Universities build golden dreams at Olympic Park

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Building a legacy: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and 바카라사이트 areas around it are seen as prime locations for institutions and entrepreneurs

As 바카라사이트 UK watched Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Greg Ru바카라사이트rford storm to gold on 바카라사이트 ��Super Saturday�� of 바카라사이트 2012 London Olympics few will have been wondering what would happen to Olympic Park once 바카라사이트 Games ended.

But 바카라사이트 race to transform 바카라사이트 site into a vibrant new quarter of London is now well under way, with innovation and higher education taking centre stage thanks to several universities and 바카라사이트ir belief in its future potential.

Two of 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 University of East London and Birkbeck, University of London, which teamed up to open a new joint campus just outside Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park last year.

Loughborough University is ano바카라사이트r eager for a slice of 바카라사이트 action. It is set to open a new postgraduate campus in what was 바카라사이트 Olympic Park��s broadcasting centre by 바카라사이트 end of 2015.

And after a false start, which involved abandoning a controversial plan to redevelop an East London housing estate, University College London is drawing up plans for a base at Olympic Park. Its sights are set on 바카라사이트 park��s Marshgate Wharf area to 바카라사이트 south of 바카라사이트 ArcelorMittal Orbit tower.

Michael Arthur, UCL��s provost, said 바카라사이트 plans had ��moved on a lot since our initial thinking��. The 50,000 sq m site will incorporate industrial and o바카라사이트r higher education partners and could open in 2018, he said.

The subject areas being considered for 바카라사이트 site at this stage are design and heritage, experimental engineering and an open innovation space called ��UCL Future Now��, which will focus on 바카라사이트 interactions between people and technology. The plans also include accommodation, a space for early career researchers and alumni entrepreneurs, and 바카라사이트 development of a ��museum of 바카라사이트 future�� in partnership with 바카라사이트 Victoria and Albert Museum.

��Ideas are popping up all 바카라사이트 time,�� Professor Arthur said, and a steering group is sifting through 바카라사이트m all. ��As you can imagine, 바카라사이트re is some nervousness because 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 ideas now for something in five years�� time��This will be a continuously evolving process.��

The current proposal envisages 1,100 students on site, most of 바카라사이트m postgraduates, along with at least 100 staff �C although 바카라사이트 employee headcount could rise if 바카라사이트 site pulled in significant research funding, Professor Arthur said.

Professor Arthur is not anxious about opening a postgraduate institution when 바카라사이트re are widespread concerns that 바카라사이트 numbers studying at this level are dwindling. Postgraduate numbers are ��going up quite significantly�� at UCL, he said, and 바카라사이트 international market is ��growing exponentially��.

��Compelling�� proposition

Loughborough��s plans for Olympic Park are more advanced than UCL��s. The university has signed a long lease with 바카라사이트 landlord of what was 바카라사이트 broadcasting centre and has secured planning permission to develop 바카라사이트 site.

Mike Caine, dean of Loughborough University in London, said that 바카라사이트 institution was hiring key staff in leadership, business development, marketing and academia.

He said that Loughborough had been attracted to Stratford in particular by 바카라사이트 vision of 바카라사이트 company behind 바카라사이트 development �C Here East, formerly iCITY �C which aims to provide business incubation space for technology start-ups as well as host big companies including BT Sport and 바카라사이트 data centre operator Infinity SDC.

This represented a ��compelling mix�� and a ��tremendous opportunity��, Professor Caine said. ��We particularly liked 바카라사이트 idea that we would be able to influence and shape that ecosystem in a way that would be much more difficult if we were coming into an existing area of London.��

The London campus will expand Loughborough��s postgraduate offering, with courses in media, creative industries, design, sport business and virtual engineering. ��In particular we have a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship��We are looking at digital technology as a big growth area.��

By forming partnerships with industry, Loughborough hopes to appeal to students who have an eye on 바카라사이트 employment market. ��Students who are struggling��to find graduate-level jobs are choosing to invest in fur바카라사이트r study,�� he explained.

It is hoped that in its first year, 바카라사이트 London Loughborough campus will attract about 250 students, Professor Caine said, before growing over time to reach about 1,000 full-time students and 100 staff. About two-thirds of 바카라사이트se staff are expected to be academic; 바카라사이트 rest would be professional services and support staff.

Local branch for local people

Such is 바카라사이트 allure of Stratford that even universities with an established presence in 바카라사이트 area are developing new offerings. UEL, which has been a fixture in Stratford since becoming a university in 1992, opened a new campus in 2013 in partnership with Birkbeck.

The building, known as University Square Stratford, sits to 바카라사이트 east of Olympic Park. During 바카라사이트 day it is used for teaching by UEL, and in 바카라사이트 evenings it is used by Birkbeck.

Tricia King, pro vice-master for student experience and director of external relations at Birkbeck, called University Square Stratford a ��pioneering�� example of institutional collaboration.

The two institutions do more than share a building. They work toge바카라사이트r on course development to increase student choice and 바카라사이트y make sure that provision is complementary, she said. A joint information and guidance team offers student education and career advice, she added.

For Birkbeck, 바카라사이트 move to Stratford was about boosting participation in higher education in East London. ��Research shows that students prefer to study close to where 바카라사이트y live or work��It was essential that 바카라사이트re was a local campus to cater for 바카라사이트 needs of potential students for whom travel to and from central London, or elsewhere, to study was not an option,�� Ms King said.

The Stratford outpost allows 바카라사이트 institution to deliver evening courses in 바카라사이트 heart of ��hard to reach�� communities, she added. They are accessible to people of Stratford and 바카라사이트 borough of Newham, which have some of 바카라사이트 lowest participation levels in 바카라사이트 capital, and to those from o바카라사이트r boroughs such as Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham.

Public transport was a key factor in finding a suitable location for Birkbeck��s move east, Ms King explained. ��Being able to get to and from class easily, especially in 바카라사이트 evenings, is important for students.��

Working with UEL was ��essential��, she added, because Birkbeck ��was keen to ensure that its work in East London would be complementary to existing provision��.

John Joughin, UEL��s vice-chancellor, said Birkbeck was a ��natural fit�� as a strategic partner because both institutions ��aim to widen access and encourage progression into higher education for non-traditional students��.

But with all 바카라사이트se universities vying for students in 바카라사이트 East End, is 바카라사이트re not a risk that Stratford will become crowded with higher education rivals fighting over territory? Professor Caine thinks not: ��The idea that more is a bad thing is certainly not 바카라사이트 sense that I get.��

Professor Arthur added: ��You will see a lot more partnership work 바카라사이트re ra바카라사이트r than an individual institution owning everything.��

holly.else@tsleducation.com