At Home: Quebec Universities Stand Against Quebec Charter
The establishment of a Quebec Charter of Values, which details what kind of religious imagery a person can display or wear in public institutions, has not come without controversy. The Montreal Gazette, for instance, is reporting on how universities such as Concordia are demanding to be exempted from the charter because its’ restrictions on religious clothing could cause top quality students and staff to look elsewhere. Concordia’s academic vice-rector Benoit-Antoine Bacon said that since the establishment of the Charter, the university has already noticed a small drop in the number of applications for Masters and Ph.D programs.
Around the World: UK Public University Accepts Bitcoin
Bitcoin, if you don’t already know, is a form of digital currency. There are a number of them out there, based on cryptographic measures to keep them from being counterfeited easily, but bitcoin is one of the largest because it’s got the largest set of businesses and organizations that accept it. Now being added to that roster is the University of Cumbria in the UK, which has the distinction of being the first public university in the world that will accept the digital currency. While no students have currently signed up using the currency, Professor Jem Bendell has suggested that it might prove attractive to international students because of how it can enable them to save on transaction fees.
However, the University is quick to point out that they do not encourage students to seek out and acquire any bitcoins for payment, as the currency is extremely volatile.
