Karen Millen fashion school wins Times Higher Education award :
UCA along with Karen Millen OBE have won the THES Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts.
Kotting film screened at London Film Festival:
Professor Andrew Kotting recently screened a feature length film, IVUL, at the London Film Festival.
UCA Professor represents UK at Lisbon conference:
Kathleen Rogers, Professor of Media Art and Science presented her work as part of the 2009 European Year of Innovation and Creativity.
MA photography student commissioned by Maidstone 2012 project:
UCA Maidstone MA student Rebecca Andrews has been commissioned as lead artist for 'Maidstone's Dream' a project within the Cultural Olympiad.
Graduate self-portrait wins £25,000 prize:
A graduate of UCA Farnham has won the 2009 Threadneedle Prize, the largest art prize awarded by the public in the UK
Lady Gaga buys cape from UCA graduate:
Style icon and pop star Lady Gaga has bought a cape and borrowed a dress from UCA Rochester graduate Rafaelle Ascione.
Rochester's man of the cloth:
Neil Bottle, Subject Leader for the newly validated BA Fashion Textiles degree at UCA Rochester with the new Mimaki TX2 printer. £100,000 has been invested in digital technology to develop fashion facilities.
UCA lecturer opens window to Iran at London Gallery:
Zadoc Nava, Senior Lecturer in Video Arts Production at UCA Maidstone, is showing his recent photographic series, documenting everyday life in Iran, at London Gallery West.
V J Moreton at the James Hockey Gallery:
A new exhibition of work by artist V J Moreton has opened at the James Hockey Gallery at UCA Farnham, it will run until 12 December.
Harun Farocki at the Tate Modern:
Filmmaker, artist and writer, Harun Farocki will be interviewed by critic and Course Leader in Time Based Arts (UCA Maidstone), Sophia Phoca on 14 November at the Tate Modern
ucreative update
We are now only a few weeks into what already promises to be a positive and productive academic year.
I am very happy to inform you that, on 15 October, we secured the prestigious Times Higher Education Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts. We achieved this award for the inspirational HOPEHIV Gateway School of Fashion project with Karen Millen. This is a milestone for us as a new university and is recognised throughout the sector as a mark of real achievement. We were also shortlisted for an award for the Outstanding Contribution to Leadership Development for our work with FOLD (Forum for Organisational Learning and Development). This is particularly impressive as the shortlist was selected from over 600 entries. It is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our staff that we were recognised in two areas that are relevant to our progress and aspirations as a new specialist creative arts university.
The new academic year has also seen the formal launch of the Strood Academy, which was opened by Loyd Grossman, the Chair of our Board of Governors, on 1 October 2009. The launch was well attended and received substantial local press attention. This achievement demonstrates the University's commitment to fair access and widening participation.
Further evidence of success is heralded by initial unconfirmed enrolment figures, which indicate that the University has exceeded its enrolment targets for FE, undergraduate and postgraduate Home/EU students. International student enrolments are modestly optimistic, having met the targets for the income included in the 2009/10 budgets, but not the enhanced targets representing the University's aspirations for growth. Although the confirmed position for student enrolment will not be available until the 1 December HESES return, these initial indicators are very promising and I would like to personally thank staff across the University for the substantial hard work that has contributed to this success.
As many of you will already be aware, the Executive Group has been considering different potential mechanisms for enhancing communication in light of feedback from staff relating to the Executive Roadshows. It was decided to replace roadshows planned for autumn 2009 with a pilot process which would involve cascading information across the University alongside the opportunity for more targeted discussion groups. Departmental and academic area meetings, attended by myself and other members of the Executive, are taking place across the University. At the time of writing, 14 meetings have taken place. I have attended eight of these meetings and have been represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the other six. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you about several key themes that are beginning to emerge from these meetings:
* acknowledgment of the amount of good news and high calibre achievements across the University, and the importance of publicising these successes;
* debate concerning the proposed government fees review and the potential implications for UCA in the context of the high demand for UCA courses evidenced by our current recruitment success. It will be important for us to continue to seek to influence this political debate;
* concerns about the responsiveness and capability of the IT infrastructure;
* it has been noted in several meetings that there is substantial goodwill across the University for collaboration between departments and academic areas, but that there are still some 'teething issues' with respect to the effectiveness of such collaboration. Some concerns have been expressed that the implications of restructuring may impact on front line services.
* strong commitment to enhancing the quality of the student experience;
* questions about 'UCA-ness' in terms of the balance between local strengths and a single University identity.
I hope that this summary gives you some indication of the types of issues that are recurring in the strategic briefing meetings. Initial feedback about this new process suggests that the shift to a more department oriented and informal strategic communications process has been widely welcomed and I myself have certainly found it to be interesting and informative. Further information will be disseminated as it becomes available.
I am optimistic that we will experience a great deal more good news during the 2009/10 academic year and look forward to sharing these successes with you.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Elaine Thomas
Spending and saving in 2009/10
Pro Vice-Chancellor Corporate Resources, Alan Cooke, explains more about the University's financial planning for the year ahead.
UCA hosts US education managers
Through the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education, UCA hosted an exchange opportunity for five American colleagues working at an equivalent level.
Q & A with Kerstin Mey
Kerstin Mey is UCA's new Director of Research and Enterprise. She tells us about her role and about research at the University.
Library and Learning Services - update II
The second of the Library and Learning Services updates concentrates on the new centralized service as outlined by Frances Teasdale, LLS Central Services Manager and Head of Collections.
Pioneering post graduate provision in India
A new dual certificate programme in photography design at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad, jointly conducted with the University of Creative Arts received its validation when the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding in September.
Farnham Castle gets the artist's touch
The University has been commissioned to create an interactive artistic portrayal of the history of the Castle as part of a major restoration project.
The Teaching Excellence Awards
Dean of Learning and Teaching Hilaire Graham explains more about the nomination process
National Student Survey - an update from Professor Mark Hunt
Following UCA's poor ranking, Professor Mark Hunt outlines the University's strategy for improving its standing in future years
Find IT Help online
A new online IT Help web site for both staff and students was launched 1 September.
"Are you being served?": Welcome to the new face of LLS - Customer Services
The Customer Services team is the new face of Library & Learning Services
The Creative Innovation Award has launched its 5th annual competition for students
''Ur Idea, Ur World 2009' as an an eco-friendly theme and will offer an exciting opportunity to gain industry experience.
UCA artist gives his verdict on giant Lego house
Associate Dean Paul Nelson has delivered an artist's verdict on a life-size Lego house made by BBC presenter James May. 'Toy Stories' will be screened this month.
