Stop students Suicides

Saturday 28 February 2009

A report says that one from every 10000 students in America suicides!.Suicides are usually due to breakups,academic problems and depression.Many counselling services are working in America to stop these suicides.Students are adviced to contact these counselling services to avoid any mishappenings.Counselling services provides services to students in a privacy and not tend to leake any discussions.Counselling services fees are covered mainly by health insurance companies.

Young Britons among least likely to study science

Young Britons are among the least likely in Europe to consider studying science subjects, a European poll has found.
The Young People and Science study for the European Commission surveyed nearly 25,000 15- to 25-year-olds across the 27 countries of Europe.
When asked how they felt about studying science-based subjects, 86% of young Britons said they would probably or definitely not consider natural sciences, while 76% would consider neither engineering nor mathematics.
But the findings for young people in Britain were echoed by those in other European countries, where a minority said they would consider studying sciences.
When asked about natural sciences, the Netherlands (81%), Ireland (80%), France (75%) and Germany (78%) had similar results to the UK.
Young people in the newer European members in eastern Europe are somewhat more keen on studying science subjects - in Slovenia 53% were not considering natural sciences, and 62% in Romania.
Those surveyed were most likely to say that they would study social sciences, followed by economics and business studies. Mathematics was selected by the smallest group.
When it came to careers, the most popular options were engineers and health professionals (both 22%).
Next in line were those who wanted to study natural sciences or mathematics to become teachers.
The smallest group of respondents wanted to become technicians (9%). Young women were more likely to study natural science or mathematics in order to become a health professional, teacher or public sector researcher.
Young men, however, were more liable to select engineer, technician or private-sector researcher as a career.
Despite their study preferences, the respondents were in agreement that an interest in science was essential for their country's future prosperity: half agreed strongly and 39% tended to agree.The findings will raise fears that recent government claims that young people in Britain are coming round to science subjects are misplaced.
The English funding council, Hefce, claimed a turnaround in the number of students taking up science, maths and language subjects at A-level and university last month.
Last week, the Science Council said not enough young people knew about the career advantages that come with taking science subjects.
The commission's poll found young Britons were among the most optimistic of their European peers.
They had the highest levels of expectation of future improvements in air quality (30%), food quality (62%) and communication among people (73%).
They were also among the least likely to see health threats from GM foods (11%), pesticides (15%), new epidemics (19%) or fertilisers in the water supply (23%).

Oxbridge to accept engineering diploma

The universities of Cambridge and Oxford will accept the advanced diploma in engineering for entry to its undergraduate engineering courses.
The move by the elite universities will give the government's flagship qualification a welcome boost after the numbers taking up diplomas this September were lower than expected.
Diploma students could apply next year to start courses at the universities in 2010 but the numbers are expected to be very small.
Students studying the diploma will need to include physics A-level and the A-level equivalent Level 3 certificate in mathematics for engineering as part of the additional specialist learning section.
They will also be expected to demonstrate the same level of academic aptitude and potential as other candidates and undertake the extended project and principal learning elements of the diploma.
University engineering departments have helped draw up the content of the new diploma to make sure it is robust enough to prepare students for degrees.
Dr Geoff Parks, Cambridge's admissions director, said he had been heavily involved and was pleased the qualification would now be acceptable as preparation for the university's engineering courses.
"The engineering diploma is an interesting new qualification combining practical and theoretical learning in innovative ways.
"I very much hope that its introduction will not only help address the skills shortage in a discipline that is vital to the country's economic wellbeing but also extend opportunities to talented young people from all backgrounds."
Mike Nicholson, head of undergraduate admissions at Oxford, said: "We already welcome engineering candidates with a wide range of qualifications and see the value in considering those studying the advanced diploma in this subject.
"We are keen to encourage appropriately qualified applicants to apply regardless of their school or college background."
Dr John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the move was critical.
"To succeed the diploma needs strong support from industry and universities but specifically support from the top universities," he said.
"This support is extremely important for schools and colleges who are encouraging their students to do the diplomas.
"This announcement is critically important in ensuring greater parity of esteem between with A-levels and ensuring that diplomas don't become second-class qualifications."
Malcolm Carr-West, academic advisor at the Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject Centre, said: "A number of universities are looking at it very favourably provided the maths element is okay for them."
A number of universities helped develop the maths for engineering element of the diploma based on a pre-entry course at Loughborough University.

Nobel prize winners call for education in war zones

Thirty-one Nobel peace prize winners have called for urgent action to provide good education and build peace in war zones.
The Dalai Lama, the former US president Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi are among the signatories of the first-ever joint statement.
They want world leaders to pay more attention to the educational needs of more than 37 million children who live in countries affected by conflict who cannot go to school.
In a joint letter, initiated by the charity Save the Children, they say: "War and conflict are perpetrated by adults. But every adult was once a child and grew up with experiences and guidance that shaped their lives.
"At the heart of this lies education. But if more than 70 million children do not even have the chance to go to school, and more than half of these children live in countries affected by armed conflict - what are these children learning?"
Millions of children continue to be denied an education because of war, despite world leaders' target to make sure every child has a primary education by 2015.
Even before the fighting escalated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 5 million of the 9.6 million school-age children were unable to go to school.
More children have been forced to flee their schools in recent weeks and some schools have been targeted to recruit child soldiers, the charity said.
An analysis of civil wars of the past 50 years showed that each year of formal schooling attended by boys reduces the risk of their becoming involved in conflict by 20% - yet children in trapped in this spiral of conflict continue to be denied education.
Save the Children is campaigning to provide education for children living in conflict-affected fragile states and for more funding for education to help build peace and stability.
Carter said: "I have seen the beneficial impact of education in promoting peace.
"It would be a mistake to underestimate the influence that children can have in shaping the opinions and decisions of adults."
Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, secretary general of the International Save the Children Alliance, said: "We are delighted that these champions of peace have chosen to speak out with a united voice for the first time.
"Their support shows that if the international community is serious about ending conflict and building lasting peace in countries like Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan, then education has to be a top priority."

Downturn causes students unease over degree choice

One in 12 final-year university students regrets their degree choice now that recession looks likely, a poll has revealed.
And almost half believe the downturn will jeopardise their career prospects.
Market research firm Opinionpanel Research quizzed 1,041 undergraduates last week, from freshers to final-year students, on whether they thought they would suffer in the economic slowdown.
Some 8% of the 357 final-year students polled wished they had chosen a different degree given the current climate. The figure was 4% for students across all years.
When final-year students were asked whether a recession would harm their careers, 46% replied that it would "a bit" and 9% thought it would "a lot". One in 10 was unsure.
Some 42% of students in all years believed a recession would harm their job prospects "a bit", 8% thought it would "a lot" and 14% were unsure.
Women were slightly more pessimistic than men: 9% of the female students worried a downturn would endanger their careers "a lot", compared with 7% of male students.
The pollsters quizzed students at 133 UK universities and specialist higher education institutes.
They found those at post-1992 universities such as the University of the West of England and University of Middlesex were more worried about recession than the rest.
Some 12% of these students feared a downturn would harm their job prospects "a lot", compared with 8% of students at Oxford, Cambridge and redbrick universities such as Bristol and Leeds.
Students at the newest universities, such as the University of Winchester, and the specialist institutes were the least worried - 7% and 6% thought their prospects would be jeopardised "a lot".
One student who took part said: "It's going to change everything. I was planning on taking my time to get a job but my savings won't go as far now and I'll have to take whatever job is available, even if it's something like waitressing."
Another said: "Maybe a module I didn't perform particularly well in could become an issue when it really shouldn't be. Employers will be more ruthless when looking for new employees."
Fears about the downturn are not confined to students studying finance. One physiotherapy student said: "People with injuries will decide to not pay to see a physiotherapist and just ignore the injury due to saving money therefore slowing down business."
A marine biology student said: "As a marine biologist, it is possible that current research may be considered less important and therefore not costworthy, unless it is related to climate change which is a 'hot' topic. Current research is incredibly expensive and organisations which previously may have been able to afford to have the research carried out, may no longer have the necessary funds."
But Femi Bola, associate director of student services and head of employability at the University of East London, said it was important for graduates to think positively.
"By the end of their degrees, students will have developed transferable skills for the workplace," she said. "It shouldn't be forgotten that graduates are the cheaper end of the employment chain. Their jobs may not be the ones that will be cut. Work still exists, it just may be in a different sector to the one that graduates anticipated."

More students apply to Oxford and Cambridge

Oxford and Cambridge reported a 12% increase in applications this year, with more than 15,000 students fighting for places at each of the ancient universities.
The increase is the largest for a number of years and well above the relatively steady figure of 13,500 over the last four years, said a spokesman for Cambridge which offers 3,400 places a year.
Oxford has about 3,000 places a year. Students are not permitted to apply to both.