Lost student fees, private university near Montpellier, nanotechnology centre opens…

This week in Nations in brief: Bavaria will make up lost student fees; Concern over private university near Montpellier; Nanotechnology centre opens in Duisburg; Greater focus on brain research needed; Tuition fee increase in Bulgaria upsets students.

Bavaria will make up lost student fees

The government of Bavaria is to fully compensate universities for loss of income resulting from the state’s decision to scrap student fees, it has announced. Bavaria will pay €219 million to its universities in 2013 and 2014 to make up for lost fees. Student fees were introduced in Germany in 2007, but were quickly abolished by most Länder. Lower Saxony is now the only state left that charges university students the fees of €500 a year.