As the head of a richly endowed faculty at New York University, his contempt for the poverty of British universities could sound gratingly complacent.

ECONOMIST: Tony Judt | The

That gives it a head start in terms of faculty and facilities.

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In a statement declaring the doctorate invalid and withdrawing it from Ms Schavan, the faculty head Bruno Bleckmann said they had "decided by secret ballot, by 12 votes to two, with one abstention".

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