A new £18,000-a-year private university headed by the philosopher AC Grayling and offering lectures by Richard Dawkins, Niall Ferguson and Steven Pinker has not filled any of its courses ahead of its opening next week.
Britain's first private dental school will open next September. The school, which will take 100 students a year on a five-year course costing £180,000, is expected to be the forerunner of many more private institutions offering specialist degree courses.