Photo Russell Jacobs

Consultation on university closure

The local higher education campaign group is to host a public consultation on the threatened closure of Hastings university campus. It will be held on Friday 10 June from 2 to 6pm at the Observer Building, when scores of attendees are expected to discuss the past, present and re-imagine the future of the University of Brighton campus in Hastings. A representative of the group explains.

The meeting will be a chance for people to air their views about what makes the campus so great and what the challenges have been for higher education in the town, and to join with campaigners in imagining the possible futures for the continuance of higher education in Hastings.

It’s being organised by a group of local residents who have come together under the banner of Hastings – a university town and promises to be a light-hearted afternoon of lively discussion, a bit of light operatics and, most essentially, free tea and cakes.

So far there’s been a huge amount of interest and it’s expected that a number of influential local politicians, business people, third sector groups and local community members will be in attendance to share their expertise and express their support.

Photo Russell Jacobs

One of the organisers, Alan Bolwell, had this to say: “We’re hoping to discuss and document the direction of Higher Education in Hastings following the announcement of Brighton Uni that they would be withdrawing their Hastings campus. The event will involve lots of group discussion, we’re hoping to record those discussions and interview people to document ideas about how Higher Education can continue to contribute to the town. Ultimately we’re hoping to produce something that will be easily shared and understood that will show what having a campus does for this town, the accommodations we’re going to have to make to keep a University presence, and what that will look like going forward.”

The afternoon will be co-hosted by Hastings Community Organisers and will involve aspects of a technique known by the somewhat grandiose title of ‘The Art of Hosting’. There will also be a video booth being run by students from the local campus, where you’re invited to share your thoughts. These will then be edited into an online package to promote the campaign. The meeting will be further documented by local graphic facilitator, Andy Willard (in the style of the very popular RSA Animate videos), who will be recording the best parts of conversations to provide a visual account of the discussions which take place.

Facebook event here: Public consultation Facebook
If you do intend to join us, please let us know by completing a signup form here: Public consultation Eventbrite 

Further info on the campaign:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1681774195413771/
https://handsoffhastings.wordpress.com

Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/save-hastings-campus

To hear more from the campaign:
http://goo.gl/forms/K1EfRElscA

Also in: Campaigns