Higher education

France’s newly autonomous universities are setting out to create foundations on the model of Harvard and Yale – and getting caught up in France’s bureaucratic jungle.

Basic and applied research are not either/ors. Both should be funded to beat the slump, says Nuala Moran.

National Rectors’ Conferences have been reporting on the situation facing their universities in the current economic climate. The results have been mixed.

UK pharmaceutical companies last year supported has nearly 14 per cent fewer PhD studentships and almost 25 per cent fewer postdoctoral grants than in 2003.

President Ralph Eichler has plans for growth and change at the top continental university – with a due measure of Swiss caution.

One of the largest gifts to research ever in Norway is to establish a Centre for Innovation Research in Stavanger.