How would you run a University if you were in charge?

I would make the three sciences purely experimentally based, where students are expected to catch up on relevant theory in their own time. There wouldn't be any lectures, just workshops.

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Reply 1

TSR Community Staff

Original post by The_Last_Melon

I would make the three sciences purely experimentally based, where students are expected to catch up on relevant theory in their own time. There wouldn't be any lectures, just workshops.

What are your reasons for this? I'm not sure that would entirely work if that's all anyone did anywhere, especially in physics and at higher levels. There is a load of maths and theory needed to understand the experiments and not entirely sure if leaving someone to learn it themselves would ensure they have enough of a grounding to 'get' their experiments.

But I'd keep an open mind until I hear your reasons for this :tongue:

Reply 2

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

No Arts Students!

Reply 3

Debdener

I would create an effectiveness and efficiency report on each tutor.
Some of the University tutors I've had, only seem to appear so they can pick up their paycheck...

Reply 4

dark-blue

Original post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

No Arts Students!

(Arts/ Humanities kind of girl)

Reply 5

placenta medicae talpae

Work on improving the academic standing of the university.

I know this sounds obvious, but the proportion of our chancellor's time which he spends 'developing links' with other universities abroad, keeping his eyes on other university 'competitors' and getting big business (like BAE Systems) to put their finger in the pie ... is just silly.
There's a joke on our campus about the 'Warwick Manufacturing Group empire', as this 'big business' arm of the university seems to be where all the government grants, uni funding and credence go to.

Reply 6

SillyEddy

Original post by Debdener

I would create an effectiveness and efficiency report on each tutor.
Some of the University tutors I've had, only seem to appear so they can pick up their paycheck...

They have something like this in America. My sister is at university there, and she actually gets to pick the lecturer (or the subject based around a particular lecturer) and there are websites where they review the teaching staff! It's like Amazon for modules.

Reply 7

acedlol

Hold regular access all areas campus paintball battles.

Reply 8

The_Last_Melon

Original post by RK

Just because that's the only time I ever learned anything during my time at uni. Lectures were a complete waste of time for me because I'd read the textbook.

Reply 9

Josh93

I'm guessing that scrapping all deadlines and making alcohol free isn't what you're looking for?

Reply 10

Arbolus

Original post by The_Last_Melon

Just because that's the only time I ever learned anything during my time at uni. Lectures were a complete waste of time for me because I'd read the textbook.

If I were to try and learn the course just by reading the textbook then I'd have to do twice the amount of work in my spare time to understand it. I think most people would agree with me that it's much easier to go to lectures instead.

Reply 11

safiajen0055

First i will assure the 90% attendance in academy and i will always encourage students to pay more attention on practical than theory and to study for knowledge.

Reply 12

Glory&Honour

I would set up a Gestapo type unit that went from school to school searching for chavs. They would be easy to spot and so fellow students could turn them in and let the unit take care of them. This would also reduce class sizes and allow lecturers to tale more of an interest in their students.

Reply 13

placenta medicae talpae

Original post by safiajen0055

First i will assure the 90% attendance in academy

How would you do this?

Reply 14

Rakas21

I would first go completely private so that i can make a thumping profit.

Secondly i would vastly limit the number of subjects we offer to those below (maybe some more)..

Mathematics
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Economics
Geography
Architecture
Engineering

Essentially a focus around science and Mathematics.

..

Using the money i had gained from rich students at undergraduate (my fees would not be £9k) i would then focus the university around postgraduate and reinvest the profit into scholarships and facilities for postgraduate offering more specialized fields such as astronomy, volconology, meteorology and the like through to PHD level for poor students.

To access my university you would need A/A* in Mathematics and Science at both GCSE and A level (one subject would do to illustrate your potential) and then to access postgraduate a 2'1.

...

Basically i'd turn it into an American type university.

Reply 15

Yellow_Watermelon

increase the length of most degrees by 1 or 2 years but decrease the intensity by about 10-20% allowing for permanent part time work or own project and a Little less stress.
those extended degress must be sponsored by industry and all students on the course will have placements should they wish I thinking minimum of 1 paid 6 hours shift each week

you have a choice between either 6 hours of research or 6 hours of work both will count towards your degree the degree will be named slightly differently but both respected in their own way.

Reply 16

Amun90

Get rid of group work and other extravert bias in education, except for degrees where it is actually needed (not most). Group work tends to lower my GPA because of indolent fellow students.

Reply 17

Rakas21

Original post by Amun90

Get rid of group work and other extravert bias in education, except for degrees where it is actually needed (not most). Group work tends to lower my GPA because of indolent fellow students.

I agree, my personal presentations have always been rated as excellent yet the group one i did in university got a 64 only.

Original post by Yellow_Watermelon

I don't think that lengthening degrees and reducing intensity is a good idea, university should test a student.

Rather i think that we should make better use of the summer term by adding extra modules.

Reply 18

rbsmith

University management is not an easy task. I think, there must be regular workshop sessions apart from classes, lectures etc. Student should give active participation in every aspect of university education. It should be different from regular classes of school.