News
Global Alliance to help Essex fulfil its international vision
The University of Essex is an international community with a long-standing
commitment to international education and research.
So it is no surprise to find that playing to these strengths is at the
heart of the University’s strategic vision.
Essex has a clear five-year goal - to be a powerful regional university
with global impact and an international reputation that is unparalleled
for a university of its size.
Tasked with making this vision a reality is newly-appointed Dean of
International Development, former Head of the Department of Computer
Science, Martin Henson.
‘The University can be justly proud of its international achievements. We
now need to pursue these with even more vigour. My task is to help us to
develop a new international strategy and to ensure that we fully implement
it,’ explained Professor Henson. ‘From the conversations I have had so far
with academic staff, students, and our professional teams, I have been
delighted to find enormous enthusiasm for the international activities in
which we currently engage, and for finding and developing new
opportunities and international connections.’
Central to the new strategy will be the creation of a Global Alliance of
selected universities from around the world. The Alliance will allow its
members to offer students a broader range of educational experiences
through internationalised curricula, and will provide new opportunities
for new research collaborations. The aim is to have at least five members
by 2013.
‘People, as always, will be our most important resource. Forty per cent of
our students are from overseas, and our staff members are drawn from more
than 75 countries,’ added Professor Henson. ‘These are among the very
highest proportions within higher education in the UK, and they offer us
here at Essex unique opportunities for international collaborations that
other institutions simply do not have.’
Rural body outlines proposals
The Essex Rural Commission, which is chaired by Professor Jules Pretty
of the Department of Biological Sciences, made 60 recommendations in its
2009 report, published last month.
At the top of the Commission’s list of recommendations are expanding
rural enterprise and providing more affordable housing.
The Commission, members of which include Essex honorary graduates
Germaine Greer and Elinor Goodman, was established last year to advise
Essex County Council on issues surrounding life and work in rural Essex.
It looked into environmental, economic and social changes facing the
county.
As well as its top two recommendations, the Commission has suggested
more should be done to transform existing rural space and buildings to
multifunctional use; widen transport options; increase the use and
management of natural green spaces; and secure an Essex food policy.
Professor Pretty said: ‘The Commission believes we have come up with a
blueprint to secure the future of rural Essex. We had to be mindful of the
substantial environmental, economic and social challenges that will affect
the people, institutions and environments of the county in the coming
decades, and seek genuinely novel solutions.’
Lord Hanningfield, Leader of Essex County Council, said: ‘We will now
be using the recommendations made by the Commission to put together some
innovative proposals for supporting our rural communities.’
For further information, and to order a copy of the report, see:
www.essex.gov.uk/ruralcommission.
SU services in your hands
Students at the University can now access Students’ Union (SU) services
via their iPhones thanks to a new initiative thought to be the first of
its kind in the UK and possibly the world.
The Essex SU is believed to be the first UK Students’ Union to launch
an App (Application) which allows students with an Apple iPhone, or iPod
Touch, to access its services from the palm of their hands, wherever they
are.
Central to the App is an interactive map of the Colchester Campus
which, using the GPS built in to the handset, allows students to navigate
around the SU’s outlets and services. By touching any outlet or venue,
students can see what events are taking place and when.
The App provides students with live news updates, twitter and Facebook
feeds, and photos from SU events. It holds information about key SU
services from student officers and representation through to shops, bars,
clubs and societies.
The Essex SU will monitor the success of the App in order to identify
further development opportunities. It is available free to students, and
staff, via the iTunes App store.
Also in the printed October edition of Wyvern:
- Essex wins best university halls award
- Cafe talks on holocaust
- Annual Review is publications finalist
- Students vote Essex onto THE shortlist
- Campus pharmacy service opens for business
- Children's Legal Centre wins court case
