Showing posts with label British universities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label British universities. Show all posts
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Silence! Political Correctness Hampering ‘Free Speech’ in UK Universities
Friday, May 16, 2014
British-born Boko Haram 'Ringleader' Was 'Radicalised at UK University'
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| Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche was held in Sudan on an international arrest warrant |
A British-born "ringleader" of the Islamist group responsible for the kidnapping of hundreds of school girls in Nigeria was radicalised while studying at a UK unversity, according to friends.
Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, 29, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with two recent bombings carried out by Boko Haram in the Nigerian capital Abuja that killed nearly 100 people.
He is suspected of co-masterminding the attacks - one in the suburb of Nyanya that killed 75 people on April 14 and a second attack just yards away which killed 19 earlier this month.
Interpol put out an international arrest warrant for Mr Ogwuche, who was discovered after a reward of £100,000 led to his discovery in Sudan.
Mr Ogwuche, who is the son of a retired Nigerian colonel, was said by fellow students at University of Glamorgan in Wales to call himself "The Lion of God" and threatened to cut the hands and feet of non-believers while living in Britain. » | Josie Ensor, and Colin Freeman | Friday, May 16, 2014
Friday, September 13, 2013
Birmingham College U-turns over Ban on Muslim Veils
Birmingham Metropolitan College was accused of discrimination when they ordered all students, staff and visitors to remove any face coverings so individuals are "easily identifiable at all times".
However, they backtracked after a protest petition attracted 8,000 signatures in 48 hours and their policy brought criticism from politicians.
Hundreds of students had planned to gather outside the Matthew Boulton city-centre campus at 2.30pm today to voice their opposition to the policy.
Last night the college said: "We are concerned that recent media attention is detracting from our core mission of providing high quality learning. As a consequence, we will modify our policies to allow individuals to wear specific items of personal clothing to reflect their cultural values. » | Hayley Dixon | Friday, September 13, 2013
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muslim students at a university which proposed to ban the sale of alcohol from parts of campus on their behalf are claiming the decision is “divisive”, “irresponsible” and based on a “gross generalisation”.
The students at London Metropolitan University said the prospective alcohol ban was “ill-advised and misleading”, demonising them and exacerbating “Islamophobia” at the university and in wider society.
They warned the proposals had created such ill-feeling amongst students that it is "only a matter of time" before a Muslim student is assaulted.
They accused Vice Chancellor Professor Malcolm Gillies of “immorally” using them as “scapegoats” in order to justify a decision not to renew a costly lease for the student bar.
Their comments, issued on behalf of the LMU Islamic Society and Shia Muslim Society, follow a suggestion from Prof Gillies that he was considering banning the sale of alcohol from parts of the university's two campuses.
This, he said, was an issue of “cultural sensitivity” resulting from a “high percentage” of students considering drinking “immoral”.
Earlier this month, he said: “There are students who do come from a tradition that stays alcohol is evil and they need to feel that they have a place at London Metropolitan University.
“They don’t have to feel that this is an alcoholic environment, we are an educational environment, we are not seeking to push particular cultural or gastronomic values, we meet the needs of our students as they actually are.”
In an open letter, students have now reprimanded Prof Gillies for failing to consult all students on any proposed alcohol ban and have demanded a retraction and an apology for his comments.
They said: “There has never been a demand for an alcohol ban on campus from Muslim or non-Muslim students. Read on and comment » | Hannah Furness | Monday, April 30, 2012
Related »
Thursday, April 12, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A London University may become the first in the country to ban alcohol from part of its campus to attract more Muslim students, its Vice Chancellor has said.
London Metropolitan University is considering banning the sale of alcohol from some parts of the campus because a "high percentage" of students consider drinking "immoral," Prof Malcolm Gillies said.
One-fifth of the University's students are Muslim, and of those the majority are women. It is an issue of "cultural sensitivity" to provide drink-free areas, Prof Gillies told a conference, adding he was "not a great fan of alchol on campus".
"It's a negative experience - in fact an immoral experience - for a high percentage of our students," he said.
He went on: "Many of our students do come from backgrounds where they actually look on [drinking] as a negative. And given that around our campuses you have at least half a dozen pubs within 200m, I can't see there is such a pressing reason to be cross-subsidising a student activity which is essentially the selling of alcohol." Read on and comment » | Matthew Holehouse | Thursday, April 12, 2012
My comment:
The Islamisation of the United Kingdom grows apace. How long will it be before the burqa will become mandatory so as not to offend the Muslims? This is a disgrace. Shame on Prof. Gillies! – © Mark
Thursday, February 23, 2012
UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH STUDENTS’ UNION: If you read any newspaper it is likely the words associated with the Muslim religion are Extremism, Terrorism, or maybe just Kebabs.
As students, you owe it to yourselves to learn, experience and educate one another about the different faiths and ways of life that are becoming more and more prominent in our society, particularly on campus.
This is why I am so happy to see the Islamic Society of Portsmouth SU introduce Islamic Awareness Week!
Through a variety of different events including a range of lectures, exhibitions and sporting activities it seems as if the Islamic Society of Portsmouth SU have made it their personal mission to spread the true message of Islam on our campus.
This will include a talk on the power of intention, (sincerity in faith)the need for God and even a debate. However, the two topics that have really caught my eye is firstly, the speech that will be given by the world famous Yvonne Ridley. Mrs Ridley will talk about her journey from a ‘Western’ Feminist to becoming ‘Muslim’ Feminist. This lecture tackles the clash of cultures between Islam and the west dealing with many of the misunderstood concepts in the religion including the portrayal of women. » | Godfrey Atuahene Junior | Thursday, February 23, 2012
How Muslims are spreading the word about Islam on our university campuses. At this rate, the West will be Islamized in no time. That ‘New Dark Age’ is dawning faster than one might have thought! – © Mark
Thursday, September 22, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The number of students awarded first-class degrees has soared by more than a third in just five years, figures show, prompting claims that the traditional university grading system is becoming “meaningless”.
A record 47,000 students – one in seven – graduated from university with a top degree last year compared with less than 35,000 in 2006, it was revealed.
At the same time, students were less likely to finish courses with a third-class or unclassified degree.
The disclosure – in data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency – will add to growing concerns over “grade inflation” and fuel demands for a major overhaul of the system. » | Graeme Paton, Education Editor | Thursday, September 22, 2011
The businessmen who hire others complain that school-leavers can do nothing, know nothing. But their grades in ‘O’ levels, ‘A’ levels, and now degrees keep getting better and better. Go figure!
This is the result of introducing competition between schools, colleges, and universities. League tables were a stupid idea. Trying to introduce the market place into the classroom/lecture theatre was a very dumb idea indeed. Making everyone into a first-class student is also dumb. Very dumb! We all know that most of these graduates are not deserving of these highly-inflated degrees.
If everyone gets a first, then what does a first-class degree tell us? That they’re worthless, of course. Worthless and meaningless! If everyone could afford to drive around in a Bentley, driving one would mean nothing too.
This country can’t manage its economy; it has long been unable to manage its school education; now it can’t manage its university education either. What’s next? – © Mark
This comment also appears here
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Theresa May’s message to our vice-chancellors, in her comments to this newspaper yesterday, was crystal clear: it’s time for them – at long, long last – to get a grip on student extremism. The shameful record of complacency towards Islamist radicalisation on Britain’s campuses will no longer wash. But are our universities listening, let alone getting ready to act? I fear not.
For one thing, politicians have said this before. In his first major speech on security and radicalisation, in February this year, David Cameron underscored the dismal truth that many of those found guilty of terrorist offences have been British graduates. “We must stop extremists recruiting in publicly[-]funded institutions like universities,” he said. Two months ago, he made the same point, when he said that not enough was being done to “deradicalise” our universities.
In the same month, Baroness Neville-Jones, the recently departed security minister, said much the same thing. Britain, she confirmed, still faces a serious security threat from Islamist radicalisation – and universities are one of the main recruiting grounds. In fact, she said, they are a greater source of danger than radical mosques.
So here are the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the then security minister all speaking with one voice – along with the previous government, and indeed the widely respected all-party Homeland Security Group. But there are none so deaf as those who refuse to hear. Just a few days ago, Nicola Dandridge, the head of Universities UK, told The Daily Telegraph that there was “no evidence” to link student radicals with violent extremism. She even claims that MI5 and the police back up her assertions.
No evidence? Within a couple of years of leaving Leeds Metropolitan University, Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the group responsible for the July 7 bombings, began training for terror. Since then, virtually every major British terrorist attack has been led by students or graduates. The list of universities they came from makes horrifying reading: Leicester, Luton, Brighton, Glasgow Metropolitan, UCL, the LSE, the University of Westminster, Brunel and others. » | Anthony Glees * | Monday, June 06, 2011
• Professor Anthony Glees is director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham.
Universities are seats of higher learning. Their purpose is to disseminate learning, erudition, and enlightenment. They are supposed to bring people out of darkness, not let them fall into it. Any university, however grand, however prestigious, is not worthy of its name if it allows its students to become, or remain, benighted. – © Mark
Related »
Monday, June 06, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Home Secretary has criticised universities for their “complacency” in tackling Muslim extremism as she prepares to publish the Government’s updated strategy for countering Islamic radicalism.
Theresa May told The Daily Telegraph that universities were not taking the issue of radicalisation seriously enough and that it was too easy for Muslim extremists to form groups on campuses “without anyone knowing”.
She also said the Government would cut funding to any Islamic group that espoused extremist views, and set out the “key British values” to which those seeking support must subscribe. It is understood that about 20 groups are already losing their funding.
Mrs May made her comments ahead of the publication this week of the updated version of the Prevent counter-terrorism strategy.
“I think for too long there’s been complacency around universities,” she said. “I don’t think they have been sufficiently willing to recognise what can be happening on their campuses and the radicalisation that can take place. I think there is more that universities can do.”
Mrs May said universities had to “send very clear messages” and “ask themselves some questions about what happens on their campuses”. » | Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | Sunday, June 05, 2011
Universities are seats of higher learning. Their purpose is to disseminate learning, erudition, and enlightenment. They are supposed to bring people out of darkness, not let them fall into it. Any university, however grand, however prestigious, is not worthy of its name if it allows its students to become, or remain, benighted. – © Mark
Thursday, April 28, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Islamic fundamentalism is being allowed to flourish at universities, endangering national security, MPs and peers say.
Islamic fundamentalism is being allowed to flourish at universities, endangering national security, MPs and peers said yesterday.
Academics are turning a blind eye to radicals because they do not want to spy on students, a report claimed.
Despite "damning evidence" of a serious problem, little progress had been made in tackling the unsustainable situation, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Homeland Security said.
They urged the Government to tackle the issue on campuses with "utmost urgency".
Such extremism "endangers our security at home and has international implications that are serious enough to threaten our alliance relationships", said the group, which includes the former home secretary Lord Reid.
Secret files obtained by The Daily Telegraph and WikiLeaks disclosed this week that at least 35 terrorists held at Guantánamo Bay were indoctrinated by extremists in Britain.
The leaked documents, written by senior US military commanders, illustrated how Britain effectively became a crucible of terrorism over the course of two decades. » | Duncan Gardham | Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British universities severed links with Colonel Gaddafi’s regime last night as the full extent of how they have profited from Libya was revealed.A string of universities said they had pulled out of a deal with Tripoli to train hundreds of health workers.
The disclosure came as official statistics showed virtually every university in Britain is being paid by the Libyan government to educate students.
The 110 institutions registered a total of 2,880 students from Libya last year, including judges and police officers - part of Gaddafi’s feared security network.
Critics said the scale of Libyan deals strengthened the case for a full-scale inquiry into the links between British universities and Tripoli.
Among those which took Libyan students were members of the Russell Group, which represents the 20 top UK universities, including Leeds, St Andrews, King’s College London and Glasgow.
Five universities last night said they had pulled out of a deal with Libya to train 300 health workers, believed to be nurses, each year.
Manchester Metropolitan, Teesside, Liverpool John Moores, Glamorgan and Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh had been in talks with Libya’s Ministry of Health over a deal worth an estimated £4million. Read on and comment >>> Michael Howie | Saturday, March 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Muammar Gaddafi's son, Mutassim, was taught at London's Soas while the charity of another son donated £1.5m to the LSEPotentially embarrassing new details of links between the Gaddafi regime and British universities have emerged, including revelations that one of the Libyan dictator's sons was tutored in the UK.
Mutassim Gaddafi, who has been described as a "war criminal" by Libyan anti-government protesters, was given private lessons at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the summer of 2006. Four years later Soas, which is part of the University of London, announced a lucrative deal with a Libyan university.
It has also emerged that another British university formed a partnership with a Libyan government ministry to reform the country's prisons. But the university did not gain access to Libya's two most notorious jails.
The deal with the centre for prison studies at King's College London was facilitated by the Gaddafi foundation, the charity run by another of the dictator's sons, Saif al-Islam. The foundation also made a controversial £1.5m donation to the London School of Economics.
The prisons project received funding from both governments. According to a conference paper on the programme published by two staff at the centre, the Gaddafi foundation "created the essential links that made the project a reality". >>> Rajeev Syal and Jeevan Vasagar | Monday, March 07, 2011
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
THE GUARDIAN:
· Extremism 'serious but not widespread' on campusesUniversities with large numbers of Muslim students should consider rejecting demands for separate prayer and washing facilities to prevent their campuses segregating along religious lines and risking a climate where illegal extremist views can flourish, the government will suggest today.
· Fine line between analysis and advocacy: Rammell
Institutions are also being advised to consider sharing information on violent Islamist speakers who should be banned from addressing students on campuses, according to guidelines to higher education institutions on how to combat campus extremism.
The higher education minister, Bill Rammell, said that violent extremism was a "serious but not widespread" threat to universities and called on them to foster "academic freedom, tolerance and debate" to prevent any spread of extremist ideas on campus. Students should be allowed to debate and research violent extremism as long as they do not cross over a clear line into perpetuating violence, he said.
"It is legitimate and permissible for people to research the origins of violent extremism, even in some circumstances to say that actually we can understand how that leads people to certain courses of action," Rammell said.
"But I think it is very clear when you look at ... the views that they articulate, there is a line at which you move from analysis and understanding towards outright advocacy of violent extremism. It is that that we are concerned about." New guidance calls on universities to reject separatism and ban those who preach violence >>> By Polly Curtis, education editor
THE DAILY MAIL:
English mosques are so extremist they'd be closed down in Baghdad, says IRAQ'S deputy prime minister
Mark Alexander (Paperback)
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