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UCL ACADEMICS HONOURED
Scientists from UCL’s Institute of
Ophthalmology are among 21 winners of the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education. The prizes, which are awarded every two years, recognize outstanding contributions made by universities and colleges in Britain. UCL scientists hope to deliver the world’s first stem- cell treatment for blindness by using embryonic cells to repair damaged retinas. They are targeting one of the leading cause of blindness among the elderly in the developed world. The prize-winning academics were honoured at a banquet in London’s Guildhall last week, before an official presentation by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
ARCHAEOLOGY ANNIVERSARY
This year marks the 75th
anniversary of the UCL Institute of Archaeology (IOA). A number of events are planned to mark the anniversary, including panel discussions, lectures, exhibitions, outreach activities and experimental archaeology demonstrations. In 1957 it moved to its current location in Gordon Square, to become the first purpose-built archaeology department in the country. The IOA remains today the largest and one of the most highly regarded centres for archaeology, cultural heritage and museum studies in the UK. A series of 75th Anniversary debates have been running and will continue through March. Two high-profile events are planned for 8 and 9 June in Gordon Square directly in front of the Institute. The first of these is aimed at students and alumni, while the second is an outreach event for local residents and schoolchildren as well as staff from other archaeological organisations. A 75th Anniversary Fund is also being launched to ensure a secure basis for the Institute’s activities in the future.
VSU REACHES 10 YEARS
UCL’s Volunteering Services Unit
is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an exhibition of photographs showing some of the vast numbers of volunteering projects UCL students have been involved with over the last decade. In 2002, UCL and UCLU set up the VSU to connect students with community projects across London. Since then, it has since grown to be one of the biggest departments of its kind in the UK, and has links with around 500 different partners across the volunteering world, with opportunities in areas such as campaigning, health, environmental, youth and cultural organisations and many more. Professor Anthony Smith, Vice Provost (Education) said: “The exhibition really captures the fantastic work that our volunteers have done across Camden, London and beyond. ” The photographs will be on display in the South Cloisters until 3rd April.
Jennifer Bowden ALL 37 students who participated
in last year’s In2ScienceUK scheme have received offers from Russell Group universities, in a successful attempt from University College London to inspire students from underrepresented backgrounds. UCL as part of its Outreach
runs a diverse programme of activities and provides assistance for schools and colleges in order to help, encourage and inspire students that are currently underrepresented at university level. A major success of UCL’s
outreach programme has been the pioneering mentoring scheme led by PhD student Rebecca McKelvey. The In2ScienceUK scheme matches
gifted A Levels science students with scientists from UCL, KCL and Imperial, giving them the opportunity to experience the reality of science in action and an unprecedented insight into university life during a two-week summer placement. McKelvey explained her
reasoning behind the scheme stating, “The challenge of higher tuition fees and the fierce competition that favours applicants from more privileged backgrounds is threatening to reverse many of the advances made in widening participation, particularly in the sciences.” To date, all 37 students
who benefitted from last year’s programme have received offers from Russell Group universities. UCL has been keen to demonstrate that in spite of the hike
in tuition fees they are not in the game of narrowing participation. UCL’s Widening Participation Strategy aims at “transforming through education the lives of people drawn from all sections of the community.” A further strategy employed to
ensure fair access is the Scholarship Programme which has been made possible due to a £450, 000 gift from the Reuben Foundation. Fifteen students from underprivileged backgrounds will receive £10, 000 a year to cover accommodation and living costs. This will go some way in fulfilling the ambitious targets set out in UCL’s Access Agreement to increase applications from lower socio-economic groups by 15 per cent and low participation neighbourhoods by 50 per cent.
Malcolm Grant shared his
delight with the programme stating, “At UCL we are wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that all students with the potential to achieve excellence are able to attend our institution.” UCL undoubtedly does a lot to
support and encourage applications from students from lower socio- economic groups but the figures show that these are not the only ones being deterred from applying. Indeed, the largest drop in applications came from students from middle to higher income families who do not qualify for any of the grants, bursaries or other incentives available. Widening participation and fair
access, both buzz words employed in the rhetoric of UCL need to mean just that – fair opportunities for all.
March 2012 | Pi Newspaper
news@pimedia.org.uk
Then and now: Students in the quad celebrating the end of the siege of Ladysmith in the Second Boer War, 1900 Outreach program a major success
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