An Emerging Milestone in London Academic Tradition - Essay Example

?Journalism: The Fundamentals of Reporting Hard News Reporting: London, October 15, An Emerging Milestone in London’s Academic Tradition RegentCollege, London, one of the most prestigious colleges in this urban community, has announced its ambitions plans to become a university by December this year. Speaking to media persons, Dean Judith Ackroyd of Humanities and Social Sciences, states that once they attain the status of a university, this institute will be empowered with the capability of awarding research degrees to students. She considers this as an epoch making event in the annals of the institution’s history as well as a significant landmark for the whole community of London. Currently, Regent College teaches degree level courses on a variety of subjects. It has in its roll, a wide range of aspiring learners, many of whom represent the international student community, coming from diverse racial, ethnical and cultural backgrounds. However, their current enrolment falls short of 70 for each course. Clarifying the issue, the source further adds that once this enrolment level crosses the benchmark of 70, the college will be designated as a university. Ms Judith also boasts of specific plans of Regent College to further expand their academic focus on areas such as fashion design and law. The college authorities believe that these are core areas where a dearth is currently being felt for institutions offering quality higher education. This contention appears valid in terms of the recent surge in the demand of seats for these courses, as latest media reports indicate. The leading institutions in the locality, affiliated to Regent College, include European Business School and Regent Business School, London, which core focus is on the area of business studies. Regent American College, London, Webster Graduate School London, School of Psychotherapy & Counseling Psychology, London School of Film, Media and Performance and the Inter-Nexus Language School are the other prestigious colleges in this area, being run under the Regent management. However, the community sustains a setback as there are no major colleges that offer any significant education in the fields of fashion designing and law. Recent trends identify these two branches of academics as potential areas for securing employment opportunities, both in England as well as in the other parts of the world. Besides, it also enhances the potential of attracting overseas students to this institution due to its popularity as a prestigious college with a renowned faculty. Ms Judith further mentions that the college envisages more developmental schemes in the near future. One of the priority items in their agenda relates to the expansion of building and other infrastructure including high end technology, vast library facilities and provisions for better playgrounds, stadiums etc. Though this college is now one of the most respected private colleges in the UK, the management believes that they need to upgrade their facilities so as to provide their students with a state of the art learning environment. Regent currently comprises seven top notch schools plus a world class conference centre within their London campus, which offer their students the best avenues for potentials for personal and professional development. Therefore, the management’s aspiration for further improvement in these facilities is laudable. There is no doubt that elevating this group of institutions to the higher status of a university will go a long way in benefiting the students as well as the community in general. In this modern era, London needs more dignified institutions within its precincts to promote world class educational environment in this area. Besides, the quality education that Regent’s is capable of providing will attract not only students from overseas countries but also eminent academicians from all over the globe. Thus, when Regent becomes a university, it will comprise a diverse group of students as well as academicians, which, in turn, can bring a global outlook to the organization. It is with an immense degree of confidence and optimism that Ms Judith concluded that Regent will set a new path of academic perfection designed to fetch significant social changes for the new generation of Londoners. Londoners can do nothing but only agree with the views of Ms Judith as many of them are educated in Regent, where their children may be now attending. This group of colleges has become a part of London life and people look forward to more legacy from this prestigious institution. Quality education aside, one cannot discount the social implications of the existence of such a university in the London area, especially when it explores a wide range of innovative courses in its curriculum. The management, administrators and the faculty of Regent deserve kudos for their endeavours, which are poised to bring long lasting benefits to the London community. Soft News Reporting: Lead: EX-STUDENT REVEALS REGENT STRATEGIES By (name) for the (media name), 17 Oct. 2012 Danny Whitfield, our London correspondent, follows up Regent College’s recent announcement of their recognition as a university, vested with powers to award degrees to research scholars. His interview with Ranvir Kapoor, an Indian student who holds a Master’s Degree in Business Studies from Regent Business School, London and currently working as an operations manager of XYZ Plc London, reveals the strategic policies of this institution that make them one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. News Story: Ranvir Kapoor, one of Regent College’s alumni, contends that the world class education that this institution provides has been instrumental both in terms of helping him find a job as well as enabling him to efficiently shoulder the responsibilities in his role as the operations manager of XYZ Plc, London. Speaking to our correspondent, Kapoor said that he came to London to pursue higher studies not only due to dearth in top class business schools in his country but also because of the popularity of this institution among students in India. He says that the college has a unique system of teaching, with a sharp focus on the core subjects, but the orientation also extends to several related areas also. He further adds that they design the research and writing projects in such a manner as to force the students to apply their critical thinking and analytical abilities practically. They also provide on the job training as well as industrial exposure in reputed organisations. The faculty consists of highly experienced and renowned professors, who have ample industry experience. Thus, they combine theoretical knowledge with practical knowhow, which they effectively integrate into their teaching methodology. Therefore, the students are able to gain a deeper understanding of the subjects they learn, which imbibes confidence in them and they become capable of developing proper problem solving skills. They are also keen to ensure that the college affords equal opportunity to all students and it also adheres to the principles of inclusive education. The college, according to Kapoor, aligns state of the art infrastructure and learning support systems, including high end technology, self-sufficient libraries, adequate sports and games and recreational facilities to enhance the quality of the learning environment. Commenting on the institution’s recognition as a university, Kapoor feels that this will be a milestone in London’s academic tradition as this college has potential strengths to promote high quality education not only among the students of London but also to a larger international community. He claims to personally know many students from India who want to enrol with Regent and believes that many students from other countries will be aspiring for the same. He further opines that the new courses in law and fashion designing will attract more students domestically and internationally. He also expresses his confidence that by the next academic session, the college will be able to cross the benchmark of 70 students per course, which is the mandatory criterion for it to become a university. Interview Questions to Ex-Student Ranvir Kapoor: 1. What is your learning experience with Regent College? 2. Do you think the education system evolved by the college has helped you in acquiring required knowledge in your core subject area and other allied fields? 3. What kind of system does the institution have to enable its students to gain practical experience, in terms of industrial exposure? 4. Is there sufficient student support systems and infrastructure? 5. How do you feel about the faculty, especially in the context of providing a learning environment that caters to the tenets of equal opportunity and inclusion? 6. How do you feel about the prospect of the college being recognised as a university? 7. What difference do you think it will make in the London community? 8. What implications can this have on the international student community? 9. Do you think the new courses that the college has introduced will help in getting more enrolment? Interview Questions to Dean Judith Ackroyd: 1. Do you feel confident that you will be able to cross the benchmark of 70 students per course by the next academic session? 2. Well, the data provided by you indicate that while the number of overseas students increased from 177 in 2011 to 208 in 2012, the number of domestic students has registered a decrease from 273 in 2011 to 255 in 2012. Can you attribute this to any specific reason? 3. Your efforts to include the international students in your learning environment are praiseworthy and their current enrolment shows an increase while that of domestic students has decreased. Do you think enrolling more international students will, in any way, affect the local students? 4. Ms Judith, we are as much proud and happy to share the great news of your college being vested with the powers to award degrees to research students. This definitely is a most cherished achievement for Londoners. What difference do you think it will make to the London community in general? 5. Are you undertaking or proposing to undertake any PR activities to popularize these aspects so as to elicit maximum response and support from the general public? 6. What are the changes or expansion schemes that Londoners can expect in your institution consequent to the upgrading as university? 7. What impact, in your opinion, will the introduction of courses such as law and fashion designing have on the rate of enrolment in your college? Read More