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{{Infobox_University {{Infobox_University
|name =University of Bedfordshire |name =University of Bedfordshire
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|chancellor =Sir Robin Biggam |chancellor =Sir Robin Biggam
|vice_chancellor =] |vice_chancellor =]
⚫ |students =11,815 <ref>http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0405.htm"</ref>
|students =
|undergrad =9,895 <ref>http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0405.htm"</ref>
|undergrad =
|postgrad =1,920 <ref>http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0405.htm"</ref>
|postgrad =
|city =] and ] |city =] and ]
|state =] |state =]
|country =] |country =]
|campus = |campus =]link
|affiliations = |affiliations =
|footnotes = |footnotes =
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] ]


The '''University of Bedfordshire''' is a university created by the merger of the University of Luton and the ] campus of ] on ] ]. ] is a county in southern ]. Luton University puchased the De Montfort campus in Bedford for an undisclosed sum believed to be in the region of £7m <ref>http://www.eeda.org.uk/files/board_sub/Item_7_HE_cover_paper.pdf</ref>. The '''University of Bedfordshire''' is a university created by the merger of the University of Luton and the ] campus of ] on ] ] following approval by the Privy Council<ref>http://www.beds.ac.uk/aboutus/history History</ref>. ] is a county in southern ]. The University of Luton purchased the De Montfort campus in Bedford for an undisclosed sum believed to be in the region of £13.8m.{{fact}}


==History== ==History==
The '''University of Luton''' was a ] based in ], the largest town in Bedfordshire. The institution was founded as the Modern School in the 1890s. It became Luton College of Higher Education with the merger of Luton College of Technology and Putteridge Bury College of Education in the mid-seventies. With the passing of the ] it converted to university status in 1993. On the ] ], the University announced that it was taking over the Bedford campus of De Montfort University. With permission from the ], the preferred name of the University of Bedfordshire came into effect on the ] ]. The '''University of Luton''' was a ] based in ], the largest town in Bedfordshire. The institution was founded as the Modern School in the 1890s. It became Luton College of Higher Education with the merger of Luton College of Technology and Putteridge Bury College of Education in the mid-seventies. With the passing of the ] it converted to university status in 1993. On the ] ], the University announced that it was taking over the Bedford campus of De Montfort University. With permission from the ], the preferred name of the University of Bedfordshire came into effect on the ] ]<ref>http://education.independent.co.uk/higher/article1210272.ece Article in The Independent re the Merger</ref>.

The campus at Bedford dates back to the Bedford Training College for Teachers which was founded in ] and Bedford Physical Training College founded in ]. There are currently just under 3,000 students based in Bedford.

Putteridge Bury is a neo-Elizabethan country mansion located on the edge of Luton on the A505 to ]. The campus is situated in aproximately thirty acres of landscaped gardens. Putteridge Bury can be traced back to Edward the Confessor's time and has links to the ]. The building was completed in 1911 and was designed by architects Sir ] and ] in the style of ], having had various redesigns and rebuilds over the years. The campus is home to the university's postgraduate business school as well as the university’s Conference Centre.

==Reputation==
Luton came 108th out of 109 in the Times Top Universities 2007 League Table (Times) <ref>The Times Good University Guide 2007 </ref>. Although the Sunday Times awarded the university the title of Best New University in 2004.<ref></ref>

National league tables rates the University of Bedfordshire fourth in the country for Nursing and Midwifery programmes.<ref></ref>


==Campuses== ==Campuses==
The university has three main campuses: Luton (in the town centre), ] (on the outskirts of Luton), and Bedford (on Polhill Avenue). There is also teaching for ] and ] degrees on satellite sites at the Luton and Dunstable, Bedford ] and High Wycombe General hospitals. The University has three main campuses<ref></ref>: ] (in the town centre), ] (on the outskirts of Luton), and ] (on Polhill Avenue). There is also teaching for ] and ] degrees on satellite sites at the Luton and Dunstable, Bedford, ] and High Wycombe General hospitals.


==Faculties== ==Faculties==
The University of Bedfordshire has four faculties, encompassing a number of schools, departments and divisions. The University of Bedfordshire has four faculties, encompassing a number of schools, departments and divisions.<ref></ref>
* Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science * Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science
** Computing and Information Systems ** Computing and Information Systems
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== Educational partner institutions== == Educational partner institutions==


The University works together with a number of partner institutions to offer a wide range of courses. The University works together with a number of partner institutions to offer a wide range of courses. <ref></ref>


* ] * ]
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* ] * ]
* ] * ]

== Student body==

⚫ In 2004-05, Luton/Bedfordshire had 11,815 students, 70 per cent from the UK, and 30 per cent from abroad<ref>http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0405.htm</ref>.
Such a high proportion of overseas students seems to have caused anxieties in official circles. In April 2005, the ''Guardian'' reported that the ] (HEFCE) was monitoring Luton/Bedfordshire because it feared it was 'at risk' of financial failure. It alleged that a HEFCE document had labelled the university as "heavily dependent on overseas students, with a poor public and press image". The ''Guardian'' also noted the University’s reaction:
'Professor Les Ebdon, vice-chancellor of Luton University, confirmed it was being monitored by HEFCE. He described the language in the document as inflammatory and said they had improved recruitment of home students last year by 60%: "A lot of that has to do with the fact that our reputation has turned around"'<ref>http://education.guardian.co.uk/universitiesincrisis/story/0,12028,1460256,00.html</ref>

The latest performance indicators show that Luton was above its benchmark for the number of young students it takes from low-participation neighbourhoods (where there are few people going to higher education). Its intake is 18.2 per cent against a benchmark of 14.2 per cent.

Its proportion of state school students is 99.5 per cent against a benchmark of 95.6 per cent and it admits 43.4 per cent from the lowest social classes against a benchmark of 35.7 per cent. Hand in hand with financial viability, the university became much better at attracting students.

It has also become better at retaining students. It increased its home and European recruitment of students by 59.9 per cent. "We made ourselves a more welcoming and friendly university," says Ebdon. "We really transformed our open days. We became much more customer-focused."
{{NPOV-section}}
But the vice chancellor is not resting on his laurels or on the unsolicited praise he received from Charles Clarke when the former Education Secretary said "Everyone knows that the teaching quality at Luton is bloody brilliant". It will be a challenge to find students this autumn with a combination of the new name, the arrival of top-up fees and with applications from mature students taking a hit. Forty-three per cent of Luton's student body are mature.<ref>http://education.independent.co.uk/higher/article1210272.ece</ref>

== Investment==

In recent years, the University has continued to invest heavily in its facilities, adding a £5.5m media arts centre, an £8.2m learning resources centre and a £20m accommodation block. It estimates that, by 2007, £45m will have been spent on the Luton and Bedford campuses. <ref>http://education.guardian.co.uk/students/graduation/story/0,,1837541,00.html</ref>

In 2005, the ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' noted that some of the University's investment plans were not proceeding as anticipated. Luton/Bedfordshire had announced, amidst much publicity, that it was to build a multimillion pound student plaza, but it had then decided not to proceed, in the process writing-off £750,000. Basic financial practice, the paper reported, had been repeatedly ignored: indeed, depositions released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the institution had made four separate serious breaches of its own financial regulations during the early stages of the project, 'including failing to put contracts out to tender and failing to have signed contracts in place'. Amongst other things, it was revealed that the University had paid out £500,000 in invoices despite the fact that there were no corresponding purchase orders. Roger Kline of the teaching union NATFHE commented: '"One wonders how many jobs might have been saved if proper financial procedures had been in place at the time"' (see Phil Baty, 'Luton's plan broke basic finance rules', ''Times Higher Education Supplement'', 4 March 2005).

== Quality issues ==

Assessments by the government's quality watchdog, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), between 1997 and 2000 judged courses at Luton to be good (TQA scores of 22 or above in six subjects - Building (1997), Communication and Media studies (1998), Biosciences (1999), Nursing (1999), Psychology (1999) and Art and Design (2000)), but since then the University has made 64 academic staff compulsorily redundant, and completed voluntary redundancy agreements with at least 77 others, and has featured in several articles in the ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' about declining standards (for example, '40% of Luton students would not recommend alma mater', 24 September 2004, and 'Caught in vicious cycle of declining standards', 19 November 2004). On 8 February 2004, a story in the ''Sunday Telegraph'' about Luton was headlined 'Is this the worst university in Britain?' (see also earlier story on same theme in issue dated 21 December 2003). The University claims that recent confidential QAA 'Developmental Engagement' reports about some of its taught subjects are broadly positive, especially about teaching quality. However, on 19th November 2004, the ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' reported:

<blockquote>"In April, the governors were told that after a private inspection of law courses ,the Quality Assurance Agency had expressed concern about the 'demands being made on academic staff, whom it regarded as stretched to the limit to deliver the range of subjects required'. In June, the academic board heard that an inspection of nursing courses had raised similar concerns. (see 'Caught in vicious cycle', ibid.)".<ref> 19 Nov 2004 </ref> </blockquote>

What is certain is that when the QAA conducted a thorough institutional audit of the University as a whole in 2005, it came to the following overall conclusion:

<blockquote>
"As a result of its investigations, the audit team's view of the University is that: limited confidence can be placed in the soundness of the University's current and likely future management of the quality of its academic programmes and the academic standards of its awards. " <ref>http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/reports/institutional/Luton1105/RG162UniLuton.pdf</ref>
</blockquote>

The ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' commented: "the report means that Luton is only the fourth higher education institution to receive a 'limited confidence' judgement from more than 100 audits so far carried out"<ref>'QAA queries Luton quality' ,''Times Higher Education Supplement'', 11 November 2005</ref> <ref>'Inspectors find failings at University of Luton', ''Guardian'', 4 November 2005</ref>.

Luton's performance in the ''Times'' newspaper ''Good University Guide'' annual league tables (which are based upon official figures) is also worth recording. In 2003-04, the University was 75th overall, in 2004-05 74th overall, but in 2005-06 it came 92nd, and in 2006-07 118th (second from last). Looking more closely at the 2006-07 results, it is notable that the University came fourth from bottom as regards student satisfaction and second from bottom as regards 'graduate destinations' (i.e. the proportion of UK graduates entering 'graduate level' employment)<ref>see tables in ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' on 9 June 2006</ref>. Commenting on the 2006-07 results, the University's Vice Chancellor, Les Ebdon, reportedly told the local ''Luton Today'' newspaper: "'I don't think anybody takes them seriously. Readers of the ''Times'' expect to see certain universities at the top and certain universities at the bottom. It's a snob's table'". He alleged that "the national newspaper adjusted criteria in its report to guarantee institutions like Cambridge and Oxford always maintained their position at the front while Luton and other newer places brought up the rear"<ref>'New Uni to start life with a low ranking. But boss hits out at 'snobs' league table', ''Luton Today'', 18 June, 2006</ref>.

In the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise the university came last although it received a grade of 3b for Communication, Cultural and Media Studies. In the 2001 RAE it moved up six places with grades of 4 (History) and 3a (Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Linguistics, Social Work and Business and Management).

However, the University closed down its History Department in the same year that it became the highest ranked subject for research. Also in 2001, the University shut down almost all its teaching in Politics, Foreign Languages, English, Mathematics, Geoography, Environment and a number of other subjects.

The former Associate Dean, Computer Research and Development, who left the University in 2000 for 'gross misconduct', claims that he witnessed racial discrimination, bullying of students and staff by an unnamed senior manager. He also raised concerns regarding a fabrication of documents by the University.

Anyhow, Dr Alfred Vella was neither able to show relevant evidences to a tribunal nor to an appeals tribunal and lost both cases.
He continues to be banned from all university premises.

== Staff Issues==
{{NPOV-section}}
{{tone}}
To quote from the THES:

"Nearly one in ten staff ... believes that they were subjected to "unacceptable" harassment"

"9 per cent of staff reported harassment and bullying in the past two years"

"Seven members of staff claimed in the survey that they had experienced discrimination based on their ethnicity."

The survey results were reported in 2006 at Luton University, before its merger with the Bedford campus of De Montfort University and its rebranding as Bedfordshire University in the summer.

Half of all staff of the former Luton responded.

The overall results showed that staff satisfaction levels have greatly improved since a similar survey in 2003, she said.

Two thirds of staff said they were satisfied with their job, compared with half in 2003. Some 68 per cent were satisfied with their manager, 55 per cent with equality and diversity, and 51 per cent with the workplace, atmosphere and culture. Only 44 per cent expressed "trust and confidence in the leadership of the University", but this was a vast improvement on the 16 per cent in 2003.

The Bedfordshire spokeswoman said that the university was one of the few to run such a survey and that it was a "valuable tool" for monitoring satisfaction and ensuring that policies "reflect the best interests of staff".

(see Phil Baty, '''Unacceptable'' harassment claimed by 9% in survey', ''Times Higher Education Supplement'', 6 October 2006).

==Student Union==
UBSU, the student union, provides the MainBar and SubClub at its main base in Luton, as well as an ever-increasing presence in Bedford. The student radio station, ], broadcasts over the internet and in May every year on 87.9FM in Luton Town Centre.


==Alumni== ==Alumni==
* ] - Presenter of BBC's ] - Media Performance. * ] - Presenter of BBC's ] - Media Performance..
* Gemma Hunt - Presenter of ] - Media Performance. * Gemma Hunt - Presenter of ] - Media Performance..{{fact}}
* Charlie George - Presenter on ] - Media Performance. * Charlie George - Presenter on ] - Media Performance..{{fact}}
* Matt Fisher - Presenter on ] - Media Performance with Radio. * Matt Fisher - Head of Production ] - Media Performance with Radio..{{fact}}
* Debbie Randle - News Editor for ] - Modern English Studies. * Debbie Randle - News Editor for ] - Modern English Studies..{{fact}}
* Marie Kemp - Presenter on ] Radio Berkshire - Media Performance and Radio. * Marie Kemp - Presenter on ] Radio Berkshire - Media Performance and Radio.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/02/02/radioberks_travel_team_feature.shtml</ref>
* Peter Paddon - Systems Security Administrator for the ] - Media Production, Video Production and Animation. * Peter Paddon - Systems Security Administrator for the ] - Media Production, Video Production and Animation..{{fact}}
* Paul Woloszyn - ] Digital Text - Modern English Studies. * Paul Woloszyn - ] Digital Text - Modern English Studies.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4661580.stm</ref>


==Photo Gallery== ==Photo Gallery==
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<references/> <references/>


{{Template:Universities in East of England}}
{{Luton}} {{Luton}}


Revision as of 18:25, 30 December 2006

You must add a |reason= parameter to this Cleanup template – replace it with {{Cleanup|December 2006|reason=<Fill reason here>}}, or remove the Cleanup template.

University of Bedfordshire
Logo of the University of Bedfordshire
TypePublic
Established2006 elements date back to 1882
ChancellorSir Robin Biggam
Vice-ChancellorLes Ebdon
Students11,815
Undergraduates9,895
Postgraduates1,920
LocationLuton and Bedford, Bedfordshire, UK
CampusUrbanlink
Websitewww.beds.ac.uk
File:University-of-Luton.jpg
University of Bedfordshire - Learning Resources Centre, Luton Campus

The University of Bedfordshire is a university created by the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of De Montfort University on 1 August 2006 following approval by the Privy Council. Bedfordshire is a county in southern England. The University of Luton purchased the De Montfort campus in Bedford for an undisclosed sum believed to be in the region of £13.8m.

History

The University of Luton was a university based in Luton, the largest town in Bedfordshire. The institution was founded as the Modern School in the 1890s. It became Luton College of Higher Education with the merger of Luton College of Technology and Putteridge Bury College of Education in the mid-seventies. With the passing of the Further and Higher Education Act, 1992 it converted to university status in 1993. On the 15 December 2005, the University announced that it was taking over the Bedford campus of De Montfort University. With permission from the Privy Council, the preferred name of the University of Bedfordshire came into effect on the 1 August 2006.

The campus at Bedford dates back to the Bedford Training College for Teachers which was founded in 1882 and Bedford Physical Training College founded in 1903. There are currently just under 3,000 students based in Bedford.

Putteridge Bury is a neo-Elizabethan country mansion located on the edge of Luton on the A505 to Hitchin. The campus is situated in aproximately thirty acres of landscaped gardens. Putteridge Bury can be traced back to Edward the Confessor's time and has links to the Domesday Book. The building was completed in 1911 and was designed by architects Sir Ernest George and Alfred Yeats in the style of Chequers, having had various redesigns and rebuilds over the years. The campus is home to the university's postgraduate business school as well as the university’s Conference Centre.

Reputation

Luton came 108th out of 109 in the Times Top Universities 2007 League Table (Times) . Although the Sunday Times awarded the university the title of Best New University in 2004.

National league tables rates the University of Bedfordshire fourth in the country for Nursing and Midwifery programmes.

Campuses

The University has three main campuses: Luton (in the town centre), Putteridge Bury (on the outskirts of Luton), and Bedford (on Polhill Avenue). There is also teaching for nursing and midwifery degrees on satellite sites at the Luton and Dunstable, Bedford, Stoke Mandeville and High Wycombe General hospitals.

Faculties

The University of Bedfordshire has four faculties, encompassing a number of schools, departments and divisions.

  • Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science
    • Computing and Information Systems
    • Education Studies
    • Media, Art and Design
    • Psychology
    • Science
    • Sport and Exercise Science
  • Faculty of Education and Contemporary Studies
    • Business and Applied Social Sciences
    • Education
    • Performing Arts and English
    • Physical Education and Sports Sciences
  • Faculty of Health and Social Science
    • Applied Social Studies
    • Healthcare (Nursing and Midwifery)
  • University of Bedfordshire Business School
    • Business and Marketing
    • Language and Communication
    • Law, Accounting and Strategy
    • Tourism, Leisure and Human Resource Management

Educational partner institutions

The University works together with a number of partner institutions to offer a wide range of courses.

Alumni

  • Becky Jago - Presenter of BBC's Newsround - Media Performance..
  • Gemma Hunt - Presenter of CBBC - Media Performance..
  • Charlie George - Presenter on MAX TV - Media Performance..
  • Matt Fisher - Head of Production Xfm London - Media Performance with Radio..
  • Debbie Randle - News Editor for Chiltern FM - Modern English Studies..
  • Marie Kemp - Presenter on BBC Radio Berkshire - Media Performance and Radio.
  • Peter Paddon - Systems Security Administrator for the Walt Disney Company - Media Production, Video Production and Animation..
  • Paul Woloszyn - BBC Digital Text - Modern English Studies.

Photo Gallery

See also

External links

References

  1. http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0405.htm"
  2. http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0405.htm"
  3. http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0405.htm"
  4. http://www.beds.ac.uk/aboutus/history History
  5. http://education.independent.co.uk/higher/article1210272.ece Article in The Independent re the Merger
  6. The Times Good University Guide 2007 Top Universities 2007 League Table
  7. Best New University 2004
  8. Teaching Hospital rating
  9. Campuses
  10. Departments
  11. Educational partners
  12. http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/02/02/radioberks_travel_team_feature.shtml
  13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4661580.stm

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