Issue 132 | April 2019 | ISSN 1756-0225 | £3.99 where sold UB w: universitybusiness.co.uk t: @UB_UK ESTATE FOCUS ● How to run a complex estate ● Eat and veg: the future refectory ● How much? HE’s boldest campus blueprints NICOLA DANDRIDGE CBE ‘It matters that we get this right’ Offi ce for Students boss gets tough on the sector’s ingrained diversity and equality problems + Microsoft’s Chris Rothwell: ‛Data trust is earned’ + Smartchairs – the evolution of university furniture + Will Australia adopt the Chicago principles? + What makes HE a prime target for cyberattacks? Dorm Inspector App Student housing made easy! [email protected] Find us at stand #40 Smart | Fast | and Accurate www.chapps.com welcomexxxxx Publisher Dougal Templeton [email protected] Managing editor Paddy Smith [email protected] Sub-editor Peter Stillman Contributors John Atherton, Keri Beckingham, Tom Husband, Kevin O’Malley, Cathy Parnham, Ben Ryder-Smith Senior designer Jenny Sims [email protected] Illustration © freepik.com Designer Kirsty Dearman [email protected] Key account director Joe Lawson-West joseph.lawson-west@wildfirecomms. co.uk Talking loud Commercial director number of strongly worded missives crossed my desk last month, Craig Daykin [email protected] largely concerning students and faculty at the University of Essex. The tone ranged from curt nger-wagging to an accusation that a sect Marketing manager A of Arabs had inltrated the university to ‘destroy’ Israel. The reason? Reports Sophie Postma [email protected] had emerged that students had voted against the creation of a Jewish society. It later transpired that the story had been contorted beyond recognition. A large To subscribe portion of the signicant ‘no’ vote had been based on qualifying criteria, not hatred Tel: 0117 300 5526 or racism. But because antisemitism and Israel are perennial hot potatoes, loaded Email: [email protected] with emotional weight and historical importance, it did not take long for nefarious WILDFIRE COMMS LIMITED motives to be writ large on social media, and indeed to nd their way to my inbox. Unit 2.4 Paintworks Arnos Vale I’ve had a number of interesting conversations recently about how (and Bristol BS4 3EH whether) students are being prepared for life beyond their academic careers. Tel: 0117 300 5526 Fax: 0117 300 5526 There is a great deal of talk about graduate earnings, and relatively little (as I www.wildfirecomms.co.uk see it) about how we reinstate a reverence for hard facts and regain the ability to discuss complicated subjects in analytical terms, and with level heads. Wildfire Comms is an independent publisher, specialising in the education Yes, it’s harder to prove those things can enhance your earning potential in the job sector. Some of our other titles include: market. But if students are as politically dissatised as we believe them to be, they Education Technology Independent Education Today are the qualities educators can arm them with to make useful change in the future. Independent School Sports How can we measure higher education providers who encourage balance Academy Today & Building for Education and reason? And how do we make those qualities as compelling to prospective students as academic success, facilities and future job satisfaction? Note: copyright – all articles and features Answers in a controlled manner, please. including illustrations and photos may not be reproduced, reprinted or posted on the internet, in part or whole without the express permission of Wildfire Comms Ltd. 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Have you seen www.universitybusiness.co.uk much more ISSN 1751-9209 © 2019 www.facebook.com/ubmag @UB_UK @UB_UK | www.universitybusiness.co.uk | 03 xxxxxcontents ON THE COVER NICOLA DANDRIDGE CBE ‘My relationship with universities has changed’ Cover image © Paddy Smith 41 22 31 17 06 N E W S 22 OPINION: DATA MISTAKES The latest dispatches from the Evaluation, control and commitment are the frontline of university business central tenets of student feedback, but it’s what institutions do with the data that really 13 APPOINTMENTS matters, argues John Atherton Recruitment news from around the sector 25 INTERNATIONAL: WAR OF WORDS IN OZ 14 BRANDING: ‘MCDONALDIZATION’ Freedom of speech on Australian campuses Are students less bothered about their is causing friction among educators and education than their pay prospects? Ben politicians. The PM has ordered an advisory Ryder-Smith considers the marketing report, but will it settle the matter? ramifi cations for universities 28 STATS: CLEARING 2018 17 THE REPORT: CYBERSECURITY We drill down into the Universities UK Who’s afraid of the big, bad hacker? report on Clearing in 2018 to emerge Turns out, it ought to be higher education with the salient fi gures which is a goldmine of precious data. Kevin O’Malley investigates 04 | www.universitybusiness.co.uk | @UB_UK contentsxxxxx 73 59 65 48 78 31 ROUNDTABLE: RUNNING BIG ESTATES 65 FURNITURE REDESIGN How do you manage a large estate team? How universities are using smart and modular What are the challenges of multiple furniture – and the notion of ‘placemaking’ campuses? Answers within – to improve learning environments and address compliance and sustainability 41 PROFILE: NICOLA DANDRIDGE CBE The Oce for Students’ chief exec discusses 73 Q&A: CHRIS ROTHWELL the challenges ahead for the HE watchdog Microsoft UK’s education director talks about the ways universities can use technology in 48 BIG BUILD PROJECTS teaching and student care What’s driving the UK’s most ambitious campus plans? Tom Husband talks to the 78 A DAY IN THE LIFE… people behind the projects ‘Exercise, coee, analysis, teaching, research.’ These five words sum up being a reader in 59 BUILDING UP AN APPETITE exercise physiology, according to UWS’s What’s cooking in the catering building Dr Chris Easton planning book? Keri Beckingham explores the trends and themes informing innovation and change for the future of university dining areas @UB_UK | www.universitybusiness.co.uk | 05 promotion WHAT DO TODAY’S STUDENTS USE THE INTERNET FOR? As the world wide web celebrates 30 years, Paula Benoit looks at modern usage on campus Image © freepik.com he internet as we know it is customers, we nd they have an average This research shows how critical it is that celebrating its 30th birthday this of 3.23 Wi-Fi connected devices, up from accommodation providers continue to invest T year. Back then no one could 2.8 devices less than 12 months ago. in their infrastructure. Data usage continues have predicted the seismic shi it would This growth in wireless devices has to grow, doubling every few years and more have on our everyday lives. Developed led to changes in the way most networks devices are being used by students than initially as a research and communications are designed. Moving away from wall ever before. These trends prove it makes tool, it was adopted by students from the sockets to wireless overlays which provide sense to build infrastructure that is future outset but what exactly are today’s students extensive coverage and supports multiple proofed. Today, speeds of up to 1Gbps are using the internet for? devices. Sodexo recently rated Wi-Fi as available to students which may sound like At PCCW Global, we’ve been the most important service by 64% of a lot but fast forward 5-10 years and that working with universities and private students when choosing where to live. may not be enough. The consumption accommodation providers to deliver By comparison ensuite facilities was of media and the growth of UHD video student connectivity since 2000 and we’ve just 27%. Clearly connectivity is more will put a strain even on these networks. witnessed a huge change in the demands important than a private bathroom. Adopting a future proofed full bre and expectations of students in that time. When it comes to spending their time network has signicant advantages for both Ten years ago, most, but not all students online, our own research shows research/ students and providers. Able to deliver the would get a basic internet connection study is the most common use for the fastest speeds today and well into the future, in their room. It would probably consist internet, very closely followed by use for only bre can deliver the speeds of 10Gbps of a wall socket and allow only one video, music and gaming. Today’s students and beyond that will be required by the device such as a laptop to be connected. also consume a large portion of their news students of tomorrow. In a highly competitive However, since the widespread uptake of online, spending around 10% of their time market, providers who don’t invest, could smartphones and other portable devices, reading news stories. 100% of our students nd themselves with empty rooms that fail students now expect to connect multiple asked by UCAS researchers said they used to meet the needs of the students of 2030.