Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
An exposition on successful economies impresses Howard Davies, but may not thrill the REF panels

An exposition on successful economies impresses Howard Davies, but may not thrill the REF panels
California in the 1970s: LSD, seances...quantum mechanics? Chris Sachrajda takes a strange trip
While the Obama administration struggles to disentangle itself from Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly a decade after George W. Bush's absurd "mission accomplished" boast of May 2003, it is useful to have...
As witness recent squawks on Fox News about the "communist" leanings of the latest Muppets movie, the idea of Hollywood as a hotbed of leftist subversion dies hard. Steven Ross aims to set the record...

Inside a Hackney sixth form, a mini Oxford gives pupils an appetite and an aspiration for higher study. Joseph Lee writes
The Chinese government's budget for basic research is set to increase by more than a quarter this year.
United StatesHappiness is a concealed gunStudents and staff at a US university will be allowed to carry guns on to campus thanks to a Supreme Court ruling. The decision concerning the University of...
LEVERHULME TRUSTResearch Project GrantsBasic sciences• Award winner: Tim Rakow• Institution: University of Essex• Value: £124,184Broadening the applications for experience-based choice• Award winner...
Hefce-backed teaching programme failed to raise standards significantly. Jack Grove writes

Quartet abandon 1994 Group for new home among elite body. John Morgan reports
The London College of Communication has suffered a 28 per cent drop in undergraduate applications for 2012-13 - greater than almost every university in England.

Asia and Europe up the pace as Harvard tops THE World Reputation Rankings. Jack Grove reports

Rise in CAM-do spirit foreseen as Birmingham and Nottingham mark anniversary. John Morgan writes
Paul Golby pledges a more conciliatory approach to 'shaping capability' agenda, reports Paul Jump
Students on accelerated two-year degrees often performed better than those on traditional three-year degrees, a report has said.