Cirencester Scene Magazine - Establishing Local Connections University Title Celebrated
Friday 28th June saw the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) proudly celebrate its new ‘university’ status, officially awarded in April, with a day of commemorative events involving staff, students, local residents and friends of the University.
The RAU joined with local residents for a service in the parish church in Cirencester on Friday morning to celebrate this achievement. The service was attended by over 200 guests, including the Lord- Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Dame Janet Trotter DBE, the Mayor of Cirencester and Lord Bathurst. The celebration also marked Cirencester’s transformation into a ‘university town’.
During the service RAU Principal, Professor Chris Gaskell CBE said “University status is a genuine and welcome milestone for the institution, one of many over the years, and one we embrace with enthusiasm , excitement , and gratitude to all those who made it possible through their vision and their contributions over the first one hundred and sixty eight years.”
The university currently has more than 1150 students, from over 40 different countries, studying on one of its 30 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. The university also has an impressive graduate employability rate; on average over the last five years, 94% of its students went on to employment or further study.
The celebrations then continued on campus, with a tree planting ceremony to commemorate the day, as well as to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. The first four trees of a new avenue limes were planted by the Lord Lieutenant Dame Janet Trotter, with student Charlie Denman; Lord Bathurst, with student Anna Bowen; Simon Pott, RAU Vice-President, ex-Governor and
alumnus, with Head Groundsman Des Willoughby; and Brian Hilton, Chairman of Governors and lecturer Katharine Foot. The new avenue will follow the Monarch’s Way footpath which approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated by Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army in the Battle of Worcester.
Staff, students and guests were invited to a BBQ lunch, using locally sourced ingredients including Bibury Trout, Butts Farm beef and North Cerney goats cheese.
During the afternoon, Professor Gaskell opened the Orwin Collection. This Collection, of over 70 agricultural themed paintings and prints from the 18th and 19th centuries, is on permanent loan to the RAU from the University of Oxford, and guests were invited to explore the display in locations on campus assisted by Oxford Classics who have helped to hang the collection.
As a further cause for celebration, President Han, a guest from the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China, honoured Professor Gaskell with the title of Researcher of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The RAU also awarded President Han from a certificate of Honorary Professor of the Royal Agricultural University.
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