News archive

August 2010

New report challenges Government over proposed pension changes

A new report published this week seriously challenges the Government’s proposals to remove the requirement for defined contribution personal pension scheme members to annuitise their pension fund by the age of 75.

University hosts first International Summer School

The University of Exeter has initiated what it hopes will become one of the highlights of its annual calendar, hosting its first International Summer School as part of its new Internationalisation Strategy.

Transition to Colleges complete

As of the August 1 2010, the academic structure of the University changed from Schools to Colleges.

Scientists discover Westerly winds have bigger role in climate change

Scientists believe climate variations thousands of years ago over Campbell Island may shed light on the future climate of New Zealand.

Celebrating Gurney in Gloucester

World War One poet and composer Ivor Gurney (1890-1937) is one of Gloucestershire’s most famous sons. His works are now becoming available to the public following three years of extensive archiving.

Top student shortlisted for European Physics award

Neil Robinson, who graduated with a first class MPhys degree this summer, has been shortlisted for a prestigious international prize.

Fossil reveals 48 million year history of zombie-ants

A 48 million-year-old fossilised leaf has revealed the oldest known evidence of a macabre part of nature – parasites taking control of their hosts to turn them into zombies.

University hosts Peter Randall-Page sculpture

The University of Exeter’s noted sculpture collection has been boosted further with the recent arrival of a piece by Peter Randall-Page, one of Britain’s pre-eminent sculptors.

University of Exeter a leader in student satisfaction

Exeter has emerged as one of the top universities in the country for student satisfaction in a key national survey.

Exeter academics seeking experiences of the ‘marriage bar’

A research project being undertaken by Emma Jeanes and Scott Taylor from the Business School will today be featured on the popular BBC Radio 4 programme, Woman’s Hour.

BPA and testosterone levels: first evidence for small changes in men

An international group of researchers led by the Peninsula Medical School and the University of Exeter have for the first time identified changes in sex hormones associated with BPA exposure in men.

Can exercise help smokers quit?

New research to be carried out by the University of Exeter will examine whether physical activity can help people reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke, thereby helping more people attempt to quit and remain abstinent.

STAR pupils get top GCSE results

Students at St James School who are already enrolled on the Sutton Trust supported STAR (Sutton Trust Academic Routes) programme, have achieved remarkable results in their GCSE’s.

Turning the spotlight on exoclimates

Some of the world’s leading experts in studying these far-off worlds, known as exoplanets, are heading to the University of Exeter for a conference to discuss the latest findings in this rapidly developing area of research.

Did ancient coffee houses lay the groundwork for modern consumerism?

If you think that your favourite coffee shop is a great gathering place for discussion, you should have been around in the Ottoman Empire starting in the 1550s.

Exeter’s website given top marks by students

The University’s website has been rated amongst the top ten in the country in a survey by the Times Higher Education.

Lawyers laid bare

Hostility towards the legal profession for financially profiting from the recession is nothing new according to research at the University of Exeter which explores the rise of lawyers in the medieval and Tudor periods. 

Breakthrough in the study of distant planet atmospheres

A research team led by the University of Exeter has discovered a previously undetected element in the atmosphere of a planet almost 500 light years from Earth.