Volumes of highly twisted knots and links

We show that for a large class of hyperbolic knots and links, we can determine bounds on the volume of the link complement from combinatorial information given by a link diagram. Specifically, there is a universal constant C such that if a knot or link admits a prime, twist reduced diagram with at least 2 twist regions and at least C crossings per twist region, then the link complement is hyperbolic with volume bounded below by 3.3515 times the number of twist regions in the diagram. C is at most 113.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures. Minor changes to clarify exposition, fix typos, and correct a historical inaccuracy in the introduction. Paper has now appeared in AG

Educating 14- to 19-year olds in England: a UK lens on possible futures

Here we draw on recent research and on earlier contributions on convergence and divergence across Great Britain to consider possible future trajectories for 14-19 education and training in England. We use a UK-wide lens to reflect on 14-19 strategies in England by showing how common issues can be tackled in different ways in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The article identifies what could be seen as three models of upper secondary education - Type 1 (England); Type 2 (Scotland and Wales); and Type 3 (Northern Ireland) - that have been part of the picture of divergence. We conclude that the process of divergence is likely to continue in the short-term but, in the longer term, wider political factors could produce post-devolution convergence. © 2011 Institute of Education, University of London

Expanding Higher Education in the UK: From 'System Slowdown' to 'System Acceleration'

This paper sets out to explore the implications of current patterns of participation and attainment, particularly among 16-19 year olds, for the further expansion of higher education in the UK. It uses a range of recent statistics on participation and attainment to describe what is termed ‘system slowdown’. It then goes on to explore a basis for ‘system acceleration’ through the development of five possible routes into higher education both for 16-19 year olds and for adults. We conclude the paper by looking briefly at a number of inter-related strategies the Government could adopt to encourage ‘system acceleration’. We suggest that unless the Government is prepared to consider policy changes of this type, it is unlikely to reach the higher education participation target it has set itself and may also jeopardise the basis for a sustainable lifelong learning system for the 21st century

A Different Kind of Wealth: Mapping a Baseline of African Community Foundations

This article focuses on how building on existing traditions of solidarity is challenging the conventions of mainstream developmen

The emergence of property rights enforcement in early trade : A behavioral model without reputational effects

Original article can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Copyright ElsevierThe present article focuses on the conditions that allow governments to increase property rights protection because they expect enough income from such action. We develop a behavioral explanation, according to which the answer lies in the growth in the importance, size and wealth of merchant guilds in the medieval era in Western Europe as well as a somewhat surprising effect of volatile price structures. We add to prior research by showing that even uncoordinated embargo pressures among multiple guilds could get medieval rulers to offer high levels of property rights protection. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Zaidi Ya Kitu Chenye Mwanzo Hafifu? Kuibuka Kwa Taasisi Jamii Kama Dhana Mpya Ya Maendeleo

This paper sets out findings from a baseline study of 50 applications for grants from the Global Fund for Community Foundations. The paper uses information gained from the processes of assessing the grants to learn lessons about the state of the field, what it can contribute in terms of outcomes and impact, and hypotheses in taking forward work of this nature. The paper suggests that community philanthropy may have an important role to play in creating a new paradigm for development

Key skills for all? The Key Skills Qualification and Curriculum 2000

It is widely recognised that the Key Skills Qualification, an important component of the Curriculum 2000 advanced level curriculum reforms has experienced extensive problems during its first full year of implementation. This much is not in dispute. What is being keenly debated, however, are the ways in which this experience should be analysed and what lessons should be drawn. Is it a case of understandable ‘teething problems’ which will be overcome as the qualification ‘beds in’ or are there deeper and more fundamental problems of the purpose and design of the Key Skills Qualification for advanced level students? In order to address these questions, this article examines the Key Skills Qualification within its historical and policy context as well as bringing together a range of quantitative and qualitative evidence gathered as part of an Institute of Education (IOE)/Nuffield Foundation Research Project. The research suggests that while there is support for the concept of key skills, the Qualification has been met with considerable student and professional resistance due to its narrow skills focus and assessment regime within the context of increased study programmes at advanced level. We conclude that the Government's aim of 'key skills for all' at advanced level is unlikely to be achieved unless it takes a fundamentally different approach to policy in this area