Max Perutz 1914-2002: the godfather of molecular biology - video

Scientists who worked with the Nobel prize-winning pioneer discuss his legacy alongside footage and previously unseen interviews

Chasing the job market is no way to choose a degree | Ally Fogg

University applicants should certainly follow their heart as well as their head – the job market is too unpredictable to second guessReaders unfortunate to have grown up in the 1970s will doubtless recall a kids' TV game show called Runaround. A chaotic throng of youngsters would begin on a studio floor where they would be asked a question. When gravel-throated cockney Mike Reid bellowed "Run

Public engagement: what does it mean in higher education today? – live chat

Join our experts Friday 31 May from 12pm BST to discuss benefits, drawbacks, media, message and innovative practiceWhat does public engagement actually mean? It's one of those terms for which it's hard to find a single definition that reflects its wider purpose and the many forms it takes within the higher education sector.The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement has given it

The UK's immigration crackdown will lead to a loss of international talent | Sarah Mulley

Cuts to foreign student numbers mean a future Indian prime minister might end up studying in Sydney rather than SussexThe government is making significant progress towards its target of reducing net migration to the UK to less than 100,000 per year. Figures published on Thursday showed estimated net migration down to 153,000 in the year ending September 2012 (from 242,000 in the previous year

Bank holiday and half-term events for families around the UK

Street art in Bristol, a Neverland theme park opening in Plymouth and raft racing in Portrush are just some of the family-friendly events taking place around the country over the bank holiday and half termSurrey: the Big Picnic at Hampton Court Palace, 25-27 MayHead over to Hampton Court Palace over the long weekend, but don't forget your sandwiches and scotch eggs, as all ticket holders ar

The Eton entrance questions every 12-year-old future PM should be asked | Daisy Buchanan

'You are the prime minister,' candidates were told, not implausibly. But how would they fare with these humdingers?Much is made of the fact that girls are expected to enter their teens in a state of anxiety, uncertain of their wishes, ambitions and future powers. Whether this is true or not, such allowances are rarely made for adolescent boys, who are expected to be filled with careless confi

Automated marking: bad for essays?

Knowing that your work will not be seen by the human eye takes all the satisfaction out of essay writingHow would you like your work to be marked by a robot? If you're a student on a free online course – like those run by EdX – then you can expect to have your essays assessed through instant grading software. It works by recognising and rewarding the key words, phrases and structures in your

Summer-born children, sex education and school swimming: research in brief

Our weekly round up of the latest research papers, methods and ideas related to teaching and learningFuture of school swimmingMore than 1.1 million primary school children will start their half-term holidays being unsafe around water, a new report claims.The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), the governing body for the sport, surveyed 3,501 primary schools in England for its report and

Protect children from internet pornography, report demands

Report finds evidence of a high correlation between exposure to violent and sadistic images and behaviourChildren are exposed to violent and sadistic imagery which risks distorting their attitudes towards relationships and sex, according to the children's commissioner for England.A report released on Thursday by the commissioner's office found that children who watch pornography are more l

Nursery reforms could cut childcare costs by 28%, DfE calculates

New calculations released by Department for Education will boost those seeking to push stalled plans throughThe cost of childcare could be cut by as much as 28% if the government was to go ahead with stalled plans to raise ratios of children to staff in nurseries.Government plans are currently stalled due to a disagreement within the coalition between the Liberal Democrats and the Conserva

US graduation season 2013: the best commencement speeches

Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Stephen Colbert are just some of the heavy-hitters speaking at college graduations this yearEvery year around this time, clusters of newly minted "adults" in caps and gowns sit like sponges, soaking up the wisdom that booms from the front of the auditorium:"Parents, friends, distinguished guests, graduates of the class of 2013 …"So begins the commencement s

Research in brief – 23 May 2013

Our weekly round-up aimed at showcasing the latest research across the subject spectrum at UK universitiesScience and technology• Surrey and UCL universitiesResearch finds the biological function of sleep is to allow for vital repair and maintenance of the cells in our brain, called neurons. The findings show these repair functions can only occur if the rest periods of individual neurons a

Experiences of Ofsted inspections: from good to notice to improve and back again

During her time as principal, Kenny Frederick's school has had a mixed bag of experiences with Ofsted inspectorsIn my 17 years as principal of George Green's school, I have been through five Ofsted inspections. In this time, the Ofsted framework has changed seven times and there have been at least three redrafts in the past four years. My first inspection as principal was in November 1998

The French protect their language like the British protect their currency | Andrew Gallix

A row over using English in universities has blown up in France, where language is at the heart of the national identityThe front page of Libération, one of France's leading dailies, was printed entirely in English on Tuesday. "Let's do it," ran the banner headline. Sounding like a Nike slogan penned by Cole Porter, it in fact referred to a new bill, which, if passed, would allow some univers

The cost of historical research: why archives need to move with the times

The variable fees charged to access original documents risk putting archival research out of general reach, says Nell DarbyAs county archives face continued financial pressure on their services, history researchers are facing increasing difficulty in accessing original archival documents. Reduced and often complex opening arrangements, fewer staff and closures over lunch periods makes pre-pla

Second-chance students: mature and motivated

If you're fed up with your job, don't be afraid to return to university – you're a much better student second time roundYour friend is chattering enthusiastically: some days she loathes her job, but most days are like today – challenging but rewarding. You try to be just equally upbeat, and mumble something about how at last you've worked out how to make the arms of your office chair fit unde

The Apprentice: a psychological assessment | Dean Burnett

The Apprentice is a very popular TV show despite everyone seeming to hate it. There are interesting psychological reasons for why this is the caseI saw The Apprentice once, many years ago. I didn't like it. I felt it was everything that was wrong with modern culture and the media in general. I vowed never to watch it again, and assumed everyone else would feel similarly. They did not.Jump

7 things successful heads of department do

Assistant headteacher Peter Smith offers some guidance on how to make your department shineLead by exampleAll historians love a quote and that quite wise chap Gandhi once said: "You must be the change you want to see in the world." If you want a department where ideas are shared, students are enthused and teaching is dynamic, you have to take the lead. The job of head of department can be

Outcry from Chicago teachers as city votes to close 50 schools

Officials say closures are necessary to improve standards but teachers union president calls it 'a day of mourning'The Chicago board of education voted Wednesday to close 50 schools and programs, an ambitious plan that has sparked protests and lawsuits and could help define — for better or worse — Mayor Rahm Emanuel's term in office.City officials say the closings are necessary because of

Letters: Engineering can be as inspiring as space

The new British space race (To boldly go, G2, 21 May) has the potential to inspire young people and boost our economy. Space travel captures the imagination of budding young inventors and engineers – it is the stuff of childhood dreams. But there are other British industries at the forefront of technology that can inspire and propel young people towards careers in engineering and science. Withou

Guardian Students' birthday blog

Guardian Students turns one today. We have plenty of birthday treats in store, including: an interview with Toni Pearce, the next NUS president, a showcase of our best student blogs – and best of all, presents.We'll be giving away birthday gifts on the hour, every hour from 10am-5pm. Join Guardian Students now for a chance to win.Judy FriedbergRebecca Ratcliffe

Joan Hooker obituary

My friend Joan Hooker, who has died aged 87, began her working life at 17, when she joined the Free French in De Gaulle's London headquarters, starting a lifetime of political involvement.At the end of the second world war she became secretary to John Freeman, who had been elected to the 1945 parliament and was minister at the War Office. Here, at 21, one of a tiny nucleus of active Labour se

Why philosophy students do the most drugs

Nearly 90% of them have taken drugs, a higher proportion than in any other discipline, according to a poll of 21 UK universitiesAn Oxford philosopher this week described their drug experiences in a survey by online student newspaper the Tab. "Having dinner with parents while seeing the world in monochrome and feeling supremely dizzy! I think my speech was barely coherent."Yawn. Other drug

Nick Clegg criticises Westminster school's internships auction

Deputy PM reproaches alma mater as MPs urge companies to withdraw work placements from fee-paying school's auctionNick Clegg has backed complaints about a prestigious private school's auction of exclusive work experience placements for its students.A group of MPs have written to participants including Coutts bank, Fabergé and the high street retail guru Mary Portas asking them to withdraw

Cheating student stories – open thread

Cheating at university takes many forms, says academic. Are student excuses moving with the times? Share your storiesCheating students: you've probably had a few in your class. But cheating isn't always the sophisticated process some may think. According to Bernard Bull from Concordia University Wisconsin, who has set up a course for academics to look into why and how students cheat, a more s

The NUS president who's never been to uni

When Toni Pearce becomes NUS president in July, college students and youth unemployment will be top of her agendaBuilders are still wandering in and out of 275 Grays Inn Road, the NUS's sleek new offices in central London. Inside, it looks more like an imitation of Google's headquarters than a gritty hub of student activism. The corridors smell of new carpet, walls are brightly painted and th

Full list of free schools approved for 2014 opening

Full list of the 102 free schools in England approved by the department for education for opening in September 2014A total of 102 new free schools have been approved by the department for education for opening in 2014 and beyond.The new schools planned include the Marco Polo Academy, a bilingual English-Mandarin primary school in Barnet, and the Phoenix in Oldham, a military-style academy

Feeling worthless, hopeless … who'd be a university student in Britain? | Holly Baxter

Mental health among students is not good, according to an NUS survey – little wonder, when their situation today is so dismalBeing a student is hard, according to the latest study from the National Union of Students. Specifically, it's hard on your mental health: 80% of the 1,200 UK students surveyed reported feeling stressed, with 55% experiencing anxiety and 50% suffering from insomnia or s

If parents have to pay for school work placements, their children will suffer | Libby Page

My work experience led to my first job, teaching me I had a value. Charging parents creates a class of haves and have notsOn Monday the Times reported that parents are being asked by schools to subsidise work experience placements by paying around £50 or more for the opportunity, with an additional fee for placements in London. Following the government's decision to drop compulsory work exper

South Sudan initiative aims to keep young girls in primary school | Mark Tran

A UK-backed project in Western Equatoria state seeks to ensure domestic and social factors don't deny girls an educationBridget Nagomoro used to get up at five in the morning to fetch water from the stream, cook breakfast for the family, then walk the five miles to school. In the evening, she would eat at 10pm having cooked dinner, done the household chores and completed her homework.It's