (right), it will grab public attention this month with its first book, designed to be controversial and to stir things up with its title "Can the Prizes Still Glitter? The Future of British Universities in a Changing World". Fazackerley attracted attention at the THES for her friendship with Boris Johnson, and the Conservative higher education spokesman is one of the contributors to the book, along with Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong, Steve Smith, the vice-chancellor of Exeter and Eric Thomas, the vice-chancellor of Bristol. Called Agora, the think-tank has an office in Sloane Street provided by Alec Reed, the founder of Reed International, and is busy trying to fund-raise. Fazackerley emphasises that it is independent and won't be the creature of the right or the left. The other main think-tank the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) is relaxed about the newcomer. "If they add to the sum of knowledge about higher education, that is good," says Bahram Bekhradnia, HEPI's director.

Getting kudos for your university via honorary degrees is nothing new. Nelson Mandela has a raft of them, over 100 at the last count, including honours from Harvard, Cambridge and the Sorbonne. Edinburgh, though, was a little wide of the mark when it anointed Robert Mugabe, then prime minister of Zimbabwe, to their roll of honour for his "services to education in Africa". This was in 1984, four years after Zimbabwe gained independence. Just about the same time, in fact, as the old devil was crushing Ndebele uprisings, paving the way to become president a few years later. Oops. Edinburgh students are up in arms now that Mugabe is associated with them, and have called for him to be stripped of the honour. It is quite a complicated process and has been ongoing since 2005. Mugabe's spokesperson has announced he will not lose sleep over the threat.

In terms of culture shock, what do you imagine are the most difficult things for foreign students on their arrival in the UK? Astronomical costs? Complicated bus timetables? In fact, top of the list are boozing and snogging. To help them get to grips with this country's mores, technology expert Nipan Maniar from the University of Portsmouth, himself a new arrival from India five years ago, has developed C-Shock - a mobile phone game. It will be available to download from Portsmouth's website.

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