Many congratulations to Laura Hartmann on becoming the first student in the Centre for Journalism to sit and pass an NCTJ shorthand exam. This also makes Laura the first student to pass an NCTJ exam of any variety. Very well done Laura.  I promise to deliver a bottle of wine in recognition of your excellent pioneering achievement. I think I should also invite the British government to take a look at the way English language and English grammar are taught in Germany. We might learn something.