Aston University Student Residences | 18fl | Comp.

[mk61]

I believe UCE are planning a long-term project to consolidate all of their sites at Eastside, apart from Perry Barr and Westbourne Road. Given that Aston is already located in Eastside it's central to the whole 'Learning Quarter' thrust of the scheme, it wouldn't make much sense to move out, especially considering the investment already made in the Heights student flats on Staniforth Street.

Are Aston and UCE not already affiliated in some way anyway? Forgive my ignorance of the subject, I really know nothing else about them.

[feltip]

In affiliated, you mean work together?

I think all of the Birmingham universities have links to some extent. Whether any of them merge will depend on personalities, priorities and students.
There are plans which I hope happen of renaming UCE.

Definitely agree it gives density to learning quarter for UCE to move more of its bits to eastside. Its a shame there isnt a central library nearby

[mk61]

Pretty much yeah. I heard of some proposals for merging the two of them, but I don't know what came of it. Come to think of it, one of the UCE faculties is located on the Aston campus, so maybe there is a deeper relationship.

[feltip]

Well Higher Education is incestuous.

Although its also highly competitive.

[Cra1g]

Originally Posted by mk61

Are Aston and UCE not already affiliated in some way anyway? Forgive my ignorance of the subject, I really know nothing else about them.

Not at all, apart from the UCE art bit looking like it's a part of the Aston campus.

[Flogging Molly]

Aston University
2007-06-22


Reported by Neil Nickolds


Aston University seeks higher grades

Birmingham: Another major development has been announced in Birmingham City Centre, with the news that Aston University has applied for planning permission for a new student village. The project is a multi-million pound joint initiative between the university, a major UK bank and a service provider, who together have formed the charity Aston Student Village and will deliver a high quality mixed use development on the existing university campus.

Aston Student Village will create a vibrant new district comprising high quality student and staff residential units, University administration offices, retail space, student ancillary and amenity services, car parking, sports facilities and new public plazas adjacent to Birmingham’s new quarter for learning, technology and heritage, Eastside.

The development will comprise of three main buildings, Block A/B, C and D, and feature 2353 new student bedrooms and 50 additional staff rooms in a iconic design similar to the existing Lakeside complex.

Block A/B will be made up of 1307 student study rooms available in 5 or 7 bedroom cluster apartments and include 8 apartments for resident tutors. Block C will include 673 student bedrooms available in 5 bedroom cluster apartments and 4 apartments for resident tutors. Both developments will feature an 18 storey tower, with Block C holding the re-sited main campus electrical sub station.

Block D will deliver 373 student bedrooms available in 5 or 7 bedroom cluster apartments and 4 apartments for resident tutors. The building will also include the University Administration Offices and Main Reception Area, as well as 1600 sq/m of retail space and provision for parking.

The complex will also include a main car park with 254 parking spaces at ground floor and an all weather sports pitch above.

The site is currently home to a number of halls of residence, including Lakeside, Dalton Tower, Lawrence Tower and Stafford Tower, a conference centre, a sports hall, an all-weather pitch and a boiler house. If the council give the go-ahead to the scheme, Dalton Tower, Lawrence Tower and Stafford Tower will be demolished to make way for the new Student Village.

[moseeds]

I think Aston Uni would be silly to move out into Aston proper considering the problems in those areas and also its city centre location is one of the prime draws for students - It was for me anyway.

[feltip]

Originally Posted by Flogging Molly

Aston University
2007-06-22


Reported by Neil Nickolds


Aston University seeks higher grades

Birmingham: Another major development has been announced in Birmingham City Centre, with the news that Aston University has applied for planning permission for a new student village. The project is a multi-million pound joint initiative between the university, a major UK bank and a service provider, who together have formed the charity Aston Student Village and will deliver a high quality mixed use development on the existing university campus.

Aston Student Village will create a vibrant new district comprising high quality student and staff residential units, University administration offices, retail space, student ancillary and amenity services, car parking, sports facilities and new public plazas adjacent to Birmingham’s new quarter for learning, technology and heritage, Eastside.

The development will comprise of three main buildings, Block A/B, C and D, and feature 2353 new student bedrooms and 50 additional staff rooms in a iconic design similar to the existing Lakeside complex.

Block A/B will be made up of 1307 student study rooms available in 5 or 7 bedroom cluster apartments and include 8 apartments for resident tutors. Block C will include 673 student bedrooms available in 5 bedroom cluster apartments and 4 apartments for resident tutors. Both developments will feature an 18 storey tower, with Block C holding the re-sited main campus electrical sub station.

Block D will deliver 373 student bedrooms available in 5 or 7 bedroom cluster apartments and 4 apartments for resident tutors. The building will also include the University Administration Offices and Main Reception Area, as well as 1600 sq/m of retail space and provision for parking.

The complex will also include a main car park with 254 parking spaces at ground floor and an all weather sports pitch above.

The site is currently home to a number of halls of residence, including Lakeside, Dalton Tower, Lawrence Tower and Stafford Tower, a conference centre, a sports hall, an all-weather pitch and a boiler house. If the council give the go-ahead to the scheme, Dalton Tower, Lawrence Tower and Stafford Tower will be demolished to make way for the new Student Village.

Weve seen the plans already...
I like the way the towers need to be demolished to make way for student village. If they want to house all freshers then they need to build some bits first for other students to vacate towers to demolish.

[Flogging Molly]

Yeh I know. I posted some of them but it was a new article which I thought might aswell be sene.

[Rigadon]

Originally Posted by mk61

I heard of some proposals for merging the two of them, but I don't know what came of it.

Nothing came of it. It came closer to merging with Birmingham but nothing came of that either.

[fruit&nut]

Originally Posted by feltip

There are plans which I hope happen of renaming UCE.

What are they going to call it?

Birmingham Polytechnic?

Sounds good to me. It's what's written on my degree certificate!

[feltip]

lol, no Birmingham Metropolitan, Birmingham City or another variation.

The planning course UCE used to do is being run by University of Birmingham the coming academic year.

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Originally Posted by mk61

Pretty much yeah. I heard of some proposals for merging the two of them, but I don't know what came of it. Come to think of it, one of the UCE faculties is located on the Aston campus, so maybe there is a deeper relationship.

There were plans to mere all three. Birmingham spat out their dummies as they are greedy for money.

[feltip]

There were never plans to merge all three, Birmingham Uni's VC made a passing comment that all three uni's consider working in unison to create a university of midlands idea to which UCE said aaaagh - We like being seperate and would not wish to be swallowed up. Aston was having talks with UCE.

Here is the story:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/univ...093767,00.html

Birmingham plans to merge with Aston were more of a takeover. Birmingham wanted Pharmacology, Pharmaceuticals and the business school primarily from Aston. There were big issues though with what would happen with split sites and what bits go where.

As for that crap comment on Birmingham spitting out their dummies - all universities face uncertain financial futures and Birmingham has undergone some considerable financial remanagement. They are not greedy for money in sense you suggest. They need money for investment and attracting futher research income. They would not consider relationships with UCE for example as not in any sense a comparable institution or containing anything for their strategic profile. Birmingham have been killing their youthwork programmes at Selly Oak campus as they 'dont fit' with strategic focus on research.

The difference with the universities is strategic, cultural and historical. Birmingham is a big research driven researched focussed institution, Aston been traditionally more of the newer CMU universities with some research interests but not a research led. UCE is the legacy of poly's turning to Universities and is a lot more vocational. Its conservatoire, art school and other bits are nationally reknown but UCE was an amalgamation of colleges and institutes so it contains the good and the not so good.

[NeilM]

Originally Posted by Cra1g

Not at all, apart from the UCE art bit looking like it's a part of the Aston campus.

I'm sure the UCE art bit is moving in the not to distant future.

[ShavenHeaden]

Originally Posted by NeilM

I'm sure the UCE art bit is moving in the not to distant future.

Indeed - U475 Foxtrot's post tells more.

[Cra1g]

Originally Posted by feltip

Aston been traditionally more of the newer CMU universities with some research interests but not a research led.

Aston began in some form or another in 1895, and became a uni in 1966 - hardly in the same league as unis incorporating in the 90s. Also their research was rated as internationally relevant by the RAE, and very much leads the undergraduate teaching, as does industry demand.

[feltip]

Originally Posted by Cra1g

Aston began in some form or another in 1895, and became a uni in 1966 - hardly in the same league as unis incorporating in the 90s. Also their research was rated as internationally relevant by the RAE, and very much leads the undergraduate teaching, as does industry demand.

They are not 94 or 92 because of being in 60s so they are considered plate glass university but not research led like Birmingham. And for your obvious bias there are some of the newer universities which give Aston a run for its money but also share some of their characteristics of being non-aligned.

Im not disputing they do some research but they are definitely not a research university like Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford, Glasgow or any of the other Russell Group. Their success has been having placements and also being a much smaller university than some others.

[ShavenHeaden]

Isn't that talk of obvious bias just a little hypocritical? Especially given the pissy reaction you had because UCE was described as Birmingham university and you worried people would link it to UoB. Snobbish much?

Plus is there really a need to patronise people so? Every other comment from you seems to either take delight in correcting people or comments that basically say "well if anyone was intelligent enough to read what I post, they'd see I already mentioned this months ago, because I'm so great".

Basically.

And breathe.

[feltip]

Fair comment but one if someone posts something where possible it should be correct. I love Brum uni dearly, its my alma mata, but in a Martin G controversy way want to see all the uni's get better.

As for correcting, its only to try and get correct information. If we dont have right data we cant make informed judgements. And as for i posted this months ago. Im reminding people so they can take a look. Plus I find if you arent vocal or remind people you sink into obscurity in this forum. There is a tendency for some to preach gospel and the rest to be seen as having no 'insider' information. As for patronising, i hope im not but some factual inaccuracies really are ridiculous when a quick hop on wikipedia can produce a rough guide to something.

I try and find the best i can. I am more than happy to apologise as I did in Paradise forum thread when got figure wrong but im a researcher and if its not credible information then I will want to see data and other information to support claims. I think overall the Brum thread gets that right though as we tend not to discuss too much gossip and only what we know whether that transpires to be less wholesome than reality.



anyway back to Aston uni.