UCL

1246 Words3 Pages

Along with many established universities, University College London (UCL hereafter) is located in the centre of a busy city. This prime location brings many advantages for its student population, such as easy access to a range of facilities and the latest research, in addition to encouraging greater participation in the vibrant local culture. At the same time, the university’s central location denies it the possibility of expansion to cater for ever-increasing numbers of students, and the local environment can make movement between buildings both dangerous and difficult. Furthermore, recent research has indicated possible links between health issues and urban university environments. It has been suggested, therefore, that UCL should look for a new site on the outskirts of London, and rebuild a modern university suitable for the 21st century. This essay will firstly discuss key arguments in favour of a possible relocation for UCL away from the centre of London, followed by the main reasons against such a move. It will aim to show that despite concerns over health, safety and space, modifications to the current site may in fact be preferable to relocating the entire campus.

The first reason for moving is the provision of larger, better equipped buildings. According to a recent survey, inner-city colleges almost all suffer from a lack of suitable classroom space, well-lit and well-ventilated laboratories and sufficient meeting places such as cafes (Edwards 2006, 101-102). In this survey, both UCL and Imperial College were near the bottom of the table and well behind universities in smaller cities or towns. On the other hand, students at out-of-town universities, such as Brunel, said in general that they were “satisfied” (ibid., 1...

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...like to feel they are “at the centre of a country’s academic life”. He argues, however, that more research needs to be conducted.

In conclusion, there are valid reasons both to move and to remain in the centre of London. On balance, however, it would appear that UCL’s loss of contact with the centre of the capital and the perception that it is no longer at the heart of British academic life are persuasive arguments against such a move. It would seem, therefore, that instead of relocation, the university will have to radically review current use of its buildings and resources in order to maximise efficiency and address problems of space, improve security arrangements and road safety within the vicinity, and conduct further research into student health issues. This will enable UCL to retain its current position as one of Britain’s top universities into the future.

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