Learning Spaces and the Student Experience conference at the Senedd – National Assembly For Wales: Monday, March 11, 2013

The conference aims to explore the impact of the learning environment on the student experience. The one day event, which is organised jointly by the University of Wales, Newport and IBI Nightingale, aims to draw together academics, support staff, colleagues from university estates management and architectural experts to share diverse perspectives on the learning environment.

The keynote presentation [which follows a Ministerial welcome from Leighton Andrews, Minister for Education and Skills] by Richard Mazuch will raise awareness of principles of sense sensitive design.

Part one of the event will feature presentations on new learning environments developed at the University of Birmingham, Bournemouth University and the University of Wales, Newport.

Part two will focus on learning spaces beyond the classroom.

For more details and to book a place, please click on the link below: http://learningspaces.eventbrite.com/

‘Exploring Spaces’ – understanding the learning spaces that libraries provide

A very interesting post on the CILIP Wales blog: http://cilipcymruwales.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/exploring-spaces-understanding-learning.html

Martin Edwards attended the Experiences of the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL) conference on ‘Exploring Spaces’ (Orlando, Florida, January 2013) with financial support from the Kathleen Cooks Fund. This is Martin’s overview of a project to review learning spaces at the University of Wales Newport and some of his experiences of attending and delivering a paper at the Conference.

Cardiff University’s Trevithick Library wins award for design

Library Design Awards show future of provision

The £32m David Wilson Library at Leicester University has won the prestigious SCONUL Library Design Award.  Cardiff University has taken the honours in the ‘smaller buildings’ category. 

The Award, presented by the Society of College National and University Libraries (SCONUL), rewards the best new or refurbished higher education libraries in national and university institutions. 

Ann Rossiter, Executive Director at SCONUL, said:
 
“There is a very real chance that students will be required to pay significantly more for higher education in the near future. Student demands therefore regarding quality of services are only going to increase.
 
“This Award shows the importance of providing these students with high quality design and comfort combined with state-of-the-art technologies. This quality of building and finish is going to become increasingly common.
 
“Libraries form an important part of a university’s offer and can be the difference between high and low levels of student satisfaction. Leicester’s building and student facilities have helped to significantly improve student satisfaction and offer a blueprint for how university’s can take advantage of the opportunities presented to them by their libraries.”

Sheila Cannell, chair of the judging panel said,

“Leicester’s Library is a benchmark and deserving winner, offering a beacon for quality design and scholarship in UK universities. The new space provides students with an exceptional learning environment. Importantly, it also recognises the changing demands of students.
 
“We have a robust judging process for the Design Award and the panel has travelled to the four corners of the UK and Ireland to examine the candidates. We have been extremely impressed by the overall quality of library design throughout.”

The ‘Smaller Buildings’ category won by Cardiff University is presented to developments of less than 2000 sq m.

The full list of Awards and winners includes:

Winner for Large Library Award:  Leicester University for the David Wilson Library

Winner for Small Library Award:  Cardiff University for Trevithick Library

Highly commended (3 libraries, all in Large Library Award category):  University College Cork for Postgraduate Research Library, University of Greenwich for Universities at Medway Drill Hall Library, University of Sheffield for Information Commons.

Watch this Space : making library buildings fit for purpose

Date: 21st May 2010
Location: Y Cwad @ Trinity University College, Carmarthen.

10 am : Arrive & Coffee/Tea/Welsh Cakes
10.25 : Welcome : Alison Harding (Trinity University College) 
10.30 – 11.15 : Sally Wilkinson (Trinity University College)  
11.15 – 12 noon : Sonja Haerkoenen & Vicky Stallard (Cardiff University)
12 noon : UC & R Wales AGM – All welcome  
 
12.30 – 1.30 : Lunch (not provided) 

There are catering facilities on Campus:
Merlin Restaurant, Students Union & Starbucks (Y Cwad).

1.30 – 2 pm : Alison Scanlon (Swansea Metropolitan University)  
2 pm – 2.45 pm : Katrina Dalziel & Lori Havard (Swansea University)
2.45 – 3 pm : Plenary & Coffee/Tea
 
3 pm : Depart 

To reserve a place contact: Alison Harding
T: 01267 676786 / 676781
e: a.harding@trinity-cm.ac.uk

Directions and Campus Maps are available @
http://www.trinity-cm.ac.uk/en/theuniversity/.

Parking is Pay & Display.

Please note Y Cwad is located @ No. 5 on the Map @
http://www.trinity-cm.ac.uk/en/media/uni/content/docs/estates/maps/Map_-_Campws.pdf

UC&R Wales visit to Sheffield Information Commons

9th September 2009

Advance notice: an opportunity to visit the award-winning Information Commons. “Born out of completely fresh thinking about learning resources for the 21st century student, it contains a whole range of study spaces within a single spectacular building.”

There will be limited places available on this visit so please book soon to be sure of a place. 

For more information, contact Steve Lee at srlee@glam.ac.uk or phone 01443 483391.

UC&R Wales Event – Creating new learning spaces

UC&R Wales Event — Creating New Learning Spaces — Cardiff University Trevithick Library  29th April 2009

Ruth Thornton (the Trevithick Librarian) and Amanda Heal (Design Research Unit Wales, Cardiff School of Architecture) will be presenting the Trevithick Library – from Vision to Reality. The planning and implementation of the new learning space which is the Trevithick Library. The session will include a tour of the Library.

In the afternoon Professor Philippa Levy (Academic Director, CILASS – Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences, University of Sheffield Information Commons) will be talking about The Development of new learning spaces at Sheffield University.

Ian Pearshouse (the Learning Research Systems Manager of The Learning Sciences Research Institute (LSRI) at The University of Nottingham) will be presenting The findings from the JISC funded study  “Effective Evaluation Models and Practices for Technology Supported Physical Learning Spaces” and taking a look at where we go from here…

Cost £30.00 per delegate including buffet lunch and refreshments

For more information or to reserve a place, contact Steve Lee at srlee@glam.ac.uk