Alerts in United Kingdom
Scottish university in research fight with tobacco firm
Action Alert
Date: 07 September 2011
Philip Morris International (PMI), one of the world’s largest tobacco companies which produce Marlboro cigarettes, is using Scottish Freedom of Information Laws to request access to research on smoker teenagers detained by Stirling University.
Rt Hon David Lammy MP in Conversation with Persecuted Academics
Alert
Date: 31 March 2009
On Monday 27th April an event organised by the Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) in conjunction with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) will take place at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Home Office Cancels Plans to Deport Hicham Yezza
Alert Update
Date: 03 June 2008
The Home Office has cancelled plans to deport Hicham Yezza, the University of Nottingham administrator held in detention on immigration charges. His lawyers sought a judicial review and representations were made to the home secretary by both the University and College Union (UCU) and the University of Nottingham.
Student and Administrator Arrested Under Terrorism Act
Alert
Date: 28 May 2008
In a recent incident at the University of Nottingham, a graduate student at the School of Politics and International Relations and an administrative member of staff at the Department of Engineering were arrested by armed police under the Terrorism Act of 2000. Politics student Rizwaan Sabir, aged 22, was arrested after downloading an edited version of the al-Qaeda handbook from a US government website and sending it to an administrative member of staff.
Higher Education Academy Suspends Director of Research and Evaluation
Alert
Date: 30 April 2008
Professor Lee Harvey has been suspended as Director of Research and Evaluation at the UK’s Higher Education Academy (HEA), after the publication of a letter in the Times Higher Education (THE). Lee Harvey’s letter, which he wrote in a personal capacity, criticised the National Student Survey (NSS)- an action deemed to be in breach of his contract.
University Staff Asked to report on Muslim Students
Alert
Date: 17 October 2006
The Guardian newspaper reports that the Government has asked U.K. lecturers and university staff to ‘spy’ on Muslim students who they suspect of being involved in Islamic extremism and supporting terrorist violence. According to the article the Department for Education has drawn up a series of proposals in an 18-page document which are to be sent to universities and other centres of higher education before the end of the year.
Five Accredited Moroccan Academics denied Visa
Alert
Date: 01 October 2006
A Times Higher Education Supplement article informs that Suman Gupta, director of the Ferguson Centre for African and Asian Studies at the Open University, stated that five of his collaborators where denied entry in the U.K., even having with a full sponsorship of the Open University. Professor Gupta had to cancel his international workshop when five of his Moroccan collaborators where prevented from entering the U.
Afghan Students Face Deportation from UK
Alert
Date: 22 June 2005
A student, nineteen year old Abrahim Rahimi, of the Canterbury Christ Church University College faces deportation in Afghanistan where he will be in grave danger. Another first year business student, Safiq Rafiqi, has been arrested and released today. The Home Office is, at the moment, reviewing Abrahim’s case.
UK Teachers Concerned over Exclusion of Refugee Children
Action Alert
Date: 25 October 2002
Several associationa in the United Kingdom have expressed their concern over the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill 2002, under which children of asylum seekers will be excluded from mainstream schools. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) have written to the Home Secretary, David Blunkett.