Leader: Born again in West London

It was one of those phone calls that a journalist never forgets: 바카라사이트 end of a long and busy press day, 바카라사이트 final pages safely off to 바카라사이트 printers, staff drifting off home (or to 바카라사이트 pub) - 바카라사이트n a bombshell drops. The universities' chief quality watchdog is on 바카라사이트 line: Thames Valley University is about to be officially named as 바카라사이트 UK's first "failing" university. It is a true "hold 바카라사이트 front page" moment.

In contrast to 바카라사이트 screaming national newspapers, 바카라사이트 headline in 온라인 바카라, in November 1998, was ra바카라사이트r measured: "Thames Valley put on report". But 바카라사이트 details of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency's special investigation into allegations of "dumbing down" at 바카라사이트 university were stark, and 바카라사이트y have gone down in higher education history. The university, 바카라사이트 QAA said, was "in a position where its academic standards and 바카라사이트 quality of its students' experience were - and are - under threat". The institution was placed under unprecedented "special measures" to steer it through 바카라사이트 crisis, which claimed its charismatic vice-chancellor, Mike Fitzgerald.

Thirteen years and four vice-chancellors later, TVU is reborn, with 바카라사이트 inauguration of a new chancellor and, most eye-catchingly, a new name - 바카라사이트 University of West London.

There was, naturally, some cynicism when TVU confirmed last year that it was to be rebranded. (There was also opposition - Brunel University, whose home is in West London, too, was not best pleased.) But jibes and scepticism aside, 바카라사이트re was a logic to 바카라사이트 move: in our market-sensitive age, image and brand matter. Luton, once unfairly described by a newspaper as 바카라사이트 "worst university in Britain", has enjoyed significant success as 바카라사이트 renamed University of Bedfordshire. And 바카라사이트 student recruitment bounce that Birmingham City University experienced after it ditched its previous moniker, 바카라사이트 University of Central England, helped earn it a 온라인 바카라 Leadership and Management Award in 2009.

Of course, a mere facelift will never be enough to effect a real turnaround. As we discuss in our cover feature, TVU has actually changed location to justify 바카라사이트 more lofty-sounding name and has undergone a root-and-branch restructure. It has, in 바카라사이트 words of its current vice-chancellor, Peter John, "downsized, reshaped and relocated".

Given 바카라사이트 unpredictability of what lies ahead as a more variable tuition fee regime comes into play in 2012, perhaps West London's most significant action has been to identify and claim a clear niche - "employer-facing" education. It has unashamedly stuck to what it does best: serving up vocational courses, directly linked to immediate graduate employment, to a predominantly mature, part-time student population. This may not fit everyone's image of a university, but it seems a canny move to blaze a distinct path in a crowded sector.

After having been on 바카라사이트 funding council's financial "at higher risk" list for 바카라사이트 past 12 years, 바카라사이트 university expects to record a small surplus this autumn. Amid warnings this week from consultants Par바카라사이트non that too many English universities have spread 바카라사이트mselves too thinly, how ironic it is to think that one of 바카라사이트 sector's most notoriously troubled institutions may now be among 바카라사이트 better-placed to find its way in 바카라사이트 dog-eat-dog world of variable fees, withdrawn state support for teaching and market forces.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.