The Student Hub: Version 2.0 ….Student Centred.... 24/7.... Community....Learning.... Identity…. .... Student Activities ….Enjoying.... Fun.... Enrichment....
Student Building at Lincoln Student Building at Sheffield Hallam
Background The creation of the Student Hub was borne out of a number of discussions in 2005. Recognising that there was an immediate need to address the student experience and have a central space that served students whilst aiding the community and university identity became the reason for identifying Davies Street as the only option for development within the Universities’ current estate. It was widely recognised by all party to the planning and delivery of that project that Davies Street was an option that came with a number of compromises that would not allow the entire concept to be realised within the constraints of Davies Street. It was clear at that time that the Student Hub was a creation placed in Davies Street with a clear path to the concept being recognised in full when the Crossrail Project would result in the loss of Davies Street from the University estate. A fairly extensive review of the Student Hub was produced in early 2008 and towards the end of 2008 the Students’ Union submitted an updated student view on the key services and spaces that would be needed to create a Student Hub that students would use and be a critical part of the experience at the University of Arts London. The next Student Hub could aspire to be recognised as one of London’s cultural centres, making the absolute most of the space by running part time courses, training courses, hosting lecture programmes or short film festivals. These types of activity would make this building a 365 day a year offering, the focus of which would be the benefit and education of students but excellent execution of the vision would provide new income streams, while strengthening University of the Arts London brand and reputation. The Student Hub: Version 2.0 Students’ Union University of the Arts London
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Success Factors To be successful, the Student Hub should be: A student focused building. A central place for the student community to identify with and use. A flagship student building with student facing services. A flexible building which students can use for a variety of activities including social and recreational as well as course-related activities. An accessible building with services that facilitate students learning and development including learning resource areas and student exhibitions areas Independent from any specific College Have a stand alone ‘Student Hub’ brand Good transport links (including 24 hour transport options) A 24/7 building – and if 24/7 not possible then serious consideration needs to be given to making it open as long as possible. To achieve success, the building needs to have a base number of services and attractions that have been noted through both the research and student feedback. Appendix 1 to this report is the Students’ Union take on the ‘Student Hub Chart’ diagram produced by the University. Appendix 2 adds some further explanation to Appendix 1. We felt that the idea of the Hub as a building that enhances the Universities community was lost in the University’s version, and thus some of the more ‘community’ focused facilities like lecture and seminar spaces, socialising and networking space, an activities studio, and a large-scale events space were not prioritised. We feel the services & facilities that we have listed in the two most inner ovals of the diagram in Appendix 1 should be viewed as the essentials in planning for the next Student Hub. We feel that having the University Management in the same building should be viewed as a ‘nice to have’ rather than essential. If this was possible, a separate corporate or University Management entrance would allow the building to be shared without compromising the student facing nature of it and allow a shared function to happen without compromise. Appendix 3 sets out in detail the Students’ Union space requirements in the Hub move, which breaks down the facilities into our various different functions. As some of this is slightly different from our current facilities we have been asked to detail these facilities. We will do this over the next few pages, with short descriptions, some reasoning as to why we think Arts London would benefit from these facilities and photos of similar facilities from other Universities.
The Student Hub: Version 2.0 Students’ Union University of the Arts London
Outside the Student Building at Warwick
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Advice & Representation Centre Advice Centres exist in almost all well developed Students’ Unions and tend to constitute a clearly signposted separate area of the main Students’ Union that houses all student facing advice services. The space itself will often include a quiet and discreet reception area with confidential meeting rooms and lots of general information held within the reception area (e.g. leaflets etc). Staff housed in Advice Centres can include: advice workers, legal advisors, counsellors, representation, nightline and listening services, and student advisors.
Students’ Union Reception Area In the next Student Hub we would preferably have a Students’ Union reception space distinctly at the front of the building and not necessarily near the main Students’ Union Office space. This could be integrated with the Advice & Representation Centre
Arts London Merchandise Shop University branded product shops are common place in many other Universities. The Students’ Union have been selling Arts London hoodies and polo shirts for over two years, through our Head Office and Bars. We recently launched the online shop and have added scarves, mugs and bags to our range. We are now working closely with both the Alumni and Communications & Development Departments in the University to development products in keeping with the University’s branding guidelines. The Students’ Union are keen to expand the products on offer and would be keen to run a stand-alone Arts London Merchandise Shop in the next Student Hub, providing that sufficient storage space could be provided. Such a shop would also give students an outlet to sell their own products, whether its garments, jewellery or hand-made books and give them an opportunity to make some money. In Goldsmiths shop they have done a similar thing, developing successful student-designed limited edition lines.
The Student Hub: Version 2.0 Students’ Union University of the Arts London
Page 3 of 5 March 2009 Leeds Union Shop
Student Activities Resource Centre Student Activities Resource Centre at Teesside
The new student hub has the opportunity to provide facilities to students who are involved in various kinds of student activities; sports, societies or volunteering. Having a central resource centre would be invaluable for students that run such activities, a space where they can organize, take a leading role and develop. Having such a centre would allow the student activities culture at Arts London to change drastically, and it would be an important step on the route to having the level student activity, that one would expect from a University experience. The space should have computer facilities, storage, filing cabinets, telephone access, meeting spaces which amongst other things, would create a feeling of community. Ideally the Resource Centre should be located near other activity facilities. UCL is a great example of where such a facility works well, and they have a near 75% participation rate within sports, activities, societies and volunteering.
Student Activities Resource Centre at Brighton
Activities Studio The Activities Studio in the Student Hub at Davies St is one of the best-used facilities ‘out of hours’, with students using the space most afternoons and every evening during the week. An Activities Studio should be looked at an essential for the next Student Hub, and preferably there should be two or one large one that could be partitioned, as the demand for such a facility will only increase. It should be a multi-functional space, an area which can accommodate activities such as dance, performance and sports. The venue should have high ceilings for things like cheerleading practice and break dancing that are restricted by low ceilings. The floor should also contain spring loading, a technology found in most studios and gyms, which aids dancers and cheerleaders to perform.
Student Activities Resource Centre at Wolverhampton
Shower and Changing Facilities Shower and changing facilities should accompany the Activities space, so students are able to freshen up after taking part in extra curricular activity, which would mean the space could be used for a wider range of activities. Having these facilities would also encourage staff and students to cycle to the building and thus live a ‘greener’ life.
Student Activities Resource Centre at Manchester Met
Mini Gym Students at Arts London have been crying out for use of a Gym for years, and incorporating a Gym into the new hub would benefit many of our students. It would also be another thing that attracted students to the building 24/7. The Student Hub: Version 2.0 Students’ Union University of the Arts London
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Warwick
Warwick
Reading
Warwick
Large Scale Events Space
Warwick
Having a truly flexible large-scale events space that was student-led would finally give Arts London an opportunity to offer a proper University experience. Such a space could be used for a wide range of activities, it could be used as a Gig Venue for external bands as well as the home-grown talent this institution has a history of producing, Ballroom Dancing Hall for our Ballroom Dancing Society, a Theatre or Concert Hall for performances, a venue Job Fayres and events like the Winter Market, and also as a social venue for club nights amongst many other things. Four of the pictures above are all from one venue at the University of Warwick, which proves the versatility of such a space. With the various uses throughout the day and night, it could be so much more than an ‘SU venue’ and a location to just drink in, rather it could be a location where network and development opportunities would thrive. The Student Hub: Version 2.0 Students’ Union University of the Arts London
Page 5 of 5 March 2009