34 | INSIGHT: UNIVERSIT Y DOWNTIME | CAMPUS SERVICES
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When term-time ends, the hard work begins, as more and more universities use their facilities to increase their earnings and build ties with their surrounding area. Paul Dimery finds out more…
UNIVERSITY OF KENT
TOP: A double room at the University of Kent ABOVE RIGHT: The Grimond lecture theatre
students darting triumphantly towards the school gates as they look forward to a few weeks of high jinks. Close behind them, the staff tut to themselves and baten down the hatches before trundling off in their Morris Minors for a somewhat more genteel break. It’s a lovely idea but a litle wide of the mark. OK, so the
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first part may be true (obviously, we’re hoping it isn’t, and that students spend their inter-semester periods with their heads buried deep in their text books). But the notion of staff shuting up shop when term-time ends is becoming increasingly outdated. In these uncompromising economic climes, schools, colleges and universities must do everything they can to maximise their revenue – and that means there’s no time to rest on one’s laurels. Many institutions are using the absence of their students as an opportunity to lease out their facilities and, where possible, build a beter relationship with their local community. Take Leeds Metropolitan University, which is
embarking on a whole host of exciting initiatives this summer to increase its income while boosting its image. With the Grand Depart of the Tour de France having taken place in the city this year, the University capitalised by renting out rooms in one of its student accommodations to cycling fans. On top of this, it has united with the University of Leeds to win the right to host the annual Teach First Summer Institute residential teacher-training event for two weeks in July and August. The programme will see around 3,000 students using the two universities’ facilities – and as well as boosting the coffers of the establishments themselves, it will bring an estimated £5.5m worth of revenue into the city. Said Lurene Joseph, Chief Executive of Leeds and Partners – a company that’s responsible for atracting inward investment into the city: “Teach First’s decision to come to Leeds is great news for the universities and wider Leeds economy. More than 3,000 people visiting the city will
henever you hear Alice Cooper spiting out those immortal words ‘School’s out for summer’, your mind conjures up images of
be a tremendous boost to our retail, cultural, and food and drink sectors.” And Leeds Metropolitan’s extra-curricular activities
don’t end there. It runs an annual summer school that welcomes more than 250 students from Italy and Spain each year – a move that can only raise the University’s profile abroad. And last year, it even hosted a party for local senior citizens, enhancing its reputation as a college with a conscience. Bath Spa University regularly makes the news for
its forward-thinking schemes and collaborations with businesses in the local area (in June of this year it announced a new cultural partnership with Bath Theatre Royal that will see its students given the opportunity to audition and perform in professional productions, among other benefits). So it’s no surprise that it’s as proactive as anybody when it comes to fulfilling its earning potential after the end-of-term bell sounds. “Our world-class Sports Training Village plays host
to a number of community events and wider initiatives, including the 2013 Special Olympics,” Press and PR Officer Andy Dunne tells University Business. “We also have a major new Centre for the Arts, due to open in 2015, which will massively benefit the local community. And we use on-campus student accommodation for academic and other conferences.” Exeter is another university that made the news
recently, after actor David Tennant was spoted on the campus, where he was filming a new series of the ITV show Broadchurch. “We play a positive and pivotal role in the city of Exeter and the South West region in general,” explained Liz French, Head of Media Relations. “We place great importance on upholding our strong relationship with the local community, and organise a wide range of initiatives and events throughout the course of the year for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone, including staff, students and local residents. These include public events such as the Chinese New Year celebrations, and organising a host of seminars and lectures by visiting experts at both our Streatham Campus in Exeter, and our Penryn Campus in Cornwall.”
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