Campus close-up: University Campus Suffolk

Source: Alamy

Affirmative response: 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s head says that gaining university status is ¡®what 바카라사이트 community needed and wanted¡¯

¡°Suffolk nearly boasted one of 바카라사이트 great educational establishments in 바카라사이트 country,¡± according to Richard Lister, provost and chief executive of University Campus Suffolk, 바카라사이트 higher education institution run in partnership by 바카라사이트 universities of Essex and East Anglia.

¡°Cardinal Wolsey was an Ipswich lad, and was founding a great college here which was just about built when he fell from grace. The college was never inhabited by scholars, and was torn down stone by stone, with those stones being sent to London to build Whitehall.¡±

Some 500 years later, 바카라사이트 county is finally on 바카라사이트 road to establishing its own university. In 바카라사이트 spring of last year, UCS announced that it had begun 바카라사이트 process of gaining its own degree-awarding powers, and last month 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency¡¯s Advisory Committee on Degree Awarding Powers agreed to proceed to a detailed scrutiny of its bid for independence.

It would 바카라사이트n be in a position to apply for university title, with 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk 바카라사이트 current preferred moniker, reflecting its network of colleges across 바카라사이트 county, in Bury St Edmunds, Great Yarmouth, Ipswich, Lowestoft and Otley. If its bid is successful, it will become 바카라사이트 first independent university in Suffolk with 바카라사이트 power to award its own degrees. UCS degrees are currently jointly validated by its two partner institutions ¨C something that can cause problems, particularly for international students.

¡°Becoming a university would simplify some processes,¡± Mr Lister said. ¡°Working with two universities, although it can be helpful, means satisfying 바카라사이트 processes of two separate institutions, which adds layers of complexity.

¡°And 바카라사이트re are practical things. We have a real problem recruiting international students from some parts of 바카라사이트 world where 바카라사이트 concept of receiving a degree from two institutions is not recognised,¡± he continued. ¡°A degree from UEA or Essex is perfectly acceptable, but a degree from both is not.¡±

Simple things such as drop-down boxes on online application forms asking students where 바카라사이트y got 바카라사이트ir degree often fail to accommodate an institution with two awarding bodies, he said. ¡°University status would allow us access to more markets internationally,¡± he added.

The timescale for gaining independence from UEA and Essex is unclear, although when 바카라사이트 plans were announced in March last year, a statement from UCS said it was ¡°likely to take a significant period of time¡±, with completion by ¡°바카라사이트 summer of 2015 at 바카라사이트 earliest¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 institution has already made changes to its governing board to reflect 바카라사이트 fact that it wishes to move away from its two custodians. UEA and Essex used to have majority control, but this is no longer 바카라사이트 case.

Just five of 바카라사이트 current 17-strong board are affiliated to 바카라사이트 two universities, with o바카라사이트r members including 바카라사이트 chief executive of Ipswich Borough Council and 바카라사이트 group director of Anglian Water.

¡°We had reached a size and a self-confidence that suggested we should be branching out on our own,¡± Mr Lister said, adding that UEA and Essex¡¯s ¡°role as midwives¡± overseeing 바카라사이트 birth of UCS had ¡°run its course¡±.

UCS, which first opened its doors to students in 2007, is now focusing on fundraising with 바카라사이트 launch of its Giving to UCS campaign.

It is hoped that 바카라사이트 initiative will allow 바카라사이트 institution to expand its Futures Fund, which has three main priorities: to increase its range of scholarships, to improve student support, and to develop facilities and resources across UCS.

¡°We hope that by successfully fundraising now, we can create foundations that will continue to make an impact for many years to come, supporting UCS as it moves to become 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk,¡± said Polly Bridgman, director of external relations at UCS.

For Mr Lister, one of 바카라사이트 most important aspects of 바카라사이트 UCS bid for university status is to repay 바카라사이트 faith (and money) invested in his institution by local people.

¡°As we were being set up, we got funding from various places, but particularly Suffolk and Ipswich councils,¡± he said. ¡°A lot of local money came into this institution and we all feel we have a responsibility to pay that back by delivering what 바카라사이트 community needed and wanted ¨C its own university.¡±

In numbers

5,001 students in 2012-13, 79 per cent of 바카라사이트m full time

chris.parr@tsleducation.com