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RepositoryUniversity Archives and Special Collections Centre
Reference NumberUAL/OH/2/2
TitlePeter Watson
DescriptionInterview with Peter Watson, Academic Registrar at University of the Arts London.

The interview can be accessed in QuickTime Movie and Waveform Audio formats, and a transcript is also available.

Interview description:

Video 1 [00:00] Joined in 1993; Quality Team; Davis Street; Senior Academic Administrator; quality assurance. [01:29] Learning from William Calloway; Judith Cheney; degrees awarded by CNAA; CNAA abolished; degrees awarded by Open University; application for degree awarding powers. [03:27] Role as Quality Assurance Manager; Head of Academic Affairs; rules and regulations; graduation ceremonies; Academic Registry formed. [06:09] Role at British Council; becoming Registrar; safeguarding degree-awarding powers; administrative part of student journey; central admissions team; interview all students; numbers of applications; student records; returns to statutory bodies; assessment process; quality team; academic board; student advisors. [11:23] Growing research students; awarding research degrees; discussions over university status; change of rector; applications for university status; new application process. [15:09] Unusual process for university status; Elizabeth Rouse; exciting status; support from sector; title process. [17:44] QAA decision no scrutiny needed; timings of application process. [19:03] Periodic quality visit; degree approval process; LCF having no degrees; 1st proposal for Fashion Design degree; exciting process. [23:10] Discusses bringing colleges together; value of arts; new university; responsibility for validations. [24:39] Decision to run degree ceremonies; designing graduation gowns; success of ceremony. [27:58] Building in Davis Street; Bird Street building; Crossrail plans; Holborn building; encouraging staff to visit college sites; eventual move to London College of Communication. [31:26] Courses at UAL offering little choice; debates about collaboration; introduction of units; providing standardized feedback. [34:11] Validation; skills development; how courses differ from other institutions. [35:55] Discusses role; vocational university; balance between influences; theory and practice; joining industry and academics. [38:47] HH & FE courses; national diplomas; foundation courses; becoming an awarding body; awarding other FE colleges; developing creative qualifications; government regulations. [44:04] Expanding qualification landscape; students as independent practitioners; students increasing demands; overseas student requirements. [48:20] Administrative organisation of university; differences compared to other universities; growth of curation courses; internal competition; difficulty of collaboration; encouraging discipline staff to meet. [53:07] Wimbledon merger; funding council pressure; small and large college problems; adapting qualifications. [56:36] Local variation in colleges; balance with central processes; standardised assessment criteria. [59:36] University as a work in progress; young institution; built up research; international body of students; retaining staff; in a position to do exciting things. [1:02:32]
Date21 Apr 2016
CreatorRosa Kurowska-Kyffin
Extent1 audiovisual recording; length 01:02:32
LevelFile
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