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11 Apr 2006 16:19:33
Research confirms staff, student and employer choice
The preferred name for the new university created by the merger of the University of Luton and De Montfort University’s Bedford campus is the University of Bedfordshire, according to in-depth research carried out through local focus groups, interviews and e-surveys across the region.
Thousands of staff, current and potential students, and employers were included in the research programme carried out by higher education marketing specialists Heist.
A massive 89 per cent of staff, 77 per cent of current students, and 70 per cent of potential students would prefer either the University of Bedfordshire or Bedfordshire University to the other short-listed names – the University of Bedford & Luton, and the University of the South Midlands.
The name University of Bedfordshire (71 per cent of staff, 56 per cent of current students and 45 per cent of potential students) will now be taken to the Board of Governors for approval and then to the Privy Council – the branch of Government responsible for the affairs of institutions, charities and companies incorporated by Royal Charter.
The merger will be officially signed, sealed and delivered on August 1st this year.
As part of an earlier positioning programme, the University of Luton carried out research among stakeholders in consultation with specialists Bell Pottinger.
Three key strengths were identified - quality of teaching; the ability to develop students, and real-world relevance, relating to employment and employer links in particular.
“Although these characteristics remain at the heart of our communications, we prefer the link with the county in naming the new two-campus university,” says Vice Chancellor, Professor Les Ebdon.
Meanwhile students across the UK are almost equally divided on the issue of whether or not universities should be named after the towns, cities or counties in which they are located. A majority of 53 per cent believe they should always be named after the location while 47 per cent thought not, in an alternative on-line poll organised by the University of Luton to coincide with the local research.
Over a third of more than 900 students who logged on to www.universitynames.com thought that university names should reflect educational philosophies and some of the names suggested included the University of Future Options, the University of Human Development, and the University of Practical Education – a possible reference to the University of Luton’s current strap-line ‘Education that Works’.
Those who opted for the location link in naming the new university presented a broad spectrum of suggestions including the local choice, in first place:
Some took a broader geographical view and suggested Hatters University, a reference to Luton’s tradition as the centre of the hat making industry, and Midway University, spotlighting the new university’s location approximately midway between Oxford and Cambridge.
More oblique suggestions included:
Results of the on-line survey at www.universitynames.com
In excess of 900 responses were received during February and March 2006.
Q1. Do you think university names should always include the name of the town, city or county in which they are located?
Q2. Do you think university names should reflect their educational philosophies and objectives?
Q3. Do you think university names should be linked to any other aspect of higher education?
Q4. Names suggested for the new university for Bedfordshire:
Latest news» 2006» Apr» University of Bedfordshire is the preferred name for two-campus merger
