What The Papers Say July 2007
General university news
(Individual campus news follows below)
In response to stories in The Guardian and The Times about 50 universities including Greenwich reportedly being at financial risk the Times Higher Education Supplement was critical of the media coverage. “After some newspapers reported that the information suggested continuing financial risks to named institutions, HEFCE (The Higher Education Funding Council of England) has stressed that the material released under the FOI Act (Freedom of Information) ... is at least three years old - some of it almost a decade old - and that all named universities are now on a sound financial footing.”
Diana Warwick, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: "The headlines about this issue have been inaccurate, misleading and irresponsible. There is no doubt that higher education is a UK success story, bringing substantial benefits to the UK economy and with a well-deserved world-class reputation. Institutions are multimillion-pound businesses - and risk is part of any business of that size and complexity."
An editorial added, “If universities were limping towards imminent bankruptcy, the public, staff and students would indeed have a right to know. The only problem with last weekend's stories was that no university was. Not one.”
The Guardian, the first to publish the story, subsequently published the following online correction. “In some places, in particular the headline of the first article and sub-headings on both, we did not place sufficient emphasis on the distinction between the historical situation and the current state of financial health of some of the universities named. There were changes to the institutions on the HEFCE's risk list between 1998 and 2003 - none of the universities were on the list for the whole of that period.”
According to the Greenwich Mercury, ‘The University of Greenwich topped a league for rumbling the highest number of students trying to cheat their way to a degree’ under the headline ‘University gets tough on cheats’. The Medway Messenger reported that ‘University finds cheating scholars’, ‘Computer software used to root plagiarism’ and that the university takes a robust stand against academic offences’. Docklands magazine said that ‘Universities in Docklands have come out fighting’ and ‘both establishments have claimed that the survey was unfair and that the results merely reflected how well they tested for any cheats.’
Baroness Blackstone was firmly opposed to plans to give colleges foundation degree powers according to an article in the Times Higher Education Supplement about the government's response to the Leitch report. She said that "Universities and colleges have different missions, and those missions should not be muddled up. Further education is a very important sector, and the Leitch agenda represents a huge challenge for it. But it should not resort to mission drift."
Guardian Education had an article about the Dearing report ten years on. It said that Baroness Tessa Blackstone, Higher Education Minister in Labour's 1997 government and now vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich, also gives it a B+.
On the introduction of fees, for which the report will always be most remembered, Blackstone says: "The Dearing committee was right to point out that, in future, higher education shouldn't be entirely funded by the taxpayer and that the consumer should make a contribution. That means students/graduates and could also mean better-off parents. It should also mean some contribution from employers, but that has not yet come to fruition." But Blackstone argues that, although there is a greater commitment to teaching in higher education, "there hasn't been enough additional resources put into it".
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2132854,00.html
The Times Higher Education Supplement also had an article about the Dearing report ten years on. It said that Baroness Tessa Blackstone, formerly Higher Education Minister and now vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich said: “The report came out a few days before parliamentary recess. If it had left hanging over the summer, you could be certain there would have been a huge build-up against it. People would have been allowed to express opposition, and opponents would have had time to regroup. That is why it was right to make a fast decision”.
New Zealand based Scoop and Stuff websites and the Lewisham News Shopper reported that Greenwich has appointed Professor Tom Barnes as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research & Enterprise. He is currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) of the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00458.htm
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4139221a7694.html
Greenwich came 7th highest in a league table produced by the Times Higher Education Supplement on institutions with the highest proportion of students from low socioeconomic groups (With a percentage of 47.6 against a benchmark of 37.7).
Fleet News had a profile of Transport Manager, Tony Theobald.
RICS Business had an obituary for former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, John McWilliam, who was a former Vice-President of RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors).
Transport Manager, Tony Theobald, answered a letter about the benefits of electric vehicles in Fleet News. He recommended dual fuel vehicles as a better alternative.
According to South East Business the University Centre Folkestone has received a £300,000 cash boost from the Channel Corridor Partnership.
Greenwich students took part in the Made in Deptford Festival according to the Greenwich & Blackheath News Shopper.
Roger De Haan’s plans for Folkestone including the University Centre Folkestone offering courses from Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church universities were the focus of an article in the Daily Telegraph.
Kent Life had a feature on the implication of the Thames Gateway on Kent which mentioned the Kent Science Park where Greenwich and others are providing courses via the Kent Science Resource Centre.
Bexley Grammar School is encouraging pupils from local comprehensive schools to consider the merits of higher education according to the Times Educational Supplement which included a large colour photo of a visit to the Painted Hall at the Greenwich campus.
Kent on Sunday, Docklands magazine, Bexleyheath & Welling Times and Greenwich Mercury reported on the award of an honorary degree to Lord (Paddy) Ashdown.
The Medway News publicised the launch of Business Information Technology and Enterprise (BITE) which will deliver courses at the University Centre Folkestone and Medway.
Head teachers from Thanet, Folkestone and Dover visited the University Centre Folkestone according to the Isle of Thanet Gazette.
Greenwich
Business
The Greenwich & Blackheath News Shopper, Bromley News Shopper, Bexley News Shopper, Lewisham News Shopper, Kentish Times, Kent & Sussex Courier, Faversham News, Herne Bay Gazette, Kentish Gazette, Kentish Express (Ashford, Folkestone, Tenterden, and Romney Marsh editions), Kent Messenger and Greenwich Mercury reported that students Samantha Stagg and Simon Jones have been impressing AEG bosses while on a three month work placement at the O2. All had a photo of the pair outside the O2 which has hosted concerts by Bon Jovi and Westlife.
The Dublin Evening Herald had a career profile on Ruth Gaffney, an International Trade & Marketing graduate, who is now a Personal Financial Adviser in Cork.
People Management cited the research commissioned by the T&G section of the union UNITE carried out by David Hall that concluded that Private Equity buyouts depressed wages and found no evidence that they increased jobs.
South African based website Independent online said that the Legal Resources Centre commissioned Steve Thomas, professor of energy policy, to calculate a cost for South Africa's nuclear programme. Thomas put it "conservatively" at 400 billion Rand.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=124&art_id=vn20070704102252695C885547
Education & Training
Slough Express and Maidenhead Express reported that Tommy O’Brien, Postgraduate Certificate in Education graduate (1999) is playing the part of Dean Martin in the Rat Pack Party at the Theatre Royal Windsor.
Humanities
According to the Czech based website Romea an album entitled Meet Your Neighbours – Contemporary Roma Art from Europe was sent to a number of experts including Thomas Acton, Professor of Roma Studies, at Greenwich.
http://www.romea.cz/english/index.php?id=detail&detail=2007_410
Film maker Will Green who has made a 23 minute ‘mockumentary’ about the state of Britain is planning to study film and television production at Greenwich according to the Staffordshire Newsletter.
General campus news
Bromley College held their graduation ceremony at the Greenwich campus according to the News Shopper.
The Medway Mayor attended the degree ceremonies at the Greenwich campus according to the Medway Messenger.
Avery Hill
Architecture & Construction
Times Higher Education Supplement reported on the appointment of the Paul Murrain, urban design consultant for the Prince’s Foundation, Built Environment as International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism (INTBAU) Visiting Professor.
Ed Frith reviewed the student show at the Bartlett Gallery in University College, London in Building Design.
Paul Xuereb who is studying Occupational Health, Safety and Environment has been appointed Manager of the St Paul’s Bay branch of Frank Salt Real Limited according to the Malta Independent online.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=54741
Education & Training
Patrick Ainley argued in a letter to the Times Higher Education Supplement that employers have always filed to contribute towards the cost of higher education.
Health & Social Care
Professor Pam Maras, President of the British Psychological Society discussed the concern of her members about the body that the government has chosen to oversee their regulation on BBC Radio 4’s, All in the Mind programme.
The Nursing Standard said that a course in conflict management and violence avoidance accredited by Greenwich devised by a nurse has become the first of its kind to be a accredited by a university.
Allan McNaught, Principal Lecturer and Enterprise lead, had an opinion piece in Nursing Times. He argued that the relative lack of Black and Minority Ethnic nurses in senior positions is a reflection of institutional inability to tackle racism and make real progress on issues of equality.
Medway News reported that Nanette Barrett is the first Medway based midwife to join the independent Kent Midwifery Practice studied for a diploma at Greenwich.
Medway
School of Engineering
Jonathan Mayall, of The Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School, took part in a Design and Manufacture course at Greenwich according to the Hereford Times.
http://www.herefordtimes.com/display.var.1579517.0.bishops_student
_knows_how_to_design.php
School of Science
The Medway News, News Shopper online and Kent on Sunday reported that George Newman is heading for the World Transplant Games in Thailand next month.
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/topsport/
display.var.1576555.0.george_bids_for_gold.php
The campus hosted a Science Challenge Day for pupils from local schools according to the Medway Messenger and Medway Standard. The prizes were presented by BAE Systems.
Tim Hogg, a mature conversation student, wrote about his work placement at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales in Clean Slate magazine.
Natural Resources Institute
KM Extra and the Medway Standard gave advance publicity to the Pembroke Lecture on NRI given by Dr Guy Poulter.
The Medway News and Medway Messenger reported that NRI has linked up with the Universite de Valenciennes et Hainut Cambersis to establish a Masters Degree in food production at the University of Balamand in Lebanon.
Dr Gay Gibson was interviewed on BBC Radio Kent about a potential increase in the numbers of mosquitos due to recent weather conditions.
Medway School of Pharmacy
The Medway Messenger reported on the first graduation ceremony for students from the Medway School of Pharmacy.
General campus news
Kent Director reported on the results of the first Medway Boat race with the headline ‘Greenwich are kings of the river in alternative boat race’.
KM Extra gave advance publicity to the campus open day in July.
The Medway Mayor attended the degree ceremonies at the Greenwich campus according to the Medway Messenger.
The Medway Messenger reported on the unveiling of replacement plaque commemorating the air raid in 1917 on what is now the Drill Hall Library.
The Medway News mentioned Greenwich in an article about the new Mid Kent College campus to be built on the Lower Lines, Gillingham.
Medway News reported that Nanette Barrett is the first Medway based midwife to join the independent Kent Midwifery Practice studied for a diploma at Greenwich.
Further information
More details on many of these stories and others can be seen on the PR website at:
University of Greenwich press releases are now available via Really Simple Syndication (RSS).
http://www.gre.ac.uk/pr/rss.htm
Access to online newspapers such as the New York Times or the Scotsman may require a brief registration process.
Some websites only have stories online for a limited period before they are removed or replaced.
The text of some of the articles contained may be accessed by university staff and students via the university intranet using the Information & Library Services Lexis Nexis electronic database.
http://www.greenwich.ac.uk/lib/products/az.html