News

This morning it was announced that Steve Jobs, the visionary behind the Apple Mac, the iPod and the iPhone, has died at the age of 56. The co-founder and former CEO of Apple had been fighting pancreatic cancer since 2004, but his death has still been felt by millions of people across the world.

Ever since he helped co-found Apple in the 1970s, his genius in technology and innovation was obvious. Merging cutting edge technology with fashionable design, he helped revolutionise the world with MacBook laptops, iPod Mp3 players, iPhones and, most recently, the iPad tablet. Indeed, such has been Apple's success under his leadership that it is now the second most valuable company in the world.

Since Jobs's death was announced, tributes have been flooding in from some of the most influential figures in the world. Below you can find a small selection.

"His brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve". Apple statement

A college in London has been caught out helping international students to cheat their way to degree qualifications in order to gain a UK visa. After being exposed by a BBC television programme, Rayat London College is now being investigated by the UK Border Agency.

Earlier this year, BBC investigators pretended to be students enrolling at the college, but were secretly filming with hidden cameras. The results were shocking. The college has been selling overseas students a false diploma which can then be used to enrol on MBA courses. The diplomas mean the students are exempt from much of the work, allowing them to complete express MBA courses in as little as a week.

Fast, Fake Degrees

On top of this, the diplomas allow the students to apply for Post Study Work visas, which allow internationals two years in the UK after they finish a degree. These PSW visas are being phased out in April next year, which is leading some students into the temptation fast, fake degrees.

Staff at Rayat were caught teaching students how to cheat on both their exams and their visa applications. Indeed, students were even being offered the chance to see the exam papers before the examination itself.

The Immigration Minister for the UK, Damian Green, had a warning for anyone trying to cheat the system:

After a wet, windy and cloudy summer, it seems summer has finally reached the UK- just a few months late. This week Britain is going through an unseasonal heat wave, with temperatures at 27^oC in London today. What's more, by Friday it is expected to reach 28^oC, which is hotter than Hawaii at this time of year.

A source from the Met Office (the British weather forecasters) revealed: "It's going to be a warm week, and in some cases the night-time temperatures could get up to about the same as you would expect during the day for this time of year". Usually, the average temperature in September in Britain is just 15^oC.

The even better news is that the Indian Summer is expected to last in to October, with warm, dry weather predicted. The British public are always happy to take advantage of some nice weather and by the weekend, Brits will be out in their millions enjoying one last BBQ or day at the beach.

However, if there is one thing that Brits enjoy more than lounging in the hot weather, it is talking about it. There are hundreds of stories across the internet, conversations can be heard on every street and there are already Facebook groups set up, all about this year's Indian Summer!

On the same day that new figures revealed huge increases in international student numbers in the UK, a leading figure in Higher Education warned that politicians cannot be complacent.

Yesterday, the higher education statistics organisation HESA, released the figures for the number of non-UK students studying in Britain over the last five years. The results were startling. Between 2005 and 2010, the number of foreign undergraduate students increased by 27%, whilst non-UK postgraduates increased by a massive 37%. In comparison, UK based student numbers increased by just 5% at undergraduate level, and by less than 9% at postgraduate.

These figures show the extent to which UK universities have increased their intake of overseas students more and more each year. Due mainly to the added financial benefits that international students bring, almost every university in Britain has made a concerted drive to recruit more during the last few years.

"Redouble our Efforts"

However, there are question marks over whether this pattern will continue after visa restrictions and increased fees are implemented next year. With plans to restrict post-study work visas for foreign students, as well as the increased fees that EU students will have to start paying, leading figures are anxious about the future of international students in the UK.

Every week we bring you a round up of all the student news from the past week, as well as the trends hitting the web at the moment. This week's includes university deficits, Facebook buttons and an Enzo crash.

Student News

26 UK Universities in Deficit

A new report has revealed that one in five British universities are in deficit. Whilst investigating the financial health of the Higher Education sector, accountants Grant Thornton found that 26 universities are in deficit, and almost half are below the recommended minimum of surplus. However, overall, the news is good, with total surplus up from £345m to £811m.

READ MORE...

University Family Traditions

More and more universities in the UK are seeing generations from the same family attending. Whilst it has always been traditional for sons to follow their father to the same college at Oxbridge, this trend has now spread to other British universities. Three families have revealed the differences and similarities between when the parents went to university and now.