next »

[frenchgirl]

1. Thoughts about the uni?

2. Thoughts about the students?

3. Thoughts about the area and living prospects?

4. Thoughts about relocating to the UK for a RH (permanent faculty) position

Answers or musings in response to all of the above and more are very much appreciated.

PS-I know about the previous long-standing gender pay issue and trust it has been at least partially addressed (or at the very least exposed) at this point . . .

[sandgrounder]

I would have to say that I would not advise leaving a decent US job for the UK at the moment. We are heading into a very uncertain few years and until the dust settles, it's going to be a confusing time. Next year will be the delightful combination of the final pre-REF year combined with the first intake paying tripled tuition fees. It's unlikely to be a nice year.

But as to RHUL - it's a decent place, some nice buildings, some departments are as always better than others. Bit of a campus bubble so apparently it can get claustrophobic. A colleague who moved there was disappointed by the student quality and said that they were rather mixed ability, and a lot came through clearing or as an insurance rather than as the preferred choice, and then were disappointed not really to be in London. Egham is not the most exciting place in the world...

There have been some issues about departments being threatened in the last year (Classics and Philosophy if I remember correctly) and the guy in charge is apparently very interested in the bottom line - invests where he thinks it will pay off, but if you're not in that subject not much fun. It's a bit of a mixed bag really. It would depend what you were coming from, if you see what I mean, as to whether it makes sense.

[frenchgirl]

Could be a lot worse than "decent" I suppose, but that's not exactly the most promising response. Hmm . . .

[qrypt]

It's not London Met or TVU. 

[sandgrounder]

It's not London Met or TVU. 

TVU has died and been reborn as University of West London...I wonder how much the consultants charged for that 'image overhaul'.

OP I should point out for fairness sake that my ex-colleague was used to teaching at a Russell Group university with higher entry grades. The students at RHUL aren't going to be as good as the ones at top London universities but they're probably pretty OK.

[qrypt]

It's not London Met or TVU. 

TVU has died and been reborn as University of West London...I wonder how much the consultants charged for that 'image overhaul'.

Whatever they paid, it was too much -- given that many people like me continue to refer to it as TVU (despite knowing about the name change).  Some names are just too good to die.  The University of Gloucestershire is another (not that it's supposed to die) -- it's as if they never heard of David Lodge. 

[spiralworm]

The university: In some respects it is excellent. My impression is that the faculty care a great deal about research and teaching. The students are generally bright, if somewhat uneven, and many come from outside the UK. There are some good departments/groups, i.e. History, Information Security Group, etc. The downside is that it can only survive by being attached to the University of London. The library is not so great. If you're a person of colour or non-British, you may encounter some difficulties. Perhaps because of the university's large, international student body, faculty and staff will have a certain perception of you. Living in the area: If you're laid back, like being around natural surroundings (it's very close to Windsor Park and you see squirrels, rabbits, and deer on campus), want a distraction-free environment to focus on research, and small-town life (Egham and Englefield Green are quite cute in some respects), then you'll like it. However, if you want to have a social life and modern-day convenience, then forget it. Nothing happens locally, and the buses come whenever they want to. For shopping and good restaurants, you'll need to go to nearby Staines or Windsor. Trains to London take at least 45 minutes on a good day.