Tony Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 Originally posted by garrence To bring this thread back on topic, here's one for the discussion. Could Sheffield be made the "City of research and learning"? The decent academics from Hallam move over to Sheffield with the aim of increasing its number of 5/5* departments. Several people have already said that Sheffield is more academic, so what if it plays to this, reduces student numbers a little, maybe gives some courses to Hallam and tries to get a reputation of being a little elitist. I don't like elitism either, but such a reputation would encourage cutting edge companies into Sheffield. Hallam meanwhile cultivates a reputation of "if you hire someone who studied at Hallam they they've got what they need for the job".[1] RAE 2001 I think that's pretty much how it is now, and it is only going to improve. We should be very proud of our universities, because they (along with the hospitals) are pretty much the only well paid major industry in the city. Sheffield would be lost without them and their students. As time progresses that will spin off and help the city develop new businesses and industry needs and support professions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarrietStar Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 yeh i think the unis are both really good for the city of sheffield. I am from london myself where the universities aren't major players because there is so much other business. I think the universities in sheffield do some really good work for the city of sheffield, as well as employing loads of people. My department (town planning) employs researchers as well as lecturers who work with businesses and sheffield city council to improve sheffield. for example, at the moment we are doing research into the norfolk park scheme to try and improve it, the uni doesn't need to do that, but its live projects like this that should make people in sheffield appreciate the status of the two seperate universities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babooshka Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 How on earth can a Uni merge with a former Poly?????? Let's get real. They are two totally different institutions. I have to say, aswell, that after listening to my Ma (who works at Sheff Hall) DESPAIR (and this is a woman who loves her students!) at the calibre, or lack thereof, of the students who pass through her department, then I do not see how this can be possible. Some of her students appear to be dragged in for the funding. I went to a former Poly myself so I am not some university undergraduate wanting to see a divide between Poly and Uni students, but really, the two are in a different league! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal9001 Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 Surely if your degree is acreditted by a recognised institution, B.Eng (Hons) for example, then it must up to the required level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babooshka Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 Don't think it is...hence the competition to get in to these Universities in the first place. Do you really think that an Oxford degree is the same as a Hatfield Poly. Oh no. There are still some differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal9001 Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 Originally posted by Babooshka Do you really think that an Oxford degree is the same as a Hatfield Poly. Oh no. There are still some differences. Okay I agree that different unis have different reputations. Sheffield's is much better than Hallam's. However there is a minimum standard for an honours degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy78 Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 I must say bab, that though some courses may be easy to get on to, not all are. As hal said with the acreditted degrees at hallam (BEng electrical engineering BEng Mechanical Engineering as examples), do require a high level to be admitted onto. I can only really comment on my experience, but I haven't found any students on my course sub standard. It's a hard degree, and all of my fellow class mates are quite capable at this level. As i've already said a few times now, it depends entirely on the course. I accept that shefield require a higher standard for their courses, but there are a lot of courses at hallam that are more appealing for specific professions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxxx Posted February 27, 2004 Share Posted February 27, 2004 Originally posted by Babooshka Don't think it is...hence the competition to get in to these Universities in the first place. Do you really think that an Oxford degree is the same as a Hatfield Poly. Oh no. There are still some differences. I have to agree. I went to The University of Sheffield and did my degree in a renowned department with renowned professors in the field. Hallam university also offers the same degree course, however it doesn't have the same level of research or renowned professors, although it does offer a year out which is good. When I went for a job and they knew that I had studied at the university, they knew the reputation straight away and that I had been taught by the best in the field. I got the job. So no matter what people say (and I actually think Hallam is a good uni), the old poly's still have a stigma with certain degree courses and the original uni's are known to be good. I think Hallam has a really good reputation which is great. It will take time for a lot of the old poly's to build these reputations. At the end of the day, if you have a PhD or are a prof. and are renowned in your field, you are more likely to get a job teaching at a university not an ex poly. Call this snobbery but this is what happens. Therefore the standard of the degree's are generally better from a old style university than an ex poly. There is history behind the institution. I don't think they should merge at all. I also think there are too many uni's around now anyway and too many people going to them. There should be more emphasis on technical colleges and vocational training which isn't a 'degree', and leave uni degree's to the academic side of things as it used to be. Degree's are becoming two a penny now, hence why the government can't afford to fund it. What happened to people leaving school and getting a job e.g. in a bank and working their way up to the top sitting exams on the way? These days you need a degree to be taken on to do this. So many of my parents generation did well for themselves and didn't go to uni. People leave uni now thinking they deserve a good well paid job, but there are too many graduates around so they aren't gonna get that job and companies aren't offering these big wages, they could have taken a school leaver and trained them after all. Why is everyone so intent on being 'equal', we should just accept we are not and get on with it. Ex-poly's as a general rule except lower grades for you to get in. Universities still require high grades. For ex-poly's to function they need to fill seats to get the funding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qazitory Posted February 27, 2004 Share Posted February 27, 2004 I think it depends on the course at Hallam, as to the entry requirements, as I needed a Distinction in my GNVQ to get on my course. I'm not sure if that was to the popularity of the course or the standard of work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babooshka Posted February 29, 2004 Share Posted February 29, 2004 EXACTLY FOXX. ANYONE can get a degree now. So long as you are offering the cash! A merger would render the original University degree almost worthless. Face it. We do, to some extent, need an elite in society. It is how progress is made. It should not just be a means to delay finding employment. It used to mean something. I am not saying that Ex-Poly courses are a doss. But Poly students didn't get in to Uni for one of two reasons a) the course at the Poly suited them better b) there were not enough places (places being allocated to higher grade achievers). You NEED that distinction in society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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