New science advisory group, funding for universities, tech system for airplanes, and more
Europe
The government has established a temporary national research ethics committee to accelerate ethics reviews for all Covid-19 related research activity in Ireland.
UK
The government has today announced details of its much-anticipated support package for the higher education sector, which has been financially poleaxed by the coronavirus pandemic. The support package includes bringing forward to this academic year £100 million of quality-related research funding in England.
Is this enough, though? Universities are going to need some form of otherworldly help, says our HE editor Martin McQuillan, because not that much is coming from the government.
The OfS could impose fines of more than £500,000 if universities make any “unfair” offers to students, but there are questions over the potential “unintended consequences” of its proposals, with one expert describing them as “frightening”.
Upheaval to this year’s recruitment cycle caused by the coronavirus offers a chance to introduce a post-qualification admissions system, the Sutton Trust has claimed.
Former chief scientific adviser David King has announced an “independent” Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies as the official group faces growing complaints over secrecy.
The new group has held its first, public, meeting on coronavirus on the same day as the official government advisory group published its membership following allegations of secrecy.
Nottingham’s universities have teamed up with Scancell Holdings, a developer of immunotherapies for cancer treatment, to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.
Australia and New Zealand
The Australian government must correct errors and clarify potentially misleading statements about privacy protection for its Covid-19 contact-tracing app, according to University of New South Wales legal academics.
Agricultural scientists at Western Sydney University have donated more than 58 tonnes of fruit and vegetables from glasshouse crop research trials to food relief charities supporting vulnerable people during the Covid-19 crisis.
The University of New England in regional New South Wales says demand for online short courses in areas such as health management has rapidly increased in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Zealand’s education minister Chris Hipkins has announced a $20 million relief fund to help tertiary students continue studies that have been disrupted by Covid-19 closures and restrictions.
Health data systems researchers should work with New Zealand’s award-winning national airline to develop more efficient technology systems to deal with the Covid-19 crisis, a University of Otago academic has said.