Cambridge University's architecture department is to be saved following a vote by academics. BBC | Scotsman | previously today.
Also, see COMMENTS for the Press Release
BBC | Its future had been placed in doubt because of concerns that the quality of its research was not good enough.
Cambridge's general board voted unanimously to keep the department open, although six of its 17 academic staff must take early retirement.
The university's vice-chancellor, Alison Richard, said "longstanding concerns" had been addressed.
Campaign
Leading architects, such as Lord Foster, who designed of London's Millennium Bridge, had backed a campaign to keep open the department, which has 150 undergraduate and 100 graduate students.
Comedian Griff Rhys Jones, whose son is studying architecture at Cambridge, took part in a protest.
The university authorities considered closing the department after two reports in 2001 and 2003 had raised concerns about its quality.
A closure date of 2008 - when the last of the current students are due to finish their courses - was suggested.
However, the general board voted instead for a "new academic strategy", placing more of the department's focus on "sustainable design".
This change in policy, the university said, was the reason for the planned early retirements.
Professor Roger Parker, chairman of Cambridge's Council of the School of Arts and Humanities, said: "We regard the closure of any department as a very grave step.
"So it is particularly pleasing that we have been able to overcome the difficulties and reach a positive solution, one that will enable architecture to become a leader in research, as it already is in teaching."
A recent BBC survey showed one in five UK universities had closed or downsized departments in the past year or were planning cuts.
((FROM THE BBC))
4 Comments
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE PRESS RELEASE
Department of Architecture to remain open
The Department of Architecture of the University of Cambridge is to remain open. The General Board today welcomed recent restructuring changes and unanimously accepted the new academic strategy for the Department.
The strategy, drawn up by the School of Arts and Humanities working with the Department, will see the Department focus its research on sustainable design. Building on existing strengths, the Department’s research expertise will be restructured to explore six themes within this overall research focus.
New academic appointments – in the first instance, a professor and a university lecturer in the field of sustainable design, with consideration of additional appointments to follow - will be made possible by the early retirement or departure of six of the 17 academic staff of the Department. Consideration is also being given to ways of bringing research and teaching activities into a single site.
The new strategy addresses longstanding concerns about the Department’s research profile, which had led to the prospect of closure.
“I am delighted that we have reached this decision today and I congratulate both the School and the Department on this outcome,†said Professor Alison Richard, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.
“Architecture is among a small number of disciplines in the University where practice plays an integral role in teaching and research. There have been longstanding concerns that the Department’s widely heralded excellence in teaching and practice was not matched in research. I am confident that the new strategy, building upon existing strengths, the radical restructuring accomplished in recent weeks, and commitments by the School and the University, will enable the Department to excel in every respect.â€Â
“We regard the closure of any department as a very grave step,†said Professor Roger Parker, Chairman of the Council of the School of Arts and Humanities. “So it is particularly pleasing that we have been able to overcome the difficulties and reach a positive solution, one that will enable Architecture to become a leader in research as it already is in teaching,â€Â
“The Department of Architecture is the best teaching department in the UK,†said Professor Marcial Echenique. “With this new strategy, we will not only be able to continue this but also become an international leader in sustainable design – addressing one of the world’s most pressing challenges.â€Â
Consideration of the future of the Department began in January 2004 following two University reports, in 2001 and 2003, which reinforced longstanding concerns within the University about aspects of the Department’s research profile. A working party was formed and developed a plan to strengthen the Department. But, in October, following a review of progress, the working party was sufficiently disappointed to recommend that the School of Arts and Humanities be asked to make the case for keeping the Department open.
In December, the School presented an updated restructuring plan. With a number of key steps toward restructuring already in place and a more fully developed academic strategy prepared by the Department, the General Board unanimously accepted the plan in a meeting this afternoon.
January 12, 2005
more from the guardian
hooray!
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.