Spring 2004 - University of Kent

The University in its region
VICE-CHANCELLOR PROFESSOR DAVID MELVILLE
The first foundations for the University of Kent at Canterbury were laid in 1965 on the hill overlooking the
city. At that point the University had an anticipated student population of 2,000. Since then it has grown in
size to over 13,000 students and the Canterbury campus has become a thriving, dynamic community which is
continually growing, not only physically in its new structures, but in its programmes and initiatives such as the
Canterbury Enterprise Hub.
The partnerships in the Medway, first
established in 2000, have resulted in plans for
our major joint campus in Chatham, and
exciting new developments such as the
Medway School of Pharmacy, created jointly
with the University of Greenwich. There is
also a new partnership with West Kent
College in Tonbridge, and lifelong learning
programmes are delivered in 25 different
towns across the county. This increasing
regional and Euro-wide mission led us to a
formal change of name to The University of
Kent, on 1 April 2003. These developments
reflect the aims articulated in the University’s
mission statement, not only to be ‘an
intellectual and cultural focus for Canterbury
and Kent’ but also to ‘support national and
regional economic success’.
We are indeed the University of Kent: at
Canterbury; at Medway; at Tonbridge; at
Brussels as well as throughout our region and
Euroregion.
Our unique geographical location gives us the
opportunity to break new ground through our
Brussels centre and European partnerships, as
exemplified by the pioneering agreement to
set up the University of the Transmanche. This
was recognised at the highest level in February
2003, when it was part of the communiqué
14
agreed by Prime Minister Tony Blair and
President Jacques Chirac at the Anglo-French
summit in Le Touquet.
Government proposals for an increase in
tuition fees mean that there will be a
corresponding increase in students choosing to
study near their homes. Within our city,
county and Euroregion, higher education
institutions must collaborate ever more closely
to ensure a comprehensive educational
provision to meet the needs and demands of
the region’s population. To do this we must
play to our own strengths while at the same
time focusing on the needs of the community
and its students, exploring what will benefit
and support them. This benefit is both
personal and economic. The latter is
exemplified by the considerable financial
support from government regeneration and
LEA sources for our new campus in Medway.
The mission of the University of Kent is clear.
We are a University with a national and
international reputation for the quality of our
teaching and research. At the same time, we
are firmly rooted by our responsibilities to our
region, working in partnership and
collaboration.
Canterbury
New buildings on the Canterbury campus
include the north-east wing of Cornwallis,
housing the School of Social Policy, Sociology
and Social Research; the refurbishment of the
Sports Centre’s reception area; the Registry
extension; new student accommodation in
Tyler Court and planning permission for new
student accommodation in Park Wood. Other
new developments include a £250,000 grant
to establish a Canterbury Enterprise Hub in
conjunction with Canterbury City Council, and
more than £7m government funding given for
refurbishing teaching infrastructure.
Medway
The final contribution to the £50m funding
package developed to establish the
University’s new campus at Chatham Maritime
was put in place in July. The project creates a
‘multiversity’ – a co-operating alliance of
higher and further education aimed at
developing education, skills and training in
Medway with a target of 6,000 students by
2007. This includes students from the new
Medway School of Pharmacy, a joint venture
between Kent and the University of
Greenwich, which received substantial funding
from Pfizer for the Head of School.
Tonbridge
The University was awarded one of the
highest percentage increases in government
funding in the country – 10% of all of
England’s university expansion will take place in
Kent. The University offers courses at 25
centres across the county, and last year
launched a new partnership with West Kent
College in Tonbridge. A further development
was the establishment of the Kent New
Technology Institute, a consortium of higher
and further education institutions and regional
development bodies, aiming to increase highlevel
skills in information and communication
technologies.