Feb 07 2010
PhoenixCollegWye Update
Wyeweb has received news from PhoenixCollegeWye that is more than encouraging. There are several thoughtful proposals that individuals and groups are pursuing in an effort to establish some educational facility in the Wye College premises. However, to our knowledge, none of the other proposals appear to have a direct match with the purpose and ethos of the old Wye College. We know that moves are afoot to co-ordinate these multifarious initiatives but in the meantime we are able, with the permission of PhoenixCollegWye to publish the record of their recent efforts. Clearly, as all parties will acknowledge, nothing can happen without the co-operation and support of Imperial College and the identification of funding. However, as you can see, PhoenixCollegeWye have put together an academic plan (see the Working Document) and are also addressing the matters of HE co-operation and funding. We would like to thank Len Budd and his committee for being so open with the residents of Wye and for sharing their vision with us.
In addition the Sunday Times offered the prospect of a privately funded university being set up in Wye:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article7017836.ece
PhoenixCollegeWye
February 2010 – Alumni Newsletter
You have not heard from us since last summer and I am aware that some of you may have mistaken this for inactivity. Quite the reverse! We have been active in producing our own prospectus for re-establishing Wye College and an approach we made to the University of Buckingham has the potential to bear fruit.
University Sponsorship Sitrep
We intimated in our last newsletter that our strategy of approaching existing universities in order to partner/sponsor us to make a case for funding to the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) looked as though it was coming towards a brick wall. We regret to report that all these approaches proved negative and so the committee has decided not to proceed further with this strategy.
We are indeed disappointed that the HEFCE system is unsympathetic to a community group, such as PhoenixWyeCollege, attempting to re-establish a college that they fully funded less than a decade ago. Having to require the sponsorship of one of the existing HEFCE funded universities seems to isolate the higher education sector from new initiatives arising from the community they are meant to serve; it seems to escape them that ‘the community’ are also taxpayers. The term ‘Old boy network’ comes to mind.
You will not be surprised to hear that your committee does not support the ‘Big is Beautiful’ policy towards higher education currently espoused by the government and HEFCE. We believe that there remains a role for small specialist university colleges provided that overhead costs are kept firmly under control.
Phoenix’s Independent University Prospectus
In our last newsletter we indicated that, if all else fails, Phoenix itself would be prepared to pursue a strategy of re-establishing Wye College as an independent university. Accordingly your committee have produced a prospectus for securing this outcome should it fall to PhoenixWyeCollege and its membership to take on this role. We have worked on this prospectus throughout the autumn and, after several drafts, have now agreed its final wording. The executive summary of this 49-page document is attached to this newsletter and you are invited to read it. It is also available on our website – www.phoenixwyecollege.co.uk <http://www.phoenixwyecollege.co.uk/> .
You will note in this prospectus that the operational character envisaged for the new Wye College will be completely different to the Wye College we all knew. However, the basic ethos and the emphasis on renewable natural resources and the global rural economy will be identical.
The University of Buckingham Initiative
As part of seeking advice and support for our own initiative we contacted the University of Buckingham as the only independently funded university in the UK.
In response to our approach the Principal, Dr Terence Kealey, invited the committee to visit their campus in early December. Buckingham is a small university and we immediately felt at home, primarily because its atmosphere was similar to Wye’s. At that meeting Dr Kealey indicated that he and the University of Buckingham would be interested in working with us in re-establishing Wye as an independent university college.
Dr Kealey then followed up our visit by coming down to Wye during the snowy period in the new year when Ian Lane and Len Budd were able to escort him around the whole campus, including Withersdane and the new Kempe Centre
University of Buckingham's Principal, Dr Terence Kealey visits Wye
. He was most impressed with our campus, the quality and condition of the buildings and particularly that it has been a seat of learning since Cardinal Kempe established it as a seminary in 1447. He shared our disappointment that such a facility was now devoid of life.
Since then we have been in regular contact and a wide range of concepts have been discussed but nothing has yet been finalised with regard to the nature of the new college and the eventual relationship between the University of Buckingham, PhoenixWyeCollege and the new Wye College.
It has been recognised that the attitude of Imperial College towards the Wye College campus will be a major factor determining its future. Accordingly Dr Kealey has already arranged to meet their new Rector. We cannot predict the outcome of such a meeting but we believe that the campus has become an expensive problem for Imperial rather than a potential asset. Bearing in mind the reason for the creation of Wye College in 1893, the purpose of its existence during the last century and that the campus was handed over freely to Imperial in 2000 Phoenix maintains that Imperial College has, at least, a moral duty to hand over the campus to any organisation willing to fulfil Wye’s raison d’etre.
The interest shown by the University of Buckingham is obviously a positive and exciting development. Bearing this in mind the committee has decided to postpone taking any action to further the Phoenix prospectus in order to let the Buckingham initiative take precedence.
For more details about the University of Buckingham please go to its website (www.buckingham.ac.uk <http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/> ). Briefly it was established in Buckingham town by a group of academics who believed that there was a role for an independent university in the UK. It was opened in 1976 by Mrs Thatcher and was granted its charter in 1983. It now has over 800 students studying for degrees in a wide range of ‘arts’ subjects at their split-site campus in the lovely town of Buckingham.
New Independent University in Canterbury
A new university providing an American-style of university education has just opened in Canterbury and has shown some interest in using the Wye campus.
5th February 2010.
4 Responses to “PhoenixCollegWye Update”
Yes, this is very encouraging news indeed. However, it will cost even more now that Imperial College, in their wisdom, have completely ‘gutted’ the kitchens and all of the catering equipment meaning more expense for the new people concerned.
There is an article re this in The Sunday Times today (Feb 7) It is indeed very encouraging.
As readers of wyeweb will already be aware, the Parish Council was unsuccessful in reversing the decision of ABC Planning Dept to allow the partial redevelopment of the Sidelands site. The PC brought up the various issues such as the ABOB, the general unsuitability of the site for light industrial use, the possibility of increased traffic up Scotton Streeet and so on. We lost the decision by 7 to 6, so it was close!
This decision may have some bearing on the proposed development of Withersdane as a retirement home. Furthermore, if anything comes out of the PhoenisCollegeWye proposals, then we may have grounds for a major fight against that project. After all students have to live somewhere! It is unfortunate, as Dave Dubber has observed, that all the catering equipment has conveniently been sent to other locations. But finding a few cooking utensiles and cookers would not be an impossible task -if a new college should arise!
Fingers crossed. (Incidently the old custom of crossing our fingers is symbolic of good over evil.)
Thanks to Len Budd and others for all their hard work in trying to achieve a rebirth of education at Wye College.
Re industrial development at Sidelands situated slap bang under the Crown in the AONB. Despite respresentations from both our Parish Council and the Wye Future Group it gets the go ahead from ABC. Not much good to the various tourists departments that have to promote Wye and the North Downs Way.
One can imagine the body copy in the leaflet guides reading:
‘Avoiding the traffice and the industrial units, follow the footpath to the left of them and proceed directly up to the Crown………..’