With a combination of upgraded power equipment a German utility and its technology provider were able to boost safety and reliability for Stuttgart the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg The two companies were able to upgrade more than 1,000 draws in 120 cubicles across five switchgear rooms in just 10 weeks The project succeeded in modernizing how power is transmitted from EnBW’s Altbach /Deizisau energy plant in Stuttgart one of Germany’s largest suppliers of electricity went to Swedish-Swiss multinational ABB to modernize and upgrade its legacy power grid infrastructure around the Altbach/Deizisau plant To deliver a project of such a comprehensive scope in a tight timeline EnBW engaged the support of ABB to install and commission its latest low-voltage which contributes to an electrical output of approximately 1,200MW The two companies collaborated to deliver the needed upgrades in a timely fashion with no interruptions EnBw realized that it needed to do something about its aging low-voltage switchgear at the plant The existing MNS2.0 system was from the earlier generation and the supply chain for spare parts was not reliable anymore this could risk cutting off the power plant from the local grid Altbach/Deizisau currently has an electrical output of 1,022 MW and can decouple up to 407 MW of district heating Instead of buying entirely new switchgear and replacing it outright ABB’s concept was to replace the legacy MNS2.0 system with the MNS 3.0 in combination with ABB Universal Motor Controllers 100.3 the owner-operators could use smart power components alongside the existing MNS switchgear to enable interconnectivity smart automation and improved condition monitoring the grid operators could make sure there was a plentiful and reliable supply of power to the local grid even as they retained much of the switchgear that was still fully functional boosting the plant’s the overall safety Engineers with ABB’s Electrification Service found that about half of components like metal cabinets for switchgear steel plates and busbars do not actually need replacing and can be used indefinitely so long as more sensitive pieces such as circuit breakers relays and internal components are upgraded A project of this size and scale required EnBW and its technology supplier to work together closely over the more than 12-month planning and implementation period The effort involved bringing on board engineers from across Germany and beyond to come up with the most efficient project plan EnBW’s critical infrastructure has benefited from greater safety and electricity reliability while keeping downtime minimized Operational expenditure also dropped thanks to the reliability of the new equipment and cutting out the need to stop to make repairs and perform maintenance quite so often as with the previous The UMC 100.3 motor controller / MNS 3.0 system solved a set of problems for EnBW and Stuttgart energy consumers Engineers found the combination of the two worked well in an existing installation even as it upgrades a legacy system that needed replacing The project offered the opportunity as well to bring the facility into a common communications platform thereby making the MNS switchgear future-proof The utility also plans to modernize the Altbach/Deizisau plant itself swapping its fuel feedstock from hard coal to natural gas or some combination of hydrogen gas EnBW pitched plans to local city councils to use natural gas for a time the CCGT plant in Altbach/Deizisau could also be climate-neutral by the mid-2030s and still be used flexibly for energy generation Axel Siebert is Project Manager from ABB’s Electrification Service in Germany Nhat Linh Hohn-Phung is a Project Manager for EnBW Our upgrades and modernizations can help you get more from your existing assets Discover the possibilities with our interactive upgrades selector we have you covered with GE Vernova's Controls Lifecare Services (CLS) and special guests for the final season of our 3-part series as they discuss the roles digital and electrification will play in the energy transition See how GE Vernova's Gas Power business is helping to build a world that works GE Vernova will help to gradually transition a pair of German coal plants to burning natural gas as a bridge to hydrogen While environmentally friendly energy sources like wind and solar are attractive their operation must be supplemented by more traditional sources—like coal—to help ensure a continuous many coal alternatives come with their own pros and cons which can hinder their adoption in a fast-changing energy landscape Two of EnBW’s power plants in Germany will be converted from coal to cleaner, more efficient natural gas-burning plants. EnBW will work with an international consortium led by GE Vernova to bring equipment, software, and maintenance services to the plant for a decade. This is an intermediate step to ultimately having both plants burning 100% hydrogen, currently planned in the 2030s. The German power company Energie Baden-Württemberg (EnBW) hopes to increase power supply security for its customers while simultaneously phasing out coal and expanding renewable energy resources—in accordance with European and German regulations—by the mid-2030s while environmentally friendly energy sources like wind and solar are attractive to customers concerned about climate change their effectiveness is hindered when the sun isn’t shining it’s important to find burning fuels that are cleaner than coal to help reinforce the energy grid and help prevent service disruptions EmBW has agreed to work with GE Vernova and an international consortium to transition a pair of its coal-fired power plants to cleaner burning natural gas This transition involves retrofits to both the Altbach-Deizisau and Heilbronn Combined Heat and Power (CHP) stations—including construction While converting both plants to natural gas alone promises to substantially reduce plant pollutants EmBW sees it as merely a bridge to its ultimate goal: Having the plants burning 100% hydrogen sometime in the middle of the century when hydrogen supplies are expected to be sufficient for this purpose Each plant will not only supply electricity to the Baden-Württemberg district but also heat for the regional heating network The two power plants are engineered to operate on up to 100% hydrogen by volume in line with the national goal to deploy renewables and green hydrogen at large scale but foremost in line with EnBW’s sustainability goals to be carbon-neutral by 2035 Others talk about hydrogen-ready power plants – we already started to build them Senior Vice President Generation Portfolio Management One of the industry leaders among H-class gas turbines and availability for today’s combined-cycle applications Suited to large power station applications where output requirements exceed air-cooled or hydrogen-cooled units’ cooling capabilities Includes various configurations as well as several modular construction options that best fit your specific project requirements Easily scales and adapts to evolving requirements in thermal and renewable power generation Engineered to help optimize asset performance and O&M efficiency across equipment As the world is shifting towards a lower carbon future GE Vernova Gas Power is ready to work with you in leveraging the role of natural gas for powering the world today and tomorrow Learn more more accessible energy that communities depend on to power growth and prosperity EnBW awarded two hydrogen ready combined heat and power plants to an international consortium led by GE Vernova GE Vernova’s Gas Power business (NYSE: GE) today announced it has secured two orders from EnBW to provide H-Class natural gas-fired combined cycle power generation equipment for EnBW’s Combined Heat and Power (CHP) power stations in Heilbronn and Altbach/Deizisau the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg construction of the plants as well as software solutions GE Vernova will lead an international consortium for the projects procurement and construction (EPC) companies Bonatti and SENER The projects will replace existing coal-fired plants with more efficient natural gas fired plants while enabling future fuel mix combustion of up to 100% by volume of hydrogen in the 2030s Heilbronn and Altbach/Deizisau efficient CHP plants are expected to deliver in total nearly approximately 1340 megawatts (MW) to the national grid the equivalent needed to power approximately 2,4 million German homes1 as well as steam for district heating for the citizens commerce and industry of Heilbronn and the larger Stuttgart area.Each 680MW power plant will replace existing coal-fired units at Heilbronn and Altbach/Deizisau with the new plants targeted to begin operation by the end of 2026 Switching from a coal plant to its gas equivalent can alone reduce carbon emissions by as much 60% and lower emissions levels for other pollutants such as mercury when using the most advanced HA gas turbines EnBW today celebrated the commencement of construction work at the Altbach site at the presence of local authorities The project is aligned to the European and national regulations in the decarbonisation path towards 2050 to promote district heating in achieving the goals of efficiency Senior Vice President Generation Portfoliomanagement Today we celebrated the start of the works with the local authorities “These power plants will help to increase power supply security in Germany while continuing to phase out coal and expand a more reliable deployment of renewable energy resources in our country as we’ll be able to dispatch power quickly in response to grid fluctuations the two power plants are designed to operate on up to 100% hydrogen by volume Others talk about hydrogen-ready power plants – we already started to built them Senior Executive Sales Leader of the GE Vernova’s Gas Power business In a region with an increasing power demand due to planned coal-fired retirements to support a lower-carbon future in Germany “Heilbronn and Altbach/Deizisau CHPs will be the first new GE Vernova’s H-Class combined heat and power plants to be installed in Germany and they are expected to be among the most efficient and flexible We are committed to providing our advanced gas turbine technology to accelerate coal phase-out and increase the share of renewables as we work towards zero-carbon gas-based power generation with hydrogen.” H-class fired combined heat and power plants can offer tremendous benefits to the residents of Stuttgart and the federal state of Baden-Württemberg District heating application from gas-fired power plants is a good addition to heat pumps or solar thermal systems which on one hand require a lot of space and can therefore often not be implemented in inner-city buildings and heat from solar thermal systems is mainly only available in summer Each plant will be powered by a GE 9HA.01 gas turbine a triple pressure with reheat Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) and GE Vernova’s integrated Mark* VIe Distributed Control System (DCS) software solution to improve asset visibility and availability while reducing operating and maintenance costs The agreement includes services and maintenance for ten years as well as GE Vernova’s Digital business’ Asset Performance Management (APM) software EnBW can gain access to powerful Digital Twin technology that allows for the use of Predictive Analytics to help reduce costs and increase reliability and efficiency by amplifying the performance of the 9HA.01 once the power plants are operational READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central EnBW awarded two hydrogen ready combined heat and power plants, near Stuttgart, to an international consortium led by GE Vernova. source Hydrogen on show at the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps A pillar of endurance racing and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s efforts to decarbonise motorsport hydrogen will be highlighted during the forthcoming.. The Trump Administration Climate Plan: Red States Get Hydrogen a hydrogen hub in upheaval as natural gas producer pauses involvement while four others bail on the project South Australia closes Hydrogen Power SA office The state government of South Australia has rolled its Office of Hydrogen Power SA (OHPSA) into the Department of Energy and Mining (DEM) COPYRIGHT POLICY DISCLAIMER TERMS & CONDITIONS PRIVACY POLICY Don't be shy, get in touch. We love meeting interesting people and making new friends. and a wildly varied host of other musicians will all take the stage Attendees’ endurances might be tested by the sheer volume of it all but they can nevertheless be counted on to turn out in style (and that includes Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis who were spotted in the stands on Monday)—and in looks that bear little resemblance to the quotidian Coachella style of flower crowns and denim cutoffs technicolor street style at the 2017 Sziget Festival most eclectic street style at Sziget Festival Two Door Cinema Club performs at Sziget Festival The Naked and Famous performs at Sziget Festival The Chainsmokers perform at Sziget Festival The Pretty Reckless perform at Sziget Festival Mac Demarco before his performance at Sziget Festival Practical insights from and foracademics and university staff Everything you need for each stepof your study abroad journey The number of international students enrolling in US universities could decline in the wake of Donald Trump being elected as president as figures show overseas recruitment in the country topping 1 million for the first time Philip Altbach, research professor and founding director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College said that Mr Trump’s promise to implement “extreme vetting” of Muslims and other immigrants to the US will “deter some students from applying to US schools” and “make it more difficult” for those who do apply Professor Altbach added that it is “very likely” that Australia Canada and other countries offering English-language degree programmes will benefit from the potential rise in prospective overseas students seeking other places to study he said that the UK is “likely to be in the same situation as the US” as globally it is perceived as “unwelcoming to foreigners” Jason Lane, chair of the department of educational policy and leadership at the State University of New York Albany said “there will likely be many international students who are watching very carefully what the new administration will bring and many who will self-select not to come to the US for study either because they think they would not obtain a visa or they do not agree with the new political profile of the country” “We saw a similar impact after 9/11,” he said “There will certainly be a lot of attention on what the Trump administration does in terms of student visas particularly J1 visas that allow students to work which Trump has suggested may need to be somehow revised.” Professor Lane added that the election may result in increased interest in international branch campuses of US and UK universities “as students look for a foreign education without leaving home” Canada and European Union countries “where English is broadly spoken and which have aggressive internationalisation strategies” The warnings come as the US-based Institute of International Education (IIE) published its annual Open Doors report which showed a 7.1 per cent increase in the number of international students enrolled in US universities and colleges between 2014-15 and 2015-16 This brings the total number to 1,043,839 and is the tenth consecutive year of growth although the rate has slowed from a 10 per cent annual rise last year while China remains the top-sending country accounting for almost one-third or 328,547 of international students in the country Despite the fears that Mr Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric will deter applications from international students IIE’s deputy vice-president of research and evaluation said that student flows are typically affected only when there are “actual shifts in policy” or due to “other tangible factors” “International students are actually quite resilient to shifting perceptions of rhetoric,” she said She cited the “tightening up of visa-screening procedures” in the US after 9/11 as an example of a policy change that led to a “small drop” in international students although added that “the numbers rebounded very quickly after that” the “significant drop” in the number of Indian students in the country prior to 2012-13 was “very clearly tied to the strong devaluation of the Indian rupee against the dollar” ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com Print headline: Trump election could deter international students Already registered or a current subscriber Donald Trump is to become the next US president but what does his election mean for academia Inside Higher Ed's Scott Jaschik looks at how Donald Trump’s victory is likely to be received by universities in the US The next US president’s scorn for American research bodies and his anti-climate change stance has worried many scientists Republican platform offers clues to potential higher education policies While main parties battle over debt-wipe proposal in Australian election critic says scale of fees is the real issue Tariff war between superpowers may lead to more Chinese students choosing universities closer to home but international collaboration must be protected, say university leaders Vice-chancellors say they have ‘no choice’ about downsizing but unions question the need as 2024 accounts reveal recovery trend French institution reports 300 applications as state funding bolsters efforts to ‘offer refuge’ to those fleeing Trump funding cuts Subscribe today to receive unlimited news and analyses commentary from the sharpest minds in international academia our influential university rankings analysis and the latest insights from our World Summit series India’s higher education and research sectors have, for decades, been underfunded, especially in view of the tremendous growth in student numbers. Compared with the other BRIC countries the proportion of Indian gross domestic product spent on education – 4.1 per cent – is second to Brazil But India is bottom for research expenditure and it educates the lowest proportion of the relevant age group So despite now having the largest higher education system in the world after China the public and political clamour for more expansion is immense But doing this requires time and immense resources – and leaves the vast majority of the system wallowing in mediocrity creating world-class universities requires careful thought and planning as well as considerable funding over the long run India will need to consider whether it has the resources If recognition in the global rankings is a goal the challenges are even greater because the rankings are a moving target There can be only 100 institutions in the top 100 are also spending big on their top universities India is very much a latecomer to the world-class party Jamil Salmi and I analysed the experiences of 10 successful new universities in our 2011 book The Road to Academic Excellence: The Making of World-Class Research Universities One is a governance model that involves significant participation from – but not total control by – academics Another is strong leadership: not only a visionary president but also competent administrative staff able to implement the university’s mission A third element is enough autonomy to prevent the interference of governmental or private authorities combined with reasonable accountability to external agencies A fourth is top academic staff who are committed to the university’s mission (including teaching) paid adequately and provided with appropriate career ladders and a firm commitment to meritocracy at all levels Many efforts to develop world-class universities have focused solely on science and technology and they will bring dividends in the rankings because they produce many journal articles Yet the social sciences and humanities are increasingly relevant to solving global problems and building critical and analytical skills in students They are also becoming more recognised by the citation counters that matter for rankings India lacks a distinguished record of allowing universities significant autonomy in policy and the appointment of senior officials Most observers have noted that many aspects of Indian higher education have been politicised which earmarks close to half of student admissions and faculty appointments to particular disadvantaged groups may work for some institutions and has increased social mobility for these students But it will not permit the development of world-class research universities Nor will siting new institutions in remote locations that need a development boost: top research universities are generally located near metropolitan centres The use of English as the medium of much of its teaching and research puts it in the global linguistic mainstream The country also has no shortage of well-trained and brilliant researchers A truly exciting and well-planned academic development could attract the Indian diaspora So while the road to world-class universities may be fraught thoughtful planning and much creative thinking could just be enough to complete the journey One thing is clear: for India to take its legitimate place as a global intellectual power Philip G. Altbach is research professor and founding director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College in the US Concerns framework programme’s budget could be redirected to back projects with military uses ‘threatens to undermine its core purpose’ Amid the loud and entirely understandable calls to decolonise the curriculum the domination of “Western” knowledge itself has sometimes come under attack For instance, in a recent article in University World News professor of higher education at the University of Oxford complained about “Anglo-American globalisation” and “its enforced uniformity of cultures and languages the stigmatisation and exclusion of everything different” “All endogenous (indigenous) knowledge is excluded,” he wrote “The closure is sustained by that deep Anglo-American certainty that ‘our’ culture is not only best but sufficient and no other insight is needed.” But Western conceptions of knowledge underlie the idea of the Western university – and it is striking how comprehensively that idea has been adopted around the world “Western model” universities were established in the Global South mainly in the 19th century Christian missionary efforts also played an important role – and often the two were linked The colonisers had different approaches to higher education The British were active in permitting or sponsoring it while the Portuguese eschewed academic development entirely The Spanish “outsourced” higher education to the Catholic Church with the dual goals of Christian conversions and colonial management All recognised the need for a small Western-educated indigenous class to manage the colonies the modest expansion of higher education under colonialism was largely a result of missionary efforts and Indian initiatives to provide access to the civil service and burgeoning commerce for an emerging middle class The British authorities made few investments in higher education until 1857 only then trying to control this nascent sector the institutions that emerged followed the British model and used English as the medium of instruction significant that all colonial universities used the language of the coloniser – and lots of former colonies still do Many global regions had rich intellectual, religious and educational traditions before the advent of colonialism. Universities were first established in South Asia – Taxila and Nalanda. Al-Qarawiyyin University in Fes and Al-Azhar University in Cairo also predated the first European universities – and both still exist today But while the intellectual and religious traditions continued in South Asia and the Arab world the traditional academic institutions could not successfully compete and were gradually eclipsed by Western-model alternatives Colonial universities used the languages of the colonists since their primary purpose was to train people to staff colonial governments the curriculum was entirely imported from the metropole It is only a slight oversimplification to summarise colonial attitudes toward indigenous cultures with the words of British administrator Thomas Babbington Macaulay: “a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia” no country has returned to a pre-colonial higher education model it is not only colonised nations that adopted the Western higher education model Japan searched for a university model that would serve a modernising society and ignoring centuries-old indigenous traditions Similarly, when Thailand looked to modernise its higher education and society, in part to hold off possible colonial incursions, Western models were chosen, culminating in the establishment of Chulalongkorn University in 1917 In no case did non-colonised countries seeking to modernise higher education adopt an indigenous The Chinese experience is significant as well “World Class Universities in China’s Heroic Past” recently published in International Higher Education Yang Rui points out that a variety of Western Christian missionary institutions as well as the Chinese government’s own use of Western models in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were influential in developing modern higher education in China – and proved successful traditional Confucian model of education was not used to guide China’s modernisation except perhaps for the traditional civil service examination that evolved into the present-day gaokao When countries in the Global South became independent they maintained and expanded the Western university model perceived as an essential instrument for nation-building and human capital development Notwithstanding a large variety of economic systems stages of socio-economic development and religious and cultural traditions almost every university in the 21st century follows a broadly Western model A lot can certainly be done to make such institutions more inclusive A growing number have started to re-examine their past with a critical eye acknowledging their close association with ugly moments in their country’s history apartheid or discrimination against native population groups They have begun making their programmes more attuned to the experience of traditionally oppressed and marginalised social groups it is essential to safeguard the fundamental values of the Western university model dedicated to the search for truth based on scientific evidence and academic freedom The mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead memorably depicted the role of universities as welding together imagination and experience and former tertiary education coordinator at the World Bank We need knowledge and content that go beyond the Western world to design a meaningful decolonised Li Wei also expresses concern about state of modern language teaching in UK Universities often reproduce colonial logics by exploiting commodifying and diluting the very ‘thing’ that was to set us free The impact of the Black Lives Matter movement has raised urgent issues for universities about who should be taught what – and how. After 40 years of pushing to widen the range of voices taught on literature courses Lyn Innes still sees much to be done that is crucial for students of all races Survey of first-generation scholars finds many struggle with ‘unwritten rules’ of academic life The US’ public higher education system has engaged in an “un-excellence initiative” that will lead to a drop in the quality of its universities a leading international higher education scholar has claimed Philip Altbach (pictured), research professor in higher education at Boston College said that budget cuts to state-funded institutions in the US will “catch up with us pretty soon in terms of the general excellence [of institutions] and maybe their place in the rankings” He added: “You can’t starve a [higher education] system” According to US thinktank the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 47 states in America spent less per student on higher education during the 2014-15 academic year than they did before the global recession and 31 states have cut the budget for universities by more than 20 per cent 13 states have further cut higher education funding signed a new state budget cutting $250 million (£161 million) from Wisconsin’s education system and removing from state law tenure protection for professors at the institutions The California State University system’s budget also fell by $900 million Funding for the state’s public institutions has increased since then but Professor Altbach said that the universities are still vulnerable Speaking in an interview with Times Higher Education has been engaged in what I call an un-excellence initiative in our public higher education system “The US system is quite stable and it takes a long time to significantly damage a university that has been built up and has been quite successful over a century But we’re doing our best to make them not as good as they once were.” Professor Altbach also commented on Japan’s higher education system which he said has an “OK” level of funding “but not enough to get [the universities] to top class [level]” He criticised the country’s decision to concentrate funding on science engineering and mathematics subjects at the expense of the humanities and social sciences Twenty-six universities in the country have confirmed that they will either close or scale back humanities and social science faculties after the education minister told them to “serve areas that better meet society’s needs” “That’s a common general direction for higher education funding around the world and particularly of some of the excellence initiatives but the Japanese seem to be doing it in a very thorough and long-term way and I think that’s a mistake because universities should be well-rounded institutions and offer all disciplines,” he said He added that it is too early to expect any results from Japan’s Super Global Universities project which began last year and is designed to increase the number of foreign professors and foreign students at the country’s top research institutions Print headline: US ‘un-excellence’ initiative will harm institutions Philip Altbach and Laura Rumbley examine the parallels between the grading of global institutions and sport Chancellor Nicholas Dirks explains the university’s branch campus strategy Move by Gregory Fenves reflects worries about ever increasing salary hikes for US university heads Deputy first minister chairing ministerial group to consider fresh help for university University cuts £18 million from its pay bill with voluntary severance scheme but remains some way short of its target for cost reductions no obvious frontrunner has emerged to take the high-profile role at Cambridge Some say the institution needs a politically engaged figurehead others want someone who can sort out internal fractures Arctic Monkeys rule the roost on the third and final day The third and final day of Primavera Sound is all about one band. In every nook, cranny and corner of Parc Del Forum, there’s an Arctic Monkeys tee lurking; as you walk around the site people are belting out tracks from every album of their eclectic back catalogue Two full hours before the band are even on stage By the time they saunter on just before midnight overlooking both the Mediterranean Sea and a crowd so big they can barely fit in front of the stage the Melbourne bunch really come into their own – what polished beach-pop gets delightfully scuzzed up when they wheel it out live with the group’s motorik rhythm section driving things forward and prompting one red-as-a-lobster punter to leap atop his mate’s shoulders and furiously dab to summer banger ‘Mainland’ Rex Orange County – Photo: Matias Altbach The endearingly awkward Lorde later takes to the Seat stage her dark and gloomy pop perfectly befitting the night time giving shoutouts to “the ocean” and gushing about how happy she is to be in Barcelona she’s quickly proving the be the big-time pop star she always hinted at becoming It’s not all moody pop and gangly dance moves though – ‘Liability’ gets a stunning airing while turbo-belter ‘Green Light’ closes proceedings with one of the loudest singalongs of the entire weekend Arctic Monkeys – Photo: Matias Altbach Then it’s time for the main event. Propped up by a huge, illuminated ‘MONKEYS’ sign and some golden curtains, Arctic Monkeys open the doors to ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ While opinion might have been split on Alex Turner and co.’s latest record – with many questioning just how the baroque piano-led material would fare alongside their more riff-heavy past– it takes less than a minute for all fears to be laid to rest Set opener and latest single ‘Four Out Of Five’ is a far chunkier affair live with Matt Helders in particular taking the opportunity to really get some oomph behind those sparse drum arrangements The kings of indie-rock reinvention waste no time in trawling through the back catalogue – ‘Four Out Of Five’ is swiftly followed by a rollicking one-two of the punkier ‘Brianstorm’ and ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ the 20-song setlist leans heavily on both ‘AM’ and ‘Tranquility Base…’ solidifying Turner’s transition from spotty hip-swinging balladeer on stage this evening though that knowing humour still pops up on occasion “What would Dolly do?” reads Turner’s skin-tight t-shirt while his minimal stage banter exists almost solely in the form of sporadic purrs of “Prrrrrrrrimaverrrrraaaa” ‘She Looks Like Fun’ and the new album’s title-track are sung back at the stage with all the gusto of the older material the latter’s bafflingly brilliant “Mark speaking!” line becoming an unlikely mantra that’s screamed around site for hours after Monkeys leave the stage That older material also tends to lean into the groovier aspects of ‘Tranquility Base…’ – ‘Do Me A Favour’ ‘505’ and ‘Cornerstone’ are wheeled out while the likes of ‘Mardy Bum’ and ‘Teddy Picker’ are not close with a fired-up run-through of ‘Pretty Visitors’ Perhaps the only misstep in an otherwise golden hour and a half set it’s quickly patched up with ‘The View From The Afternoon’ and a crashing ‘R U Mine?’ A lot of pressure’s been put on Arctic Monkeys’ return to Primavera Sound the Parc Del Forum stage being billed for weeks as something of a proving ground for their latest evolution – as they disappear off into the night there’s no doubting that the ‘Tranquility Base…’ era is a golden one cinematic music videos have become a talking point for anyone with their ear to the ground Following a huge billing at last month’s Coachella festival their late-night appearance on the Ray Ban stage is somewhat more subdued with the screens displaying those videos perhaps not big enough to really convey their story Their lucid electronica dazzles regardless – the perfect The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Director of the Center for Higher Education at Boston College on "Global Higher Education Trends and the Future of World-Class Universities" Download Programme download (PDF, 77 KB) external page Registration required Altbach is Research Professor and director of the Center for International Higher Education in the Lynch School of Education at Boston College He was the 2004-2006 Distinguished Scholar Leader for the New Century Scholars initiative of the Fulbright program He has been a senior associate of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and served as editor of the Review of Higher Education He is author of Turmoil and Transition: The International Imperative in Higher Education He co-edited the International Handbook of Higher Education His most recent books are (with Jamil Salmi) The Road to Academic Excellence: The Making of World-Class Research Universities Leadership for World-Class Universities: Challenges for Developing Countries and (with Jorge Balan)  World Class Worldwide: Transforming Research Universities in Asia and Latin America and Ph.D degrees from the University of Chicago He has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the State University of New York at Buffalo and was a post-doctoral fellow and lecturer on education at Harvard University He is chairperson of the International Advisory Council of the Graduate School of Education at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a member of the Interntional Advisory Committee of the Higher School of Economics in Moscow and is a Guest Professor at the Institute of Higher Education at Peking University in the Peoples Republic of China He has been a visiting professor at Stanford University the Institut de Sciences Politique in Paris Altbach has been a Fulbright scholar in India He has had awards from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has been Onwell Fellow at the University of Hong Kong and a senior scholar of the Taiwan Government Parksville — A First Amendment battle is brewing — in the northern reaches of Sullivan County — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — A local painter was unhappy with the performance of Liberty Town — Justice Jeffrey S He's naked and has an elbow propped on some hefty — tomes — Kulon reproduced the painting and Altbach's Yellow — Pages ad in a flier advertising the opening of his art gallery in — 2000 arguing that — the painting and flier depicted him as "worthy of ridicule and contempt" — and violates his civil rights He argued that Kulon meant to maliciously — damage his reputation and ability to function as a lawyer and judge — and used Altbach's likeness without permission for advertising — Acting Sullivan County Supreme Court Judge Mark — Meddaugh issued a preliminary injunction barring Kulon from "displaying designs or creations depicting (Altbach) — in any manner." Sullivan County Supreme Court Judge — Anthony Kane upheld the injunction until the libel suit is resolved — "He said I can't show my painting," Kulon said yesterday — "He had the announcement delivered to my office," — Altbach said "I really think it's something that should be resolved — in the courts." and the libel must — relate to their official conduct or general fitness to hold office — "Satirical portraits (of public figures) are considered — to be speech under the First Amendment and entitled to the same protections — that words have," said Robert Isseks a Middletown-based lawyer who — specializes in human rights and First Amendment law but said the — injunction against Kulon sounded "broad." — "That raises very serious First Amendment concerns — as does the lawsuit itself," Isseks said "It's a prior restraint — on a broad range of protected speech." — Kulon has also been showing and auctioning the painting — "Our Honorable Judge of Liberty," on eBay Altbach asked Judge Kane to find Kulon — in violation of the injunction — "It's a total abuse of the First Amendment," said — Gerald Orseck "It's cases like — this that jeopardize the First Amendment He disobeyed the — clear mandate of the injunction." — Orseck said his client intends to seek the injunction — enforced by criminal contempt charges and incarceration if needed a Polish immigrant who left that country — because of right abuses this all seems like justification of his — satire — "I'm going to use my brush for human rights," Kulon — said “This is the best festival I’ve ever been to” After the hedonism of day one, Primavera’s Friday night gets off to a somewhat subdued start. Blame it on the hangovers, perhaps – there’s certainly plenty of those on offer. But also, the line-up for this evening is a much more morose affair, topped by professional miserablists The National. The impact can be felt across the site – even one-time rabble-raiser Tyler, The Creator appears on stage backed by a huge Kim Deal proves she’s still a force to be reckoned with as they belt through a career-spanning set Newer cuts from March’s ‘All Nerve’ LP – including its plaintive title track – sit comfortably alongside a selection of classics from ‘Last Splash’ A late-in-the-day cover of Pixies’ ‘Gigantic’ rallies those who might still be trying to shake their slumber before a one-two end of ‘Do You Love Me Now?’ and ‘Saints’ proves Breeders are more than worthy of legendary status The Breeders – Photo: Matias Altbach Over on the opposite end of the main arena, Father John Misty is celebrating his album release day on the Seat stage ‘God’s Favourite Customer’ might only have been out a matter of hours but it’s already a welcome soundtrack to the setting sun Rolling through a number of classics from older records he then put down the guitar for the debut of ‘Hangout At The Gallows’ His preceding reputation as a mischief-maker left behind the irony was dialled back in favour of a rich set that proved there’s far more to Misty than memes and melancholy Father John Misty – Photo: Matias Altbach Co-headliners The National were then left to top the bill solo, after Migos The National have slowly become the massive arena-filling act their ambition always hinted at Slinking on-stage to an opening salvo of the brooding ‘Nobody Else Will Be There’ and ‘The System Dreams In Total Darkness’ before wrenching the heartstrings with an early-doors ‘Don’t Swallow The Cap’ there’s not an eye left dry in Parc Del Forum The National – Photo: Matias Altbach as pockets of the crowd break off to embrace each other and wipe away tears It’s a truly special moment – one that leaves a lasting mark as the band silently exit the stage Scott’s beloved memory hanging heavy in the air The night closes with a heel-turn from Idles whose riotous punk might just be the best show of the weekend British music has been crying out for a band like this for years – one whose politics don’t come wrapped in metaphor but are delivered with an almighty hammer blow Amidst the fittingly brutalist architecture of Parc Del Forum’s harbour area cuts from debut album ‘Brutalism’ inspire absolute carnage “This is a dream come true – this is the best festival I’ve ever been to,” admits frontman Joe Talbot after ‘Mother’ sees a thousand-strong throng belt back that already-iconic hook: “The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich.” thrash around the stage like shock therapy patients the crowd before them ups the ante at every turn Mosh pits and crowdsurfers turn the floor into a maelstrom of flesh a closing duo of ‘Well Done’ and ‘Rottweiler’ finding Talbot bellowing for “more” from his throng It’s cuts from an impending second album that best prove Idles’ importance and long live love,” the frontman bellows before one a statement worth repeating in the wake of countless British political fuck-ups of the last few years another finds him two-foot tackling toxic masculinity – “This is why you never see your father cry,” goes the close-to-home hook make no mistake – Idles are the band broken Britain needs Just perhaps not the one it deserves right now The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952.