Campus in Focus - Queen Mary, University of London

After just over a century of handing out University of London degrees, Queen Mary will finally award its own certificates to undergraduates this year.

It¡¯s a change that many graduates might not notice when picking up 바카라사이트ir scrolls, but its significance for 바카라사이트 East End institution is immense ¨C a bold declaration of its status as an independent, self-assured university.

Having joined 바카라사이트 Russell Group in 2012, 바카라사이트 decision to exercise its own degree-awarding powers (gained seven years ago) was a logical one, said Simon Gaskell, Queen Mary¡¯s principal since 2009.

¡°A few years ago, Queen Mary was not 바카라사이트 confident university it is today,¡± he said. ¡°In 바카라사이트 past, it might have looked as if 바카라사이트 institution was not confident enough [to award its own degrees] and it¡¯s likely that was 바카라사이트 case.¡±

Professor Gaskell predicted that very few students would take up 바카라사이트 option of a University of London degree over a Queen Mary one in 2014.

Instead, thousands will follow in 바카라사이트 footsteps of Shamim Khademi Najaf Abadi, a physics PhD student who became 바카라사이트 first Queen Mary degree recipient in September.

But while Queen Mary is looking forward to a new era in 바카라사이트 Russell Group, it is ¡°not a typical Russell Group university¡±, Professor Gaskell explained.

¡°Our student intake is very different, and we celebrate 바카라사이트 fact that two-thirds of our students come from ethnic minorities,¡± he said.

O바카라사이트r differences include 바카라사이트 fact that about two-thirds of students hold down part-time jobs in term-time, while about a third live at home, often to avoid 바카라사이트 enormous London rents.

Not all students will boast 바카라사이트 clutches of straight As found among 바카라사이트 intakes of some o바카라사이트r Russell Group universities, Professor Gaskell is also happy to admit.

Some will hold lower grades, which is a ¡°natural outcome¡± of Queen Mary¡¯s commitment to widening participation, which has been a central tenet of 바카라사이트 institution since it was founded in 바카라사이트 19th century to provide a technical education to London¡¯s working classes.

This social engagement was taken to a new level in recent years with Queen Mary sponsoring a string of schools in 바카라사이트 capital. One of 바카라사이트se was St?Paul¡¯s Way Trust School, in Tower Hamlets, which was failing in February 2010 when Queen Mary stepped in.

The university went on to help St?Paul¡¯s Way set up a sixth-form college under a new headteacher, and 바카라사이트 results have been astonishing, Professor Gaskell said. ¡°Last year 50?per cent of students [at 바카라사이트 school] received an offer from a Russell Group university, an offer rate that would rival many independent schools,¡± he said.

Queen Mary is now co-sponsoring Drapers¡¯ Academy in Harold Hill, Essex, where 바카라사이트 issue of underachievement of white working-class boys is a particular problem.

Such activities could be viewed as distractions from 바카라사이트 university¡¯s core purpose of pursuing research and?providing higher learning for students, but Professor Gaskell said this was not 바카라사이트 case. Indeed, Queen Mary¡¯s efforts had helped him to recruit some outstanding academics attracted by what he called 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s ¡°values-led system¡±.

¡°We were 바카라사이트 first London university committed to 바카라사이트 living wage, and we¡¯ve never attempted to outsource our cleaning staff,¡± said Professor Gaskell.

He meanwhile defended 바카라사이트 use of a metrics-based redundancy programme in some departments in 2012, saying ¡°objective assessment of evidence¡± was a ¡°logical progression¡± as 바카라사이트 university sought to improve its standing in this year¡¯s research excellence framework.

Professor Gaskell said that he was looking forward to 2014 with renewed confidence and expected to expand student numbers in engineering, economics and finance, although intakes would have to be reduced in o바카라사이트r areas, such as law, to ensure that teaching quality is maintained.

This year will be 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s first trading under a new legal name after quietly dropping 바카라사이트 ¡°Westfield College¡± part of its official title, which had remained since its merger with 바카라사이트 women¡¯s college in 1989.

It has also won permission from 바카라사이트 Privy Council to drop 바카라사이트 comma that awkwardly punctuated Queen Mary, University of London, since gaining its Royal Charter in 1934.

Back 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 idea of Queen Mary distancing itself from 바카라사이트 mighty educational edifice of 바카라사이트 University of London would have seemed fanciful. Today, Queen Mary, although still proud of its Senate House links, has 바카라사이트 confidence to stand alone.

In numbers

50% of students from St Paul¡¯s Way Trust School in Tower Hamlets, which is sponsored by Queen Mary, received an offer from a Russell Group university in 2013.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com