Student news round-up: Oxford University to pay the living wage - and if you want a first, study in Scotland

Oxford University has a student population in excess of 20,000 taken from over 140 countries around the world (Getty Images)

Oxford to pay the living wage

The University of Oxford will become an accredited living wage employer from April, The Oxford Student reports.

The pro vice-chancellor, Dr Stephen Goss, said: "Today’s announcement represents the culmination of several years of constructive working with students who, with the support of the Oxford University Students' Union, have been campaigning for this important change."

Fergal O’Dwyer, the co-chair of the Oxford Living Wage Campaign, told the paper: "This is the most significant event in the campaign’s history. Getting the University to accredit has always been our most salient aim, and I’m proud of the work that the campaign has done toward achieving this."

Wadham and Oriel Colleges have also announced that they will pay the living wage, following pressure from students, but the majority of colleges still do not.

Controversial "King's London" rebrand ditched

King's College London will no longer pursue its rebrand to King's London, according to Roar News.

The proposed changes, aimed at giving KCL a "new identity", provoked a widespread backlash after their announcement in December. More than 12,000 people signed a petition opposing the rebrand and one group of students explored launching a class action lawsuit. The university was forced to reopen consultations just two days after it revealed the plans.

Now the principal of KCL, Ed Byrne, has confirmed that no changes will be made. "The decision is to keep [the current] name in every way, both as our official name and how we talk about ourselves", he said. "So, no more King’s London. At some stage we’ll look at refreshing and modernising the logo but not for quite some time. I just want things to settle down and get on with the more important things."

The rebrand is estimated to have cost between £87,000 and £300,000.

Students in Scotland more likely to get a first

Students studying at university in Scotland are more likely to graduate with a first class degree than those elsewhere in the UK, according to figures reported by DUSA Media.

The Higher Education Statistics Authority found that 74 per cent students at Scottish universities graduated with a First in the last academic year, compared to 71 per cent in Northern Ireland, 70 per cent in England and 65 per cent in Wales.

The figures also showed a 14 per cent increase in First Class degrees awarded between 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Only 22 Lancaster students registered to vote

A mere 0.3 per cent of Lancaster's 6,500 on-campus students are registered to vote, according to SCAN.

Ronnie Rowlands, the vice-president for campaigns and communications at the Lancaster University Students' Union, told the newspaper: "22 is incredibly worrying."

He continued: "I do not expect to see a sudden spike in registrations that makes everything okay again. It’s going to require a lot of long and hard work from the Union, but we have the time and the resources to see a steady and promising increase in the number of students registered to vote. I am absolutely confident that we can do it."

Bristol announces "task force" to deal with student discontent

Bristol University has created a five-person task force to handle the increasing dissatisfaction among students, Epigram reports.

The group, which includes the university's pro vice-chancellor for education and the dean of arts, says it is aiming "for a quick turnaround in producing short and long term changes". Its first move has been to announce an open forum to hear student concerns.

The move follows protests in December by arts and social science students over contact hours and the number of library books.