University of London Convocation Newsletter
Autumn/Winter 2020-21
london.ac.uk/alumni
Welcome Page
3 Welcome Professor Mary Stiasny OBE reflects on the events of 2020 and introduces the latest edition of the Newsletter.
4 University news The latest developments from the central University.
8 Down memory lane Virginia Berridge, daughter of the late James Stewart Cook, talks about her father’s association with the UoL federation and her own links with the University.
10 Philanthropic impact The generous support of alumni and friends continues to make a difference to the University and our students.
13 Convocation spotlight Remembering the late Colonel Dr Frederick E.A. Manning, a member of the former Convocation.
14 Five minutes with… Martin Butcher, Chair of the Convocation Trust Committee of Management, speaks about his involvement with the Trust.
16 Stay in touch Details on how to stay connected with the University.
If you have any questions about our activities, please do not hesitate to contact the Development Team at alumni@london.ac.uk or on +44 (0)20 7862 8013.
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Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
Welcome
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s we begin the new calendar year, I am delighted to share with you the latest edition of your University of London Newsletter for members of the former Convocation.
In this issue, we bring you news and highlights from the central University, we hear from some members of our Convocation community, and we report on the impact of philanthropic support from alumni and friends, including those who give through the Convocation Trust. The year 2020 was an especially difficult year for many in our global community, and our thoughts are with all those who continue to experience the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, the University of London has much on which to reflect positively. As a pioneer in flexible learning for over 160 years, we are uniquely positioned to have been able to support our community during this time of disruption. As well as continuing to provide our students with worldwide access to education, we also supported some of our Member Institutions by extending our digital and cloud-based services to enable the swift move of their teaching and learning resources online. Thanks to the support of colleagues around the University, we were also able to respond rapidly and effectively to redesign assessment and examinations for our distance-learning students, as well as for our other programmes in the School of Advanced Study and the University of London Institute in Paris. Through our new five-year strategy Transforming Education…Creating Futures, the University will continue play an innovative role in the sector, constantly adapting to foster learning and research at the very highest academic levels, and forging a path for a world-class university in a modern, global community. Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Thomson CBE shares more about the new strategy, and her vision for the future, on page four of this Newsletter. Thank you for your continued involvement and support as a member of the former Convocation. With all best wishes for the year ahead. Professor Mary Stiasny OBE Pro Vice-Chancellor (International, Learning and Teaching), Chief Executive, University of London Worldwide, and a member of the former Convocation.
Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
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University news University of London launches new five-year strategy
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n 24 November 2020, coinciding with its annual Foundation Day, the University of London launched its ambitious new strategy for 2020-2025. Here, Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Thomson CBE shares her vision and the University’s plans for the next five years.
“ The University of London is an inclusive and diverse
federation of world leading educational establishments, reaching 48,000 students in over 190 countries. We collaborate with our Member Institutions to connect learners and researchers with an unrivalled range of talent and knowledge. We are continuously advancing ways to position digital technology to serve the human curiosity to learn and providing people with flexible and adaptive approaches to suit their different needs across the world. Now is a time of opportunity and change, for these are dynamic times with many competing factors in play. Demand for higher education is at an all-time high and growing; yet access continues to elude many, generation after generation. Investment in research and development nationally is heading for a 40 per cent increase; requiring capacity at a time when partnerships are being disrupted by the pandemic, shifting diplomatic, security, and trade relationships. Participation rates in higher education have never been higher, and as more people gain qualifications so grows the importance of demonstrating value and impact. In such times, opportunity and risk are close companions. Charting a clear course has rarely been more important to securing our mission. Our ambitious strategy addresses these new challenges by harnessing the strengths of our history and forging a path for a world class university in a modern, global community. Our three strategic objectives for 2020– 2025 (detailed below) build on our mission and core values, leading the way for a positive future. Our alumni and friends will be key to helping realise the University’s vision, and I look forward to working with you to achieve that vision.
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Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
Professor Wendy Thomson CBE Vice-Chancellor of the University of London
n At this unique point in time, where distance and
digital learning, working and collaboration are in the spotlight, we will enhance and reinforce our position as the UK’s leading provider of distance learning and widen our offering, creating cutting edge programmes and opportunities in new regions globally, removing geographic barriers to education. By offering increasingly flexible pathways through our programmes, we will meet the developing needs and expectations of the evolving, modern student. Enabling students to assemble degrees relevant to them, across disciplines, will equip them with the education and tools for the modern workplace. We will combine the world of advanced study with the world of work, empowering students to reskill at any point in their lives. n The University endeavours to become the UK’s major
provider of innovative intellectual exchange and effective public engagement, drawing on our expertise across the federation and through our National Centre for the Humanities. We will equip a new generation of researchers with cutting-edge training programmes and Centres of Excellence in key strategic areas and engage the public in effective and innovative new ways, connecting physical and virtual spaces. n By continuously developing and adapting our
organisation and capacity, we will continue to lead and innovate across the sector, to inform policy, advocate for positive change and provide thought leadership in strategic areas so that together we can transform lives through education and embody the university of the future. For further details on the University’s new strategy, please visit london.ac.uk/strategy
A celebration of Foundation Day On 24 November 2020, the University of London celebrated its annual Foundation Day, a landmark date in the University’s calendar marking the institution’s first royal charter granted by William IV on 28 November 1836. Usually this event takes place in the University’s headquarters, Senate House, with a ceremony presided over by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, Chancellor of the University. The event also honours a small number of extraordinary individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to all spheres of life, and welcomes them to the University community as honorary graduates. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University was unable to hold a physical ceremony in 2020; however, we are delighted to share a celebratory video in commemoration of this special occasion. The video, which features messages from Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal; Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Thomson CBE; and some of our previous honorary graduates, can be viewed online at london.ac.uk/foundation-day-2020
Foundation Day Celebration 2020
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unique individuals have received honorary degrees from the University of London in the following areas…
Doctor of Science (Medicine) 4.23% Doctor of Science (Engineering) 3.42%
Doctor of Divinity 4.02%
Doctor of Science 19.92%
Doctor of Law 34.61%
Doctor of Music 6.44% Doctor of Literature 27.36%
The University has awarded honorary degrees to people from countries across the globe, including…
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The UK, USA, Nigeria, Australia, Canada, India, Brazil, Hong Kong, South Africa, and all over Europe.
Throughout the years, many well-known individuals have received honorary degrees, including...
Sir Winston Churchill before receiving his DLit honorary degree in 1945.
Dancer Margot Fonteyn receiving her DMus honorary degree in 1954.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu receiving his DDiv honorary degree in 2008.
Being Human in a new world In November 2020, the University’s School of Advanced Study led its annual Being Human festival – the UK’s only national festival of the humanities. Researchers and staff from 80 universities and research organisations across the country presented over 260 free, public events and activities exploring fascinating humanities research inspired by the year’s festival theme of ‘new worlds’.
Artist Dame Barbara Hepworth receiving her DLit honorary degree in 1970.
Sir Alexander Fleming receiving his honorary degree in 1948.
The majority of events took place online and ranged from ‘Being Human Cafes’ (small, interactive, community-focused events), to virtual museum exhibitions, performances, online exhibitions, talks and virtual tours. Recordings of many events can be viewed via the festival’s YouTube channel. These include ‘The Magical Mind of Terry Pratchett‘, in which Neil Gaiman, Rhianna Pratchett and Rob Wilkins discuss the life, stories and legacies of one of the world’s most loved authors, and ‘Being Human in Conversation: The American Election‘, in which Bonnie Greer OBE and Professor Sarah Churchwell reflect on the recent election and the future of American democracy. For further details, please visit beinghumanfestival.org/being-human-2020-round-up
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Haud Nominandum Collection of over 30,000 LGBT+ books gifted to Senate House Library
behind some dangerous queer books. A video of the event is available to view online at london.ac.uk/holden-lecture-2020
Last year, Senate House Library was gifted the remarkable collection of over 30,000 books and archives from Jonathan Cutbill, one of the founders of the Gay’s The Word Bookshop and a leading LGBT+ rights activist. The collection, which dates from 1760 to the 2010s, is now one of the largest and richest collections of queer literature in the UK. In an interview for the BBC, Maria Castrillo, former Head of Special Collections and Engagement at Senate House Library, said the collection would help fill “fundamental gaps” in LGBT+ history. She added that the Library “recognises the unique qualities of the collection and would like to develop it” and hoped it would be a catalyst for research and community engagement. On 27 October 2020, the Friends of Senate House Library ran its annual Holden Lecture inspired by the collection. Dr Justin Bengry, Director of the Centre for Queer History at Goldsmiths, University of London, gave a talk examining the histories of some of the books drawn from these vast and important LGBT+ collections, and telling the stories
You can read more about the history of queer publishing and the life and work of Jonathan Cutbill, in a recent Senate House Library blog post: bit.ly/SHL-queer-publishing For more information about the Friends of Senate House Library, or to join for free, please visit london.ac.uk/senate-house-library/friends
Senate House opens its doors virtually Each September, the University takes part in Open House London – the world’s largest architecture festival – which gives free public access to over 800 buildings, walks, talks and tours across the capital. Given the COVID-19 restrictions of 2020, the University of London opened its doors virtually and, on 19-20 September, offered exclusive online tours through its iconic headquarters, Senate House. The video tour took guests through the key parts of the building and revealed some of Senate House’s finest secrets along the way, including its royal connections through the laying of its foundation stone up to the present day. Guests also had the opportunity to submit their questions in a live Q&A session with University of London staff and Senate House experts, Tim Wade and Huw Morgan-Jones. We are delighted to share the tour video and Q&A session, which can be viewed on the University’s website at london.ac.uk/open-house-2020-virtual-tours To ensure you receive email invitations to future events, both online and in-person (as and when these are able to take place), please update your contact details by visiting www.alumni.london.ac.uk/convocation/keep-in-touch Senate Room
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Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
School of Advanced Study leads new conversation series The University’s School of Advanced Study has recently launched an annual series of conversations called ‘Open for Discussion’, which will bring multidisciplinary humanities perspectives to bear on critical social issues with human dimensions frequently overlooked in current policy debates. Each conversation features thought-leaders and humanities researchers in wide-ranging discussions that present questions of policy, practice, and opportunity. The 2020-21 series focuses on topics that the COVID-19 pandemic has made visible, or rather what it has forced us to see more clearly: Black Lives Matter, digital poverty, privacy rights, the importance of communication, the value of the arts and heritage sectors, and the types of knowledge needed to confront global challenges. All events take place online, are open to the public and are free to attend. Forthcoming conversions include ‘Digital Access, Inclusion, and the Humanities’ on 23 February, ‘Unlocking Collections’ on 18 March, and ‘Transnational Perspectives on Building a Post-COVID Society’ on 22 and 27 April.
Celebrating 100 years of the IHR
For further information and details on how to book for all events in the series, please visit bit.ly/SAS-conversation-series
The year 2021 marks the centenary of the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), part of the University’s School of Advanced Study. For a century, the IHR has been thinking back and looking forward and, today, it is the UK’s national centre for history, dedicated to supporting historians of all kinds.
During this landmark year, the IHR will be hosting a programme of events and activities to celebrate the discipline and practice of history in its many forms and wherever it is found: promoting the value and power of historical thinking; celebrating diverse histories from our previous century; and looking ahead to the future of history in the coming century.
To mark this occasion, in July 2021 the Institute will be launching ‘Our Century’: a 12-month festival of activities exploring the field of history and its past, present and future.
For further information about the IHR centenary celebrations and how to get involved, please visit history.ac.uk/our-century
The IHR's first home on Malet Street, Bloomsbury, in 1921.
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Down memory lane Virginia Berridge, a member of the former Convocation and daughter of the late James Stewart Cook, tells us about her father's and her links to the University of London. Your father James Stewart Cook had a long association with the University of London federation, from his student days at Imperial College and LSE, to his involvement with the University of London Union. Can you tell us a little more about his connection to the University and the legacy he left? My father was brought up by his mother in a single parent family as his father, one of the first Conservative political agents, died of TB when he was very young (aged two or three), in the 1900’s. He made his way to university via scholarships and took a degree in chemistry at Imperial College, with later study at LSE. He was involved in student politics and was president of the University of London Union.
James Stewart Cook
He was elected to the Standing Committee of Convocation in 1940 and became a Convocation Senator in 1944. He was also the author of the pamphlet Convocation - A Study in Academic Democracy. Convocation was a full part of the governance of the University and its elected Senators sat on the University Senate, which was the governing body of the University of London. Of course academic governance has changed in the 21st century beyond recognition to a more managerial model. I would guess few, if any, universities now allow their graduates a governance role of this sort! At the time when my father was a Convocation Senator, some of the leading universities had their own Members of Parliament. So if you were an Oxford, Cambridge or London graduate, you had two votes, one of which was for your university MP. The MP for the University of London, Sir Ernest Graham Little, was supported by a graduates’ association as an independent. A number of London graduates formed the University of London Society, arguing that the graduates’ association was simply a front for getting Graham Little re-elected. They wanted more active involvement for graduates in the University. The new Society was supported by Mary Stocks, the Principal of Westfield College, who nearly unseated Graham Little in the 1945 general election. The Society was a non-political body which continued up to the abolition of Convocation in 2003. Graham Little continued as MP until the abolition of the University franchise in 1950.
James Stewart Cook (pictured third from left) with fellow students
Your father had a varied and inspiring career. What were some of the roles he undertook in his professional life? He worked as an industrial chemist over a wide field: in sugar beet factories in Ipswich, Kings Lynn and Peterborough, as an analyst in the Post Office engineering department and as a chemical engineer in a radio valve factory. He was associated with the British Standards Institution and the Festival of Britain. He was at one stage the organising secretary of the British Association of Chemists and undertook teaching and lecturing also.
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Senate House in the late 1930s
His real love was politics. He joined the Labour Party in 1933, much to the horror of his family, who were Conservatives. He contested three parliamentary elections – Henley in 1945, East Surrey in 1964 and Kingston upon Thames in 1966. He fought over 33 local elections and was elected initially to Windsor Council in 1945, continuing on and off thereafter. He won a seat on Berkshire County Council in 1964 and became leader of the Labour Group on that council, at a time when its Labour group was the largest in the country. What was some of the best advice your father gave you? When I was filling in my university application form, there was a section where you had to say what you wanted to do as a career after graduation. He advised me to say that I wanted to do research – which he said would be attractive to those looking at the form. I had no idea what research was at that stage but I put it down anyway! After your father passed away, a prize was set up in his honour to support University of London students (the James Stewart Cook Convocation Trust Prize), which is still awarded today. What did the creation of this prize mean to you? How does it feel knowing that the Prize has made an impact on so many students over the years? My mother and I were very pleased that the prize had been set up and I attended the ceremony when it was awarded for the first time. I was very surprised to hear that it’s still being awarded today. When Convocation came to an end, I assumed that the money would have run out and the prize would no longer be awarded. It’s excellent that it is still carrying on and encouraging present day students. [See page 12 for an interview with a former prize recipient, Jonah Foong]. Tell us about your own University of London experience as an undergraduate and postgraduate student. What are some of your favourite memories of student life? I was a history undergraduate at Westfield College (now incorporated into Queen Mary) and did my PhD at Birkbeck under the supervision of Professor Eric Hobsbawm. I guess my favourite memories include the friends I made at the time – many of whom I’m still in touch with; also coming to events – debates, film club – at the Union in Malet Street (now Student Central); and, as a postgraduate student, coming to Eric Hobsbawm’s seminars at the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), full of avid postgrads sitting on the floor because the room was so full, full of debate. The IHR in Senate House, the refectory upstairs where we had our lunch, and the British Museum, where we worked in the library (not yet in St Pancras), were the pivots round which our lives focused.
In September 2020, you attended the virtual tour of Senate House as part of London Open House. What memories of Senate House did this evoke for you? The tour was very interesting and even went down into the basement and looked at the massive electrical installation there to heat and light the building. Apparently, Senate House was one of the first buildings in London to be fully electric in this way. I remember a few years ago, when the building had to be rewired, it was a huge undertaking. The tour brought back memories of going as a child with my father to Convocation ‘Conversaziones’ in Senate House. These were evenings, open to members of Convocation, when the University ‘displayed its wares’, with recitals, talks, recordings of BBC programmes, and you could walk through the whole building, visiting the library, listening to music in the music library. I guess Open House would be the nearest equivalent now, or perhaps some of the Being Human events organised by the School of Advanced Study. Like your father, you have remained closely linked with the University of London federation. Can you tell us more about your association and what your current role with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine involves? I’ve worked at various institutions within the University: the Addiction Research Unit (now National Addiction Centre) at the Institute of Psychiatry (now Kings College), the Institute of Historical Research and now LSHTM. I’m a historian and came there originally as Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor now) to co-direct the AIDS Social History Programme. This was a Nuffield-funded major historical programme of work looking at AIDS policy making as ‘history in the making’ - history while it was still being made. I was researching events which hadn’t happened when I first started the research - not the usual role for an historian. I stayed on at the School, was promoted to be its first history professor and founded the Centre for History in Public Health, a focus of professional historians within this public heath institution. My research interests are in post-war public health, drugs, alcohol and smoking policy, and swine flu, among other areas. The advent of COVID has meant that much of my work has reoriented in that direction in recent months.
Senate House Library is honoured to be the custodian of the James Stewart Cook papers, which includes material from his time as Senator at the University and his involvement in the University of London Society, as well as papers relating to his political career and his personal life. Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
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Philanthropic impact
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ur alumni and friends, including those who were members of the former Convocation, play a vital role in the University’s mission to enable access to education and deliver academic excellence. We are incredibly grateful for the continued support shown by our community over the past year.
We are delighted to report on some recent initiatives funded through philanthropic support from the University’s alumni and friends, as well as through donations to the Convocation Trust.
The Convocation Trust, which was constituted in 1953 with funds provided from members of Convocation, continues to be supported by generous donations from alumni and philanthropists. Over the years, the Trust has awarded grants to a variety of projects to support the University and its Member Institutions, such as student scholarships, academic research, one-off events and commemorative projects, or facility improvements to enhance the student experience (see page 14 for further information).
University receives a landmark gift in support of scholarships In 2020, the University was honoured to receive a historic pledge of £1.2 million in support of scholarships for distance and flexible learning students from LLM alumnus József Váradi, co-founder and CEO of Wizz Air. Over the next 10 years, this landmark gift – the largest given towards scholarships by any living individual in the University’s 185-year history – will directly support up to 100 students to access education by providing a full scholarship to cover the cost of their tuition fees. When asked about his motivation to give back to the University, József said: “Similarly to my professional life, I wanted to find the highest return on investment. I want people to live a better life and I’m eager to contribute to it with my intellectual and financial capacity.” A believer in the University’s mission to widen access to education, József decided to donate towards student scholarships and give others the opportunity to follow in his footsteps by studying for a University of London degree. “The scholarship is an enabler to make a difference for those who are keen to learn and develop themselves”, said József. “In my mind, there is no better investment than investing in the education of people who are naturally driven. As the saying goes, you give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, or you teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
“ Learning about the
Internet of Things has been a passion to me, but I was limited financially. Thanks to the Váradi Scholarship, my aspirations are becoming reality.
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The University received in the region of 1,500 applications for the 10 Váradi Scholarships on offer in the 2020-21 academic year, highlighting just how much need there is for scholarship support. The first Váradi Scholarship recipients are all undergraduate students, studying BSc Computer Science, BSc Psychology and BSc Business and Law, and hail from Bangladesh, Brazil, Czech Republic, Kenya, Kosovo, Malawi, Nigeria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. We are sincerely grateful to József for his generosity and for the life-changing impact these scholarships will have on our students.
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Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
Olawale Juwon, BSc Computer Science student and recipient of a Váradi Scholarship.
Convocation Trust funds seminars in world literature and translation Last year, the Institute of Modern Languages Research (IMLR), part of the University’s School of Advanced Study, was awarded funding by the Convocation Trust to support a series of 12 seminars, coorganised with the London Intercollegiate Network of Comparative Studies (LINKS), whose members are based across various London universities. Through these events, named the ‘Convocation Seminars in World Literature and Translation: Beyond the Monolingual’, the IMLR sought to advance its mission to facilitate the recovery of the teaching of languages and research in and beyond London.
increase take up of languages. However, many world literature programmes do not explicitly require linguistic competency in more than one language, meaning students regularly study literature in translation without necessarily engaging with the original text, the context of its production, or the process of its translation into English. Bringing together scholars, teachers and students working in languages across London and the UK, these seminars examined the increasingly contentious place of world literature in the study of languages, as well as languages in the study of world literature, and offered several perspectives from leading researchers in the field. The Institute hopes to use this initial project as a seed to fund a larger AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) Networking Grant in World Literature and Translation.
In a context where languages departments increasingly struggle to recruit students to their programmes, the emergence of courses in world literature and translation have allowed the discipline to maintain and even
For further details on these seminars, please visit modernlanguages.sas.ac.uk/events
Diversity and inclusion toolkit for English studies to be developed thanks to Convocation Trust grant As part of the University of London’s ongoing commitment to championing diversity and inclusion, the Institute of English Studies (IES) at the School of Advanced Study has recently appointed a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow to develop a Toolkit for Inclusion and Diversity in English Studies (TIDE). Dr Sarah Pyke, who joined the Institute in September 2020, will research how the IES community has engaged with diversity and inclusion in their research and teaching. Her research, which is funded by the Convocation Trust, will address overlooked histories of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic researchers in English, and participate in decolonising initiatives within the Institute and the School. She will also participate in Decolonising the Discipline with the Institute’s partners: the English Association, the Postcolonial Studies Association, the University of East Anglia and University English. This working group aims to develop platforms for discipline-wide conversations that can foster and support collaborative action across English literature, language and creative writing. Further information about the Institute of English Studies’ commitment to diversity and inclusion can be found at ies.sas.ac.uk/about-us/diversity-inclusion
Alumni support students affected financially by the pandemic In July 2020, the University held the 2020 Student Support Appeal – a digital fundraising campaign giving alumni an opportunity to come together in support of our current distance and flexible learning students. Thanks to the generosity of our global community, the Student Support Appeal raised enough to support more than 40 current distance and flexible learning students who had been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and were at risk of being forced to postpone or even abandon their studies. The donations received have been used to provide bursaries of up to £500, which covered students’ next registration fees, enabling them to overcome the financial challenges they are facing and continue with their studies. In addition to the kind donations received to the appeal, many of our alumni shared messages of support for current students. One alumnus said: “Good luck to all students who face economic difficulties. This is an extraordinary initiative and we must all commit to reducing barriers to accessing education.” The University would like to offer its sincere thanks to all who donated towards the Appeal, helping to raise over £20,000. The impact of these donations will be far-reaching and have a transformative effect on enabling our students to continue with their education.
For more information about supporting the University, please visit london.ac.uk/support or contact the Development Office on +44 (0)20 7863 1340.
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Convocation Trust prize continues to impact students’ lives
In 2017, you were presented with the James Stewart Cook Convocation Trust Prize. What did winning this award mean to you at the time? The award was special to me as it came on the back of a very exhausting first year. I had worked very hard in my first year, juggling both extra curriculars and studies, and now I had something to show for it. It also confirmed for me the age old adage that hard work reaps dividends. This gave me renewed fervour to excel in my subsequent years in undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The prize is given to the undergraduate student who achieves the highest mark for the Introduction to Political Science module. To what do you attribute your success?
Alumnus Jonah Foong with Bill Abraham, Director of Development
We speak to alumnus Jonah Foong about his time studying with the University for a BSc in International Relations, and how it felt to be awarded the James Stewart Cook Convocation Trust Prize as a student. What was it that attracted you to the University of London and studying as a distance learner via the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM)?
An acute interest in the subject, a very able lecturer, and reading widely. I cannot stress the last one enough. Like all social science subjects, Political Science is a living subject. Every other day there is an election going on in the news, which presents fresh material to apply theory to practice. But you have to read the news regularly to know when these things are happening. The more one knows about history or current affairs, the better. What impact has the prize had on your education and career since then?
I knew that the University of London and its constituent colleges had a solid reputation in the social sciences. UoL also offered a degree in International Relations, a subject I was and still am very much interested in. At the same time, I knew that SIM had a small but growing body of students who were interested in global politics. I wanted the full university experience; not just to hit the books but also to meet like-minded folks who I could bounce ideas off. The SIM+UoL experience certainly provided that.
Winning the prize gave me confidence to apply for SIM’s academic scholarship at the start of my second year. It didn’t hurt that the prize also made my application stand out compared to my fellow applicants. I eventually won that scholarship, which helped eased my finances and opened ever more professional and academic opportunities, eventually culminating in my master’s scholarship. I couldn’t have known at the time how much of an impact this prize would go on to have, but it’s only when I look back that I see the domino effect it’s had. And I’d like to think that there are yet more dominoes waiting to fall, all set in motion by this one tiny piece all those years ago.
Can you share some of your highlights of your time as a UoL student?
Jonah is currently studying for an MSc in Development Studies with the London School of Economics.
Some of my best memories were forged as a student leader at the International Affairs Society. As part of the club’s Model United Nations team I had the opportunity to travel to Harvard and Hong Kong University to debate about foreign policy and current affairs. I also started a student publication to serve a student body that had, to my mind, a growing appetite for politics and current affairs. This was run newsroom-style with student journalists covering public seminars and press events. Some of my best moments as editor was covering the 33rd ASEAN Roundtable and being invited to the British High Commissioner’s residence for a press event.
See page eight for an interview with Virginia Berridge, daughter of James Stewart Cook.
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Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
“ I couldn’t have known at the
time how much of an impact this prize would go on to have, but it’s only when I look back that I see the domino effect it’s had.
”
Convocation spotlight
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rom 1969 until 2014, the Venue at Student Central was known as Manning Hall, named after Colonel Dr Frederick E.A. Manning (1897-1987), a graduate of the Northampton Engineering College and a former member of Convocation. Frederick was an instrumental figure in the formation of the University of London Union and the establishment of its home on Malet Street.
Frederick (Fred) Manning was born in London in 1897. In 1915, he left school to enlist in the British Army, serving with the Tank Corps in Flanders where he was wounded twice. Following a posting to north-west Russia in 1919, Fred was awarded the Military Cross, as well as the Order of St. Stanislas and the Order of St. Vladimir from the Russian Empire. In 1922, Fred started an undergraduate degree at Northampton Engineering College, now part of City, University of London. He became an active member of the new University of London Union Society and was part of the committee of students who helped decorate and furnish the old army hut on Malet Street, which served as the Union’s original home. Here, Fred met his future wife, Alice (née Wistow), who was also closely involved in the establishment of the Union and became its very first member. In 1924, Fred was elected Vice-President of the University of London Union and helped to organise a campaign to raise the funds to build a permanent home for the Union. Even after he finished his studies, Fred continued to support the Union, serving as its Honorary Secretary. Before the start of World War Two, Fred joined the Imperial Defence College, now known as the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, as a Civil Service Student and obtained the University of London Diploma of Military Studies. During the war, he served on the staff of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force in France, Belgium and Italy and was later posted to the Allied Commission for Austria in Vienna. In his civilian life, Fred worked for many years as a Director for the Post Office. Throughout this time, Fred maintained his relationship with the University of London Union. He served as the Union’s Honorary Treasurer until 1952, acted as the Chairman of the Union Court until 1969 and Chairman of the Sports Finance Committee until 1974. Fred was an active member of the University of London Convocation and served as an Honorary Colonel of the University of London Officer Training Corps for 10 years. Fred was also appointed as the first Chairman of Convocation of City, University of London upon its creation in 1966. In 1969, the University of London Union decided to rename the Assembly Hall as the Manning Hall in recognition of Fred’s record of 46 years of continuous service in support of the students, alumni and members of the University of London. Although the University of London Union is no longer active, we continue to remember Fred and his dedication to the University of London. In 2017, a plaque was erected at Student Central to commemorate Frederick Manning and the former Manning Hall.
Student Central, previously the University of London Union
Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
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Five minutes with… Martin Butcher, Chair of the Convocation Trust Committee of Management, talks about his involvement with the Convocation Trust and explains why it continues to play an important role in supporting the University. You became a Trustee of the Convocation Trust in 2012 and Chair of the Committee of Management in 2016. What inspired you to become a Trustee? I was introduced to the Trust by a colleague who was then Chair of the Committee. I had been involved for many years with a trust at UCL that had similar purposes in the UCL context, and I enjoyed the role of making a positive and palpable contribution to activities and projects, which could not readily attract sufficient funding from the usual College sources. What does your role involve? The Committee of Management is responsible for the financial management of the Trust and the distribution of its funds and meets twice annually. It has a sum of disposable income available at each meeting and receives applications from across the University to support projects, which must be of benefit to the University community. The Committee assesses the bids normally with an amicable interview with the principal bidders. It is very ably assisted by officers of the University. Since 2012, the Committee has made awards which have varied between £500 and £164,000. In the last few years, we have comprehensively reviewed the purposes of the Trust and the criteria and procedures for making awards and have introduced a new application procedure. A major revamp of the Convocation Trust website has also just been completed. As chair of the Committee, I oversee these activities and it is a very pleasurable and rewarding role. Tell us about your connection with the University of London federation. I joined Imperial College in 1977 in the College Secretary’s office and my work there involved frequent contact with Senate House in appointments to Professorships and Readerships, posts that were then under the auspices of the University. I moved to UCL in 1982 as Deputy Registrar and continued to liaise with colleagues at Senate House over these Appointed Teacher posts. Later as Registrar of UCL, I attended regular meetings of the Registrars of the larger colleges with the then Academic Registrar of the University to discuss matters of common concern. For a period of about ten years, I was joint secretary of the London Schools and Colleges Dining Club, an organisation (now defunct) which brought together staff from schools and the University’s colleges who were involved with admissions. For a number of years with other Registrars I ran a committee servicing training course for junior staff of the University. I retired as Registrar of UCL in 2005.
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Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
Why is the support given by former members of Convocation so important? On the one hand, all the constituent parts of the University have, for some time, been under financial pressure which will have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. On the other, there continues to be a hugely dynamic and creative impulse among the staff and students to realise events, to improve facilities, to support teaching and research, to celebrate the University’s history and achievements, and generally to enhance the university experience. There is never enough money to support all the needs and innovative ideas that the community produces and some of these projects are not eligible for funding from the normal University or college funds.
The Convocation Trust can go some considerable way to meeting that gap. Among many things, it can make a oneoff event or exhibition feasible and bring great kudos to the University; it can fund permanent artwork or plaques memorialising significant alumni achievements; it can give financial support for students who would otherwise be unable to undertake their programmes; it can underwrite academic research and initiatives; and it can promote students’ sporting and cultural activities. Grants can be pump-priming, total subsidy or life support. So many hugely worthwhile projects either would be the poorer or simply would not happen without the Trust’s funding. Since you joined in 2012, the Convocation Trust has awarded 37 grants worth over £1 million to support the University and its Member Institutions. Can you share an example of one of the projects the Convocation Trust has funded in recent years, and the impact it has had? The Living History of Job Hunting project, later renamed the Great Grad Job Hunt, was awarded some £97,000 in 2016. It was predicated on the fact that job hunting is not a ‘one-size fits all’ activity and innovations in technology have greatly altered it. The project created online content from current students showing how they undertook job searching and how successful their efforts were. The content was then posted on social media platforms and YouTube. Instead of students having to attend meetings and events put on by careers services, the information was taken directly to them. At the time, nothing like this was available anywhere in the UK. The project has provided guidance and experience to thousands of students throughout the University and remains available to this day. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the work of the Convocation Trust? The effect of the pandemic is still to be fully realised, but immediately it has meant a substantial reduction in the dividend income to the Trust so that there is much less money available for distribution. As a consequence, in 2020 the June meeting of the Trustees was cancelled and the December meeting was postponed until the financial picture is clearer. Obviously, this has meant that in the current academic year project funding has been paused. What are the future plans of the Trust? When the Trustees are able to meet we shall surely review the situation and plan how in the short term we can manage the distribution of whatever funds may be available to us. In the longer term, we shall continue to fulfil our mission of applying funds “to support projects which will promote the purposes of the University and provide demonstrable and substantial benefit to the University community as a whole or to members of that community.” For more information about the work of the Convocation Trust, please visit london.ac.uk/about-us/convocation-trust
Convocation Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2020-21
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