Autumn/Winter 2006

Buckingham No1 in National Students Survey

Buckingham 4.28 4.40Open 4.12 4.50St Andrews 4.10 4.40East Anglia 4.08 4.30Leicester 4.08 4.30Loughborough 4.08 4.20Aberystwyth 4.05 4.30Hull 4.00 4.20Birkbeck 3.98 4.30Durham 3.97 4.20Exeter 3.97 4.10Southampton 3.97 4.20St Mary's University College 3.97 4.20Lampeter 3.97 4.20King's College London 3.95 4.20Reading 3.95 4.10Bangor 3.95 4.10Glasgow 3.93 4.10York 3.93 4.10Huddersfield 3.92 4.00Kent 3.92 4.10Lancaster 3.92 4.10Teesside 3.92 4.00Newport 3.92 3.90Bradford 3.90 4.00Imperial College 3.90 4.20Staffordshire 3.90 3.90Swansea 3.90 4.10Aston 3.88 4.10Chichester 3.88 4.10Queen's, Belfast 3.88 4.10Bolton 3.87 4.00Oxford Brookes 3.87 4.00Bristol 3.87 4.10Cardiff 3.87 4.10Liverpool 3.87 4.10Newcastle 3.87 4.00Canterbury Christ Church 3.85 4.10City 3.85 4.00Glamorgan 3.85 4.00Leeds 3.85 4.00Northampton 3.85 4.00Sheffield 3.85 4.10Winchester 3.85 4.00Essex 3.83 4.00Brighton 3.83 3.90Derby 3.83 3.90Edge Hill 3.83 3.90

Edinburgh 3.83 4.00Gloucestershire 3.83 3.90Goldsmiths 3.83 4.00Plymouth 3.83 4.00Ulster 3.83 4.00Central Lancashire 3.83 3.90Queen Mary 3.82 4.00Chester 3.82 4.00Coventry 3.82 4.00Nottingham 3.82 4.00Stranmillis University College 3.82 4.00UWIC 3.82 3.90Northumbria 3.80 3.90Portsmouth 3.80 3.90Worcester 3.80 4.00Bath 3.78 4.00Central England 3.78 3.90Keele 3.78 4.00Sunderland 3.78 3.80West of England, Bristol 3.77 3.90Bedfordshire 3.77 3.80Hertfordshire 3.77 3.80Kingston 3.75 3.90Manchester Metropolitan 3.75 3.80Roehampton 3.75 4.00Salford 3.75 3.80Southampton Solent 3.75 3.70Surrey 3.75 3.80Wolverhampton 3.75 3.70Anglia Ruskin 3.73 3.80Bournemouth 3.73 3.70Bath Spa 3.70 3.90De Montfort 3.70 3.70Leeds Metropolitan 3.70 3.70Nottingham Trent 3.70 3.80Sheffield Hallam 3.70 3.80York St John University College 3.70 3.80Bucks Chilts University College 3.68 3.70Middlesex 3.68 3.70Greenwich 3.67 3.70Sussex 3.67 3.80Brunel 3.65 3.80Liverpool Hope 3.65 3.90Uni College of Creative Arts 3.65 3.60Lincoln 3.63 3.60Thames Valley 3.60 3.60Westminster 3.60 3.80

THES Overall scorescore HEFCE

THES Overall scorescore HEFCE

Reproduced from the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) of 25 August 2006

The National StudentSurvey

Last year the Government’s HigherEducation and Funding Council ofEngland (Hefce) commissioned a surveyof all final year university students inBritain. The survey was conducted by theIpsosMORI polling organisation and wastherefore independent. The students wereasked questions in the categories of i)Teaching, ii) Assessment and Feedback,iii) Academic Support, iv) Organisationand Management, v) Learning Resources,vi) Personal Development and vii) OverallSatisfaction.

The results of the survey were publishedin the Times Higher EducationSupplement (THES) of 25 August 2006and are reproduced unchanged on thefront page. As you’ll see, Buckinghamemerged as Britain’s top university forstudents. The THES concluded that: “Topof the table, according to the TimesHigher’s scoring, is BuckinghamUniversity, the UK’s only private highereducation institution”.

Some news organisations, followingHefce’s weighting of the data (see thetable) identified the Open University asnumber one, with ourselves as numbertwo. We have no problem with thisbecause the Open University is not atraditional or residential university, but anonline or distance learning university, andis therefore very different from ourselves.Even on the Hefce weighting, therefore,we are Britain’s top residential university.

Moreover the Open University is the onlyother in Britain that, like us, hashistorically charged realistic fees, thusconfirming the importance in highereducation of independence from the state.

Over 157,000 students participatednationally. The only significant weaknessto the survey is that Oxford, Cambridge,the London School of Economics,University College London and Warwickdo not appear; yet universities wereincluded only if over 50 per cent of theirfinal year students responded. So why did

those five lead universities not participate?

One clue is provided by the position thatthe one lead UK university to participate,Imperial College, attained. Imperial is ofthe same calibre as the five non-participating universities, but when it cameto student satisfaction its achievementwas indifferent, coming about a third ofthe way down.

Or, as the THES’s editorial asked:- “Is it acoincidence that those that did notachieve the necessary response rate [toparticipate in the survey] arepredominantly from the upper reaches ofthe league tables, where anything otherthan a sparkling verdict may damage aninstitution’s standing?”

As the THES was suggesting, theconventional league tables predominantlyreflect universities’ achievements asresearch institutions, whereas the NationalStudent Survey reflects theirachievements as teaching institutions, andthe sad story of the last 30 years hasbeen the decline of the conventionaluniversities as centres of teaching.

Over the last 30 years averagestaff:student ratios in the state sector inthe UK have fallen from 1:9 to 1:17,whereas in Buckingham they remain at1:9. Spending per student has halved onaverage in all other universities in the UKover the last 30 years, but in Buckinghamit has remained unchanged, corrected forinflation.

We are, quite simply, the best Britishuniversity for teaching because we are theonly university in the UK to prioritiseteaching over the meeting of Governmentbureacratic targets. Ironically, one of thosetargets is raising the level of non-whitestudent attendance. Without any spur fromGovernment, we seem to have done wellin that regard.

What are universities for? The firstEuropean university was the University ofBologna, founded around 1100, and fortheir first 700 years the Europeanuniversities recognised that their primeresponsibility was to teach. But in 1810,under the influence of Wilhelm vonHumboldt, the Prussian state created theUniversity of Berlin as a researchuniversity.

Humboldt’s hope was that a state-fundedresearch university would help changePrussia’s culture. Prussia was daunted byBritain’s lead in the Industrial Revolution

(a lead driven by its private industrialresearch) and Humboldt suggested that astate-funded research university wouldhelp change Prussia’s culture from apeasant and military one into a researchand commercial one.

So it did, but it also changed the nature ofthe university. A university focussed onteaching is focussed on the student, but auniversity focussed on research isfocussed on the Government, becauseonly a Government will fund publicresearch. Consequently, a Government-funded university must neglect the studentbecause its focus must shift fromsatisfying students to satisfyinggovernments.

But teaching is more important. Researchcan take place almost anywhere, andsome of the best research institutions areindeed not universities – witness,ironically, the Max Planck institutes inGermany itself. Yet if a university fails toteach properly, then the student’sexperience is damaged irreversibly. Fewstudents get a second chance at anundergraduate career.

Research and scholarship are, of course,important fertilisers of teaching, which iswhy some 10 per cent of Buckingham’sexpenditure is on research but, in ahealthy university, research is the servant,not the master, of teaching and – as theNSS reveals – we are the healthiestuniversity in the UK.

We would like to be even healthier, and allthe evidence shows that an independentuniversity can flourish only when it is well-endowed. Harvard is the world’s bestuniversity, its endowments exceed $25billion, and 60 per cent of its alumni givemoney annually. In so doing they areinvesting in their own degrees, becausethe better the university the grander are itsgraduates, even 30 years after they haveleft.

Fundraising here is going well – the NobelLaureate Ronald Coase, for example, hasjust donated a further five scholarships tosupplement the five he gave us last year,and some alumni have been beautifullygenerous – but we’re still $24.998 billionshort of Harvard’s endowment. I hope youmight think of emulating Harvard’s 60 percent, and invest in your own resource –the University of Buckingham.

Terence KealeyVice-Chancellor

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Message from the Vice-Chancellor

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Editor’s News

You may have noticedon our website thatsince our last issue ofthe Independent a newpost has been createdin the PR/AlumniDepartment. We nowhave a Country Groupsand Alumni AnnualFund Co-ordinator.Kate Jones, who tookon this position in itsearly days is sadly

leaving us ..... but much as we will miss her wewish her well on her travels around Australia. Sowe are looking for a new person to take on thischallenging and expanding role.

Our Country Groups are really coming together,particularly this year in Kenya, Nigeria, Japan andPakistan. We will continue to work hard with you tohelp create groups of Buckingham alumniworldwide - a network of links that benefitseveryone. By the time you read this newsletterthere will have been alumni gatherings in Kenya,Nigeria and shortly in Japan. Students in every

country that is to receive a visit by a member ofstaff from Buckingham next year (2007) will becontacted by us shortly so that we can help youarrange an event if you wish.

I also wanted to report on our progress with thecharity group that was founded following thetragedy of the Asian Tsunami. Staff and studentshave been meeting regularly, arranging smallevents and planning for the future on a regularbasis. We have held book sales for students;‘pamper’ times for staff, students and townspeople;put together a cookery book collated by staff withrecipes from many of our staff and students fromaround the world; received donations following allof our public lectures and concerts and have alsoreceived individual donations. We now have justover £2,000 and we have, to date, sent books on aregular basis to a school in Sri Lanka, as well asdelivering packs of cooking utensils and paper andcolouring pencils. These items were delivered byHarin Sellahewa (DPhil Computing ’07), who isthe founder of the group.

We have also just heard that the current StudentsUnion Committee has promised that any event

held by them will donate 5% of the profits onanything under £200 and 10% of the profits onanything over that amount. We are very gratefulindeed to them for their support. If you aresupporting a project in your own country that youthink could be helped by UBSOS, please do let usknow at ubsos@buckingham.ac.uk.

As the links between the Alumni Office and thestudents grow, a huge thank you must go to eachof our Student Sabbatical Officers from over theyears. Iva Netzova (LLM ’05), our current SSO,will be leaving us at the end of this year, and wewill miss her cheery smile and optimism. She hasbeen a tremendous support and help with both theIndependent and in keeping us in touch with thecurrent student body. We wish her the very bestof luck in her future career choices and will askher to stay in touch and let us all know what she isdoing over the coming years.

Anne MatsuokaPublic Affairs Officer/Alumni RelationsTel: +44 (0)1280 820338Email: anne.matsuoka@buckingham.ac.uk

Greetings to All,

First of all I am happyto say that the 30th

Anniversary‘HomecomingWeekend’– 29th–30th

July was anunparalleled success.In this edition of theIndependent, amongother news, you willalso find a number of

responses about the biggest event of the year,stories by alumni telling us about their experiencesand impressions of the ‘Weekend’ and theUniversity as a whole and what they have beendoing since graduating from Buckingham.

I personally think that the ‘Homecoming Weekend’was a real triumph. To start with, there was aspecial vibration in the air prior to the celebrations.The whole campus was decorated with the flags ofthe different nationalities represented in theUniversity, which in our case are around 80!

The day started with coffee on Saturday, followedby a welcome address by the Vice-Chancellor, DrTerence Kealey and an update on the University’sdevelopments, then lunch. In the afternoon, eachSchool had its own events with notice boards,photos and places where you could leave yourown message. I visited all of them and they werebrilliant. Of course the one closest to my heart wasthe Law School as that is where I completed mydegree. There was definitely a sense of nostalgiain the air combined with sweet memories.

From 5pm onwards, Beloff lawn was transformedinto the venue of the evening. There was musicand drinks, a pig roast, a barbeque, two live bandsand a singer who sang ‘Happy Birthday’ when the‘30th Anniversary’ cake was brought centre stage.Current student (and son of two of our alumni)Richard Vriesinga (Politics, Economics andLaw) blew out the candles. After that came the‘30th Anniversary’ awards. I am really pleased forLinda Waterman, who won the Support Staff

Award and Eddie Shoesmith, who won theTeaching Staff Award. They both truly deservetheir prizes. The Alumnus of the Year award waswon by Alex Jovy (LLB ’95). Unfortunately hewas unable to attend the event but the award wasaccepted on his behalf. The day ended with adisco in the Refectory until the early hours ofSunday morning.

On Sunday, the picnic on the South Front Lawn atStowe School was very English! Blue skies, fluffywhite clouds, strawberries and cream and a cricketmatch! People were chatting to each other andenjoying the beautiful sunny weather. StefanRidley, the Sports Officer, had also organisedsports on the lawn including volleyball, Frisbee andcroquet. The following link will take you to themain web story about the 30th Anniversary‘Homecoming Weekend’ and the photo gallery:http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/news/newsarchive2006/anniversary-06.html

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks toeveryone who has been part of the wonderful 30th

Anniversary ‘Homecoming Weekend’. Theorganisers did a fantastic job, which included a lotof hard work and effort. I would like to thank all thealumni and their families who were able to comeand celebrate with us from all over the world. Lastbut not least, I would like to thank the currentstudents who acted as excellent hosts to theevent.

This year Rag Week was held between 11 - 18August and was aimed at raising money forcharities. We had the first ever FASH06: TheShow. This included a combination of actsincluding: a Hip Hop Dance, Arabic Dance,modelling, singing, performances on the Piano anda Prize Draw. A huge thank you must go out toStela Stefanova, Shammi Sellahewa, MikeMahon (all on the Business Enterprise course),Ricky Phakey, DJ Hana, DJ Sunil and everyoneelse who had helped in organising the magnificentevent. Bravo! An even bigger ‘Thank you’ should go out to all theperformers at the event, the models and of coursethe very generous sponsors: Browns, Villiers

Hotel and Nelle beauty and accessories. FASH06: The Show, which I had the honour ofpresenting, was a huge success and raised a totalof £950 for the following charities: Ali’s Dream,Kids Out and SOS Children’s Villages. In totalthe University managed to raise a whopping £2100for the above three charities. Here former SUPresident Manuel Escudero (LLB ’07) and formerSU Societies’ Co-ordinator Robyn-Dawn Lynes(LLB ’07), proudly present the cheques to therepresentatives of two of the three charities. Eachof the charities received £700. We congratulateRobyn-Dawn Lynes, as the student who raisedthe most funds during RAG Week.

Manuel Escudero, Charles Derbyshire from thecharity Ali’s Dream, Rae Spencer from Kids Outand Robyn-Dawn Lynes

As part of the celebrations, and to thank thestudents for our success in the National StudentSurvey, a party was held on Friday 3rd November.The renowned DJ Tim Westwood, who hasregular shows on Radio 1 and is often invited toplay in the Ministry of Sound came to ourUniversity. The party was great, the audience wasecstatic and the DJ was magnificent. The studentsreally appreciated this gesture by the University.

Unfortunately, I’ll be leaving in December andwould like to say good-bye to everyone from thepages of this Independent and wish you all thebest of luck in your future endeavours.

Best regards,Iva G. Netzova (LLM ‘05)

Iva’s News

Alumni at Work

Sanam Singh

UN of UniversitiesWhen I attended the Student ExchangeProgram that the University ofBuckingham has with the University ofSouthern Maine, Maine USA, I wasintroduced to the Law School as “astudent from the United Nations ofUniversities; a student from a universitythat has students and alumni from over 80countries.” I remember feeling really proudof where I have come from, but I add tothat today and say I feel extremelygrateful and privileged to be part of theBuckingham family.

After leaving Buckingham, I returned toIndia and taught law at the Amity LawSchool - Business laws and the Law ofContracts, Intellectual Property, and a newsubject that had just been introduced -Law & Emerging Technology. Not havingany legal education in India, I found thatthe discipline of self-study and preparationfor tutorials with which Buckingham hadequipped me, was a natural support onwhich to rely when it came to preparinglectures. I realised how much workactually goes into the teaching, and it is alot more than one thinks - so to all theLecturers and Tutors who patiently honeour legal skills, and sharpen our minds,Thank you for your support... I am sograteful to you as I reap the harvest ofthe seeds you had sown. No lawyer canknow the workings of the law until they getsome practice. I worked as an Advocatein the chambers of Mr. R. K. Anand, thenMP (Rajya Sabha) and designated SeniorAdvocate, for the last three yearspractising law at the Delhi High Court.

As I had completed the vocational trainingto be a solicitor at the Oxford Institute ofLegal Practice, I wanted to go back todoing some commercial work and drafting,so when I was offered an in-houseposition with the Azal Group (nowchanging its name to Azadea Group) asLegal Manager UAE, based in Dubai, Irecently made the move and love where Iam and what I am doing. The move herewas relatively easy, and what made it somuch easier is the fact that havingattended the “UN of Universities” I havegotten in touch with Buckingham alumni inDubai. Sanam Singh (LLB ’99 and LLM ’00)

After Buckingham…Imran Shafiq, a graduate of the 1994-1995 session of Buckingham LLBprogramme, is now working as asuccessful barrister in Pakistan. Aftergraduating from Buckingham University asa lawyer and being called to Bar atLincoln’s Inn, Imran made his way to theprestigious Georgetown University inWashington DC, where he completed hismasters degree in law. He then returnedto Pakistan equipped with the finest Britishand American legal education. Afterworking for a year with a local corporatefirm he then joined forces, as an advocateof the High Courts of Pakistan, with hisold Buckingham buddy, Mian Sultan TanvirAhmed. In the last 7 years, he hasmanaged to convert his partnership withSultan into a full- fledged law firm, dealingprimarily with Corporate, Banking and Taxlaw. At the moment, this firm has eightenergetic and fully-committed lawyersworking as a team dedicated to providingprofessional excellence. Imran is also onthe visiting faculty of one the best law andaccountancy schools in the country. He ismarried and has two children, a son and adaughter.

Sitting (l to r): Mian Sultan Tanvir Ahmedand Imran Shafiq Standing (l to r): Ammar Shaikh, YasserLatif Hamdani, Imran Mushtaq, HaroonDugal

The second member of this Buckinghamduo, Mian Sultan Tanvir Ahmed, also fromthe 1994-1995 session, took the sameLincoln’s Inn route to Bar, but unlike ImranShafiq, he opted to return to Pakistan topractise law directly. Soon after hisreturn, he was enrolled as an advocate ofthe High Court and established asuccessful practice. He initially workedwith two law firms but switched over to hispartnership with Imran Shafiq in 1999. Inthe sabbatical since, Sultan managed toearn a name for himself as a serious andeffective litigator. He is a buddingpolitician with national aspirations and likeImran, Sultan also devotes some time tothe instruction of law at well knownPakistani law schools. He is married andhas three children, two daughters and ason.

Imran Shafiq (LLB ’96)

News from DanielTheyagu

I graduated fromBuckingham in 1989,LLB(Hon). Onreturning toSingapore, I startedteaching Law forUniversity of Londonexternal students.

Following a Mastersin Education(Sheffield) viadistance learning, I

started conductingseminars and workshop on memoryenhancement and speed-reading. I thenmoved on to conducting workshops onnegotiation skills, conflict resolution andcreative thinking.

Next I did a PhD via distance learning withan American University. On the merits ofmy thesis, I managed to get an adjunctlecturing post at Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity (Singapore) teaching on thefollowing subjects:

Ways of Thinking for Creative Solutions inProblem solving; Leader’s Role in theDevelopment of People within anOrganization; Emotional Intelligence: andInsights from Shakespeare.

I’ve written three books so far: MakingMemory work for you; Guide to Success inStudies w/o tears or fears: for maturestudents and Developing True LeadershipPotential (co-written).

In 2005, after working for a number oforganizations, I started my ownconsultancy firm based in Singapore -Lateral Solutions Consultancy.I have also published articles inmagazines, journals and newspaper onManagement issues.

Dr Daniel Theyagu (LLB ’89)

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ADVERTISINGWith a circulation of 8,500, theIndependent opens Advertising

Pages for all our alumni.

You are more than welcome to takethis opportunity to publicise your

business. Please contact us with wording, logoetc., and indicate the size you wouldprefer. The costs will be: quarter £50,half £100, full £200, all in four colour

and based on A4 size sheet.

If you have any queries, pleasecontact:

Tel: +44 (0) 1280 820230

Email: alumni@buckingham.ac.uk

Dr Daniel Theyagu

Alumni at Work

Showing the RealImage of Africa tothe World

Gifted with a good sense of humour, agraceful height and good looks, JuneAkinyi Arunga could easily pass for the“nice girl next door.” On the busy streetsof Nairobi, where this outgoing womanoccasionally ventures out with friendswhenever she is in the country, few wouldpick her out from a crowd.

June Arunga (left) with RwandanPresident Paul Kagame at State House inKigali during the shooting of thedocumentary, Africa, Who Is to Blame?

But within the hallowed precincts of someAfrican palaces and other high placesacross the world, the 24-year-old is afamiliar face. In the course of her journeyin search of what she calls the true Africanstory, the budding Kenyan filmmaker hasrubbed shoulders with Rwanda’sPresident Paul Kagame, former TanzanianPresident Benjamin Mkapa and hisGhanaian counterpart, Jerry Rawlings,with whom she co-presented ‘’Africa! Whois to blame?’’

June has also come face to face withMargaret Thatcher, the former BritishPrime Minister, popularly referred to asthe Iron Lady during her tenure, and withSouth Africa’s Nobel Peace Laureate,Archbishop Desmond Tutu, among others.

And to her powerful hosts, she is the littlegirl from Kenya with a task of enormousproportions – to present the real image ofAfrica to the world.

“It is nauseating to keep blaming theWestern media for portraying Africa in abad light because to them it is war, famineand other things that make headlinesbecause they are not familiar with them. Itwill only be when we start giving ourstories that the trend will change,” shesays.

June already has her name on fourdocumentaries about Africa. Most of themseek to resolve the stubborn dilemma:Why is Africa, with all its potential wealth,still lagging behind in development?

In 2003, a production company in Londonwas looking for an African presenter for adocumentary about Africa’s hotspots –The Devil’s Footpath. June got the job,while still a university student, on thestrength of a good word put in for her bypeople who had worked with her onanother documentary entitled,Globalisation is Good, the previous year.

Tougher than she looks, her character isbuilt on the foundation of Kenya’s publicschool system and a middle classupbringing. The first of eight children,June was born in Nakuru, where herfather worked for John Deere. “My parentsand grandparents were the majorinfluences in my life,” she says. Sheattended Moi Primary and Kenya HighSchool before joining the University ofNairobi in 2000 to study medicine. But sheswitched to Law, which she pursued fortwo years and then quit after a students’strike. “It (University of Buckingham) isthe first ‘private school’ I attended,” shesays.

Two of her brothers are musicians –Jason Ombado is a local DJ, while theother studied Jazz and composition inNew York and has a world-touring band.Their younger brother is a high schoolstudent, as are two younger sisters.Another sister is at university in the USand the other is attending college inNairobi.

At just 24, June’s CV reads like that ofany top achiever in life. In March, shegraduated with a Law degree from theUniversity of Buckingham. But it is heradventure in the film world that has thrusther to international fame.

“When I moved to England, I did somework for the International Policy Network,which helped me get articles published innewspapers around the world. I wroteparticularly about trade and howgovernment policies affect entrepreneurs,”says June.

While researching for her articles, shewas inspired by ‘’In Defence of GlobalCapitalism’’, a book by Johan Norberg, aSwedish Economic historian. When shemet the author, she engaged him on howglobalisation has created opportunities inKenya.

Unknown to her, her sentiments really

impressed him and when Channel 4decided to do a documentary on the book,they called her to find out if she waswilling to work with Johan on the Kenyansegment.

For now, June says her dream is to makedocumentaries, if possible one every year,to tell the true African story. She alsohopes to start a talk show featuring peoplefrom Africa and beyond.

Story by Philip MwanikiPublication Date: 4/23/2006’’LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE’’

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Comments on ProfessorJohn Clarke’s article in the

previous Independent‘Thirty Years On’

Dear John,As the Independent is still one of the fewnewsletters which I receive in paper I tendto read it in bed. As much as this is acomfortable place to read it is not (yet!?)the place to respond immediately andinteractively in the online world to thearticles one reads. Usually, my goodintentions to "do something about it" areswept away by a good night's sleep.However, reading your article about 30years at UoB was such a joyfulexperience, evoking so many wonderfulmemories of my time as a Lektorin andstudent that my urge to thank you for itsurvived the night. I hope you had a greattime with all the celebrations.Unfortunately, I could not make it this time- but I am planning for the 40th.Have a great summer.

Birgit Otto (BSc Business Studies ’93)

Dear John,I enjoyed your reminiscences of 30 yearsago in "The Independent'. It's hard tobelieve that 30 years have rushed by sincewe met (actually, it's nearly 31: we first metat a UCB presentation in the Merchants'Hall, Edinburgh, in September 1995). It'salmost harder to believe that Buckinghamis where it is today, when you think of thecrises in the early years.

So how are things there these days? I getthe impression that the institution isthriving. I hope I'm right, because a lot ofpeople have invested a lot of their lives inmaking a go of the "Buckinghamexperiment".

All the best to you and all my friends atUB. Good luck for the next 30!

Professor Douglas Bridges

Alumni News

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The Next Generation

It was with great pride that Bianca and Ilearned from our son, Richard, that he hadcontacted Mr. Mike McCrostie regardingthe PEL program at the University ofBuckingham.

At that time, Richard was attending theUniversity of Louisville in Kentucky. Sincewe had moved to California and his sister,Sandra, was at Clemson University inSouth Carolina, he began to reflect uponhis own past and future.

Richard Vriesinga at Muskoka’s north ofToronto, Canada

After a few emails went back and forth,Mike asked Richard if he was related toMark and Roland Vriesinga, formerBuckingham students. Richardconfirmed that not only is Mark hisfather and Roland his uncle, but headded that his mother, Bianca, is also a

graduate of Buckingham (Law 1982).

Shortly afterwards, Richard contacted usto see if we would agree with his transferto Buckingham. We were delighted withRichard’s decision and impressed that,after 25 years and thousands of students,Mike still remembered us.

We were particularly pleased withRichard’s response to the question of whyhe chose to attend the University ofBuckingham. He felt that being born inEngland, having dual nationality (Dutchmother and Canadian father), but mainlygrowing up in the US, he needed abroader international exposure in order tosucceed in an increasingly globaleconomy.

The University of Buckingham bringstogether over 80 nationalities in arelatively small and personal setting wherestudents are not merely exposed to highlevel academic studies, but also to awealth of international influences. Whileacademic skills are important, equally sois the understanding of internationalcultures, the changes occurring globallyand how to relate to them.

Buckingham provided my wife, Bianca,and me with a truly wonderful experience

and great education. We are extremelyexcited for Richard to have the sameopportunity, and proud that he is one ofthe first generation of Alumni children.

Sandra has graduated with a B.A.(Honours) from Clemson University at thevery young age of 20, and will go on toLaw School in the United States, but looksforward to visiting her brother soon andbecoming acquainted with Buckingham.

Bianca and Mark Vriesinga on LagunaBeach, California

The founders of Buckingham, theStudents, the Alumni, the Staff, andperhaps most importantly the permanentresidents of Buckingham have a lot to beproud of.

Bianca Vriesinga (LLB ’82) and MarkVriesinga (BA Politics, Economics andLaw ‘81)

News from Sri Lanka

Pushpika Weerakoon

After completing my postgraduate studiesat Buckingham I arrived home in SriLanka for good in 2004 having completedthe New York bar review programconducted by the Center for Law Trainingin London. Ever since, the wordBuckingham has become a part of myeveryday vocabulary. In March 2004 theSri Lankan Sunday TIMES carried anarticle about me for the ‘Womens day’section in which I spoke highly of myuniversity and how it contributed to makeme the person I am today. It also carriedDr. Terence Kealey’s statement which heissued at the occasion of my receiving theCertificate of Excellence from the UKEducation minister in 2000 for the work Ihad done as the ‘Millennium Volunteer’ atthe Citizens Advice Bureau,Buckinghamshire.

While getting acquainted with the localscene, I completed a Diploma in Banking& Insurance and a Diploma in HumanRights, for which I prepared a researchand presentation entitled ‘Torture in the SriLankan Police Stations’. It not only wonthe award for the ‘Best Research andPresentation’ but also stirred up chaosamong the higher authorities (debates anddiscussions are still taking place aboutwhether or not to publish it!). For theresearch I had to visit police stations,morgues and speak to junior medicalofficers (JMOs) and victims of torture.which is not something normally done bya girl of my background and age butluckily my parents, and especially mybrother, understand my interests andsupported me, making me feel secure atall times. Mr M.C.M. Iqbal, Consultant forthe Human Rights Commission Sri Lanka,acknowledged my research andpresentation abilities. He, and now mostof my peers in the legal profession, knowthat these abilities were fostered by thetraining I got from my lecturers in the LawSchool and the Psychology departmentsat Buckingham. The late night discussionsand training sessions prior to the‘Buckingham Friends PresentationCompetition’ or the ‘Mooting competitions’in the law library, Verney Cafeteria or the

Refectory are memories I often re-live.

In 2005 I represented Sri Lanka at the‘Leadership Training for Women’programme conducted by the USA StateDepartment. I was in Washington, NewYork, Philladelpia and St Louis. Thehighlight of the tour was the meetingorganised by the First Lady, Laura Bushand by Condoleezza Rice to congratulatewomen leaders who have contributed tothe betterment of society. I was proud tohave been able to represent my country atsuch an important gathering. Just beforewe left I was recognised as the ‘Mostversatile and friendliest’ participant. Suchbehaviour I believe was made possible bythe multi-cultural student body Iassociated with at Buckingham. The get-togethers in the Verney Park kitchentaught me a lot about foreign culture andquite a few important foreign phraseswhich made my fellow participants feel Iwas one of them at all times.

At the moment, as the Director / Registrarof the Alternative Dispute ResolutionInstitute, I conduct workshops under theguidance of my Chairman Hon.S.S.Wijeratne, to promote island- widemediation. Relief is provided by Mediationin disputes, especially those caused by

Alumni News

the Tsunami disaster. We have conductedworkshops in the Tsunami affected areasto train the grass root level leaders onMediation and relevant legal knowledgeand building on past success we arelooking forward to extend the training tothe non-Tsunami areas.

I’d love to get in touch with all my friendsworldwide and hear from my dearlecturers. So do please keep in touch(Email: pushpiweerakoon@yahoo.co.ukMobile: 077 3760044)

I wish Dr Terence Kealey and the entireBuckingham University all success in their

future endeavours!

With much Love…Pushpi.

Pushpika Weerakoon (LLB ’02 and PGDInternational and Commercial Law ‘ 04)

7

Director’s Debut

Klaus Pas, Director

“Displaced” (Déplacés) is my first shortfilm, shot with a professional French crew.We have shown the film at Kodak Parisand the audience responded verypositively. My director of photography,Isabelle Dumas had previously worked onthe “Césars” studded film “The beat thatmy heart skipped” by French directorJacques Audiard.

I finished my BA in Financial Services inMarch 2001 and moved back to Geneva. Irather promptly got myself a job in privatebanking, joining the Junior Key PeopleProgram at UBS. I stayed with the bankfor two years, working with client advisors,portfolio managers, real estate fundmanagers and SME M&A advisors - twoyears of great experience that taught mewhat the professional private bankingworld is all about… and that it wasn’tgoing to be mine.

So in October 2003, I arrived in Paris tostart a one-year theoretical film-directingprogram at ESEC. I then decided tocontinue my studies with a newly created,practical two-year Master in Fine Arts FilmDirecting program at EICAR, theinternational film school of Paris.“Displaced” is my thesis film, an EICAR &Pasmania Entertainment Ltd. co-production. The film is about Arnaud, who runs afamous jazz club in Paris, where ‘’thedisplaced ‘’gravitate, victims of globalchanges affecting our increasingly global

society. He has to decide the fate of twoillegal immigrants, Mady and his sonMustafa, displaced from their cotton fieldsin Mali as a result of global trade and solesurvivors of a terrible fire which madethem seek shelter in his cellar. To the beatof Smokey Sam, who can’t make it backto New Orleans because of hurricaneKatrina, Sylvia the Polish waitress, one ofmany EU migrants, and lovers Mei Lineand Jia Wei, two generations of Chineseimmigrants and restless musician Davidgather to witness Mady’s cry of hope. Oneday in the life of Arnaud where he has tomake a choice that should change viewsof life beyond jazz.

Déplacés – the Poster

Much like life at Buckingham, this filmdeals with the richness of an increasinglymulti-cultural society and the importanceof open-mindedness.

I would be happy to donate a copy of theDVD for the University of BuckinghamLibrary and maybe for a projection in theChandos Road lecture room, if those stilltake place.

With Pasmania Entertainment Ltd.(www.pasmania.com), we are currentlyraising the finance for a documentaryabout the reintegration of former childsoldiers in Liberia. In the meantime, mybrother Cédric is back from Buckinghamwith his Law degree and his LLM; maybehe will join my adventure as anentertainment lawyer.

See you all in February for the GraduationBall.

Klaus Pas (BSc Financial Services ’01)

The University Of Life(not Buckingham!)

I never conformed, I was always hardto teach,At The University Of Life, I studythe streets.

Law and Economics I’ve neverselected,Hustling and fighting were my courseelectives.

I research pain, I interpret funeralmemorials, Many lessons learnt without lecturersor tutorials.

The University Of Life, this is whereI am taught, My major is staying alive it’s thedegree that I sought.

I have only one chance I’m notoffered re sits, If I fail any exams my life will ceaseto exist.

I studied street smarts, it was mymaster’s degree,After that postgraduate I pursued arobbing PHD.

As for my Thesis I analysed thestress of my peers, The University Of Life, I attended allof my years.

©2006 by Domek D. Rolle (LLB ‘07)

Engagements... Marriages ... and Births

Congratulations to all the followingalumni who have recently married,become engaged or added to theirfamilies:

Engagements

Mohamad Berjawi (MSc InternationalHotel Management ’01) and his fiancéeAmal Harati are happy to announce theirengagement which took place on 5 May2006 at the Habtoor Grand Hotel in Beirut,Lebanon.

Marriages

Jordanne Beach (BA English Literature’04) and her husband Jeff Beach arehappy to announce their wedding. Theywere married at the Polk CountyCourthouse in Des Moines on the2 February 2006.

Births

Jeremy Garson (BSc Business Studies’85) and his wife Kristin Garson arehappy to announce the birth of theirsecond child a baby boy, Ambrose, abrother to Magnus.

Anand Verma (BSc Computer Science’98 and MSc Computing ’03) and hiswife Veena Shah (MBA ’01) are happy toannounce the birth of baby Verma. Hewas born on 20 July 2006 and we namedhim “Ruhan”. Both baby and mummy aredoing well.

Marina Ganeva (BA Politics, Economicsand Law ‘01) and her husband Rob arehappy to announce the birth of theirbeautiful daughter named, Isabella, bornon 29 August 2006.

Haley Camp (LLB ‘06) is thrilled toannounce the surprise arrival of herbeautiful baby boy, Caleb Mitchell Camp,at 11.54am on 1 April 2006 weighing in at8lb 3oz. Caleb is a very much treasuredand adored addition to her family.

Nelly Lim How (BSc in ComputerScience with Applicable Maths’ 94) andher husband Melvin Cheung Chin Yanare pleased to announce the birth of theirdaughter Tanya Kelly Cheung Chin Yanon 4 October 2005. Here’s Tanya withher brother Dylan.

Anna Pigoulevski (nee Novokova) (BScEconomics with French ‘ 99) and herhusband Dmitri Pigoulevski are happy toannounce the birth of their daughterSasha. This is what Anna had to sayabout Sasha ‘’ She was born on 22 March2006 in Suresnes, France. It was 3 daysbefore my 8th month of pregnancy, soshe was considered to be a bit premature.But since she weighted in at 3 kg andwas 50cm tall, the doctors let us out of thehospital after 4 days. From the verybeginning she was a really calm baby. Atone month she managed to sleep throughthe whole night. Therefore I don’t knowwhat a “sleepless night” means. She is avery easy baby, who brings a lot ofhappiness and lovely moments to herparents’’.

Mina Kawakami (nee Takahashi) (BScBusiness Studies with InternationalTourism ’00) is happy to announce thebirth of her son. This is what Mina has tosay about him ‘’Taisuke Kawakami wasborn on 29 November 2005. He weighedin at 3.48kg but now he is almost 8kg.Time flies so quickly!’’

8

Alumni at the ‘Homecoming Weekend’

A Look Back at the30th Anniversary “HomecomingWeekend”

The 30th Anniversary ”HomecomingWeekend” will always be for me and myfamily a weekend to remember. It was acelebration of what was, and arediscovering of a place I once knew.

It was an excellent opportunity to showthis special place to my wife and son andto catch up with old friends, meet somenew people, remember the old times atBuckingham and take note of all changes.

It was good to be brought up to date byDr. Terence Kealey, Vice-Chancellor, onthe excellent progress the University hasmade over the years and to hear of theplans for the future.

During homecoming, festivities united theUniversity and Alumni, forming a sense ofone big family that keeps the traditionsand spirit of the University alive throughthe generations.

Rixa, Alon and Daniel Fosman with AnneMatsuoka at the 30th Anniversary‘’Homecoming Weekend’’

In a speech at the Buckingham graduationceremony on the 20 February 1993referring to the uniqueness ofBuckingham, Lady Margaret ThatcherChancellor Emeritus of the University said:

” The friendships you make here will lastthroughout your life, and as so many ofyou will climb to positions of leadershipand responsibility, will equip you withworld contacts, which will be invaluable”.

Indeed being part of the BuckinghamAlumni community for many years now,enabled me and others to network withhighly qualified professionals all aroundthe world and to keep in touch with somany friends from so many countries.

During this fabulous weekend I had achance to meet many alumni and I wasimpressed with the pride we all have inour University and the level ofcommitment and affinity that we all sharetowards the University. It is this level ofcommitment which advances a University.

The feeling of all of us at the HomecomingWeekend was that once you are a part ofthe Buckingham family, you never reallyleave. It is always with you.

We could all feel and see that after somany years the University has a uniqueatmosphere, unlike that of any otherUniversity. It is still small and friendly anda place where staff get to know studentsas individuals. It is this experience that weall had here that shaped our views whenwe left.

Our Alumni community is one of thegreatest resources upon which theUniversity can depend. Our communitycan offer the richest potential for advice,expertise, advocacy, student recruitmentand support to the future growth anddirections of the University.

Fostering, building and developing astrong spirit of co-operation between theUniversity and the alumni community, willadd enormously to the prestige of theUniversity.

The 30th Anniversary ”HomecomingWeekend” was a great success. I wish toextend a warm and special thank you toeveryone who was involved in organizingthis unforgettable weekend and to allthose who devoted enormous time andenergy to its success.

It was a pleasure and privilege to be ableto return home and feel once again anintegral part of the Buckingham family. AsAnne Matsuoka rightly said “you are allstudents for a couple of years but Alumnifor the rest of your lives”.

Daniel Fosman (LLB ’86)

On July 29th I arrived early at theUniversity grounds and found myself faceto face with the Vice-Chancellor as I waswalking round the Hunter street groundsand wondering whether anybody elsewould turn up. At last they turned up inlarge numbers. Things have changed somuch for the better here. We started offlectures in a milk shed in 1976 and todaybeautiful structures have taken the placeof dilapidated buildings.

Charlotte Walsh, Dean of Law and FelixKalu at the 30th Anniversary‘’Homecoming Weekend’’

The weather was beautiful and the Vice-Chancellor addressed us in the newlecture theatre. The Lord Chamberlain(Lord Luce, former Vice-Chancellor)secretary to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabethspoke to us at great length. We werelucky to have a political guru in theUniversity administration and he remindsme of our late Mr Ramsden who raised alot of funds for the University.

During my days we lived in beautifulstudent accommodation at Page Hill andwe enjoyed playing football and rugby andsometimes during the weekend we visitedthe nightclub in Milton Keynes, whichreminded me…While I was in theUniversity I had an account with Barclaysbank at the town centre. My account thenwas always in the red. On one occasion Imet my Bank Manager at the nightclub.When he looked the other way, Idisappeared through the back door like abullet and I never went back again to thatclub until I left the University.

Buckingham University prepared us andalso groomed us to go into the outsideworld with our heads high and our feetsolidly on the ground. We arrived in thecollege in 1976 under the tutelage ofProfessor Beloff who taught us Russianand American politics. Professor Clarketaught us European history as a minorsubject. We were in the hands of the bestlaw professors in the land namely MrClifford Hall, Professor Philip James,Professor Hood- Philips, ProfessorAndrew Durand, Mr Boukavik and a hostof other visiting professors.

While we were on campus I visited theSchool of Law and I was one of thoseaddressed by the Dean of the LawSchool, Mrs Charlotte Walsh, who iselegant and pretty. We were told of theSchool of Law’s expansion and how theynow offer a number of subjects for theLLM, as well as diploma courses.

9

Alumni News

The University prepared us well and thencatapulted us to all the continents to goand serve the people and earn our living.The University has improved beyondrecognition in line with the spirit of thefounding fathers to whom we must allremain grateful. The Law School now hasa dignified law library named after LordDenning. This was the brainchild ofProfessor James.

My life after graduating has been one ofhappiness due to the solid foundation Ihad from the University. Professor Jameswould ask you to confront any problemfacing you head on. I thank ProfessorClarke who confidently encouraged me tostudy at Buckingham at a time when therewas no assurance that things would workout. Most of the Professors who taught meare now deceased but I still carry theirgood memories. I thank all those whoplayed their part in welcoming us toBuckingham, not forgetting the wonderfultea ladies and the cleaners, and I shalllook forward to attending future events.

Chief Felix U Kalu (LLB ’78)

Buckingham AlumnaOpens New Art andCraft Centre

I am very excited indeed to give aninformation update to Buckingham Alumniall around the world on the opening of mynew Art & Craft Centre. I have just opened“Da Vinci Arts & Craft CreativeDevelopment Centre” in Ampang Point,Selangor. We offer Junior Da Vinci KidsArt Programme (Age 5 to 11), whichincludes basic drawing, colour study, arthistory of famous artists, craft making etc.

The Centre was officially opened on 30September 2006 and consists of artprogrammes/workshops for children, retailof arts & craft material/supplies and agallery.

Badliza Badrudin and children at the DaVinci Arts & Craft Creative DevelopmentCentre

We also invite those who wish to sell ordisplay their works of art and crafts at ourgallery “Katz Gallery”. For further info,email to info@orangekatz.com or visitwww.orangekatz.com.

In addition to that, I am in my last stage ofdoing my MBA in General & StrategicManagement (Maastricht School ofManagement, Netherlands) and will bestarting on my thesis soon.

Badliza Badrudin (BSc (Econ)Accounting and Financial Management’95)

News fromRon Esparon

Born in the Seychelles, but raised in theUS, Australia and Seychelles, Ron hasalways enjoyed travelling and meetingnew people. So it was no surprise whenhe decided to leave his island home andtravel to the UK.

Upon completing an MSc in ServiceManagement in 2002 and meeting manyspecial friends, Ron returned to theSeychelles, to take on the role of PricingDepartment Manager for Air Seychelles.His new role complemented his previousposition as Courier Manager and FedExcountry manager with Air Seychelles, priorto joining Buckingham.

With his new responsibilities of aviationpricing, contracting, pricing systems andgroups, he now had a very rounded viewof the airline business.

Always trying to assist in any way hecould, he has been caught up inpromotions of Air Seychelles, theSeychelles Tourism Board and othertourism companies.

Over the next couple of years, thelearning bug began to itch again, as didthe desire to apply his learnings from theMSc course in a more practical way.Rather than follow his aviation peers tothe opportunities of other larger airlinesthat were knocking on his door, heapplied, along with 350 other hopefulMD’s, Directors and CEO from around theworld, to join a London (Mayfair) basedconsulting company.

Ron Esparon

The selection process lasted a period of 3months and now, along with 4 others, Ronis an Associate Consultant, workingtowards a consulting accreditation.

Still based in the Seychelles, he is theBusiness Analyst for the largestDestination Management Company, wherehe has an integral part in the developmentof the company. Coupled with this, he isalso the Groups and Incentives Managerfor the same company; Creole TravelServices. His service and businessmanagement approach has already begunto pay dividends, with the companyhaving hosted the largest delegation inSeychelles history in October, along withmany more groups over the comingmonths.

Ron has many goals in life, but hisultimate professional goal is “someday tobe a leader in the service industry, not justin Seychelles but world wide. I think I’mon the right track to helping others.”

Ron Esparon (MSc ServiceManagement ’03)

10

Quotes of the SeasonThank you very much for your kindbirthday wishes. My nephew, OwenWells, is now attendingBuckingham.Edward Turner (LLB ’83)

Thanks a lot for your warm wisheson the occasion of my birthday. It isa pleasurable feeling to be a part ofthe Buckingham alumni net andevery notice reminds me of thegreat time I had at BuckinghamUniversity once more.Yours sincerely,Dr. Axel van Dreveldt (LLM)

Alumni News

Extraordinary isPossible

Patricia Prada Jimenez

“…I think of England as one thinks of aloved one, as something unique andirreplaceable.” If the brilliant Jorge L.Borges allowed me I would very much liketo use his fabulous phrase and extend itto Buckingham.

Coming from Argentina and itscircumstances in 2003 was one of themost important decisions I have made inmy life. Convinced of what I wanted toachieve I embarked on a fascinatingadventure. Once I arrived in Buckingham,went on the usual campus tour and metall the wonderful people who welcomestudents on their first and, to many,frightening day at University, I was certainthis was were I should be. Borges alsoonce said: “ …my first encounter waschance, the second one was mereconfirmation…” - I hope the poet wouldexcuse my translation. Buckingham waswhat I had expected and even more.

I started my degree in the Department ofEconomics and International Studies,doing a BA (Hons) in International Studieswith French. I was lucky to be surroundedby a group of students who became goodfriends and I had the chance of learningfrom many of the best academics that thiscountry has, whose encouragement andsupport helped me through my work.

There were difficult times too. But at thosemoments all I would think was: “I need tobelieve that something extraordinary canhappen…” And many extraordinary thingsDID happen. Thanks to those here and inArgentina who believed in me - and a lotof hard work! - I finished my studies andachieved my goals.

When everyone thought I was leaving…Irealised that I had not had enough of it!And therefore I decided to stay inBuckingham a little longer. This time I hadthe opportunity to work in the Universityand, after all the help I had received, give

something back. I first attempted this bytrying to remind all our alumni (of) allUniversity of Buckingham gives to eachand every one of us while we are here. Tomy surprise the response I got wasoverwhelmingly positive. They did notneed reminding at all. The Alumni Officehas been doing a brilliant job all theseyears by keeping in touch with all whowere here once and are now in far distantcorners of the world. I discovered thatthere are many like myself who had theirbest and life-changing experiences duringtheir time at Buckingham and have fondmemories that they will cherish forever.

I also had the opportunity to coordinatethe Study Abroad and Internshipsprogrammes for UB and visiting students.This, which is part of the work I carry outthese days, has given me the chance tohelp a lot of students who want toenhance their career prospects byundergoing work experience in Europe. Itis also a pleasure to welcome studentsfrom other universities in various countrieswho join us for a short period of time andhave a ‘taste’ of Buckingham.

These are just some of all the wonderfulthings that have happened to me since Icame to Buckingham. But it does not endhere…something even more extraordinaryhappened…

You will find out in our Winter issue!

Patricia Prada Jimenez (BA (Hons) in International Studies withFrench ’05), (MPhil History), Co-ordinator, Study Abroad & Internships

Dear folks at theAlumni Office,

Let me first of all congratulate you on thesuperb job you are doing kindlingmemories, keeping us Buckinghamdiasporas in touch and updating us.

In Malaysia the civil service retirementage is 55 and recently raised to 56. Inmany corporations it remains at 55, alegacy of our British colonial past. But I’mnot complaining.

Today marks my 55th birthday and thatmeans I’m entitled to discounteddomestic air travel tickets. Phew! Itseemed a long wait.

I spent this morning at a charity food saleto raise money for handicapped children.They are not so well taken care of by thegovernment as in England. We sold,

guess what, “buttered rice and curriedchicken”.

This is a dish I used to cook while stayingat Hunter Street and my classmates usedto lap it up. This morning was a fieryversion unlike the mild ones you are usedto. Come and visit Malaysia for a taste ofthe real thing....CURRY!

Being self employed and thoroughlyenjoying what I do as a Courtroom lawyerI’ll carry on working until I can no longercarry my briefcase to the office. Whywould I give up what I studied for atBuckingham?

The studies and the place were mostmemorable and the vocation touches thevery essence of being a human being...the seeking of justice and the settling ofdisputes between man and man, and manand his government.

Raymond J Noel

I must come and visit you all once again.It’s been 16 years and I am sure theplace has changed but the pictures I carryin my heart just don’t seem so out of date.They are vibrant, warm and chockfull ofdelightful moments, reading lists, tutorialpreparations, the occasional ticking offfrom a lecturer and having to get up forlectures in the winter are excluded fromthe lists of “delightful moments”. You can’tget delight in going to the Denning Lawlibrary only to find “that” particular volumehas been “checked out’’!

Raymond J Noel (LLB ’91)Kuching, Malaysia

11

DIARY DATE

ALUMNI SUMMERPARTY 2007!

FRIDAY, 22 JUNE

Venue and other detailsto follow

University News

Science atBuckingham

(From l–r) Dr Philip Fine, Prof. Jon Arch, DrSabah Jassim, Prof. Mike Cawthorne

The Founders of the University ofBuckingham were adamant that aUniversity could not just be a Law andBusiness School but must also includeScience and the Humanities. Thus, oneof the first courses at Buckingham was‘Science in Society’ and was available asa free choice to many of the earlystudents.

Unfortunately Science is expensive,requiring laboratories and costlyequipment. Without Government funding,Buckingham has had to tread anaffordable path and develop specialitiesand niche areas where it could achieveCentre of Excellence status. Thus, wenow have undergraduate andpostgraduate courses in AppliedComputing and Psychology. Science isalso about research and finding ordeveloping new things. Buckingham hasinternationally rated research in AppliedComputing where the European Unionfunded SecurePhone project is beingdesigned to stop mobile phone theft.

With the appointment of Professor MikeCawthorne as Dean, Science hasemerged from its closet in the BusinessSchool and is looking to develop new andexciting courses and research that willattract tomorrow’s scientific leaders.

The Clore Laboratory is an internationallyrecognised research centre for diabetes,obesity and metabolic disease led by MikeCawthorne and Jon Arch. Both of themhave track-records in drug discovery inthe pharmaceutical industry. Mike led theteam that first recognised the potential ofinsulin sensitising drugs and thenidentified and developed rosiglitazone(Avandia), which now has multi-billiondollar sales. Jon pioneered research onthermogenic drugs as anti-obesitytreatments. Mike and Jon each have morethan 100 peer-reviewed publications.

Much research funding comes frompharmaceutical and biotechnologycompanies and the research group hascontributed to the successful progressioninto clinical studies of four novel agents.

One of the research interests of thelaboratory is why babies who are bornsmall are more prone to develop obesity,type 2 diabetes and cardiovasculardisease if adequately fed in later life. Thisis particularly important in countriesundergoing transition to a more Westerndiet and affluent culture. It appears thatthe baby who is born small andexperiences poor nutrition in utero isprogrammed to conserve energy for life.This obviously provides protection in nearfamine or nomadic conditions when foodis not universally available. However, itleads to obesity if food is plentiful. TheUniversity of Buckingham was a pioneerin identifying a mechanism for thisprogramming and identifying possibleways of re-programming new-borns tohave lifelong resistance to obesity. Thisresearch gained Dr Claire Stocker of theClore Laboratory the prestigiousInternational Association for the Study ofObesity Young investigator Award at itslast four yearly conference.

It is estimated that there will be more than300 million diabetics in the world by 2025and the number with obesity will be wellover a billion. Much of this increase willoccur in developing countries where manypeople will be unable to afford or unwillingto use ‘Western’ medicine. Consequentlythere is a need to identify natural productswith appropriate actions and to validatetheir use. The Clore Laboratory has ahistory of working on such projectsincluding Hoodia from S Africa andGuggul lipid from India.

The Clore Laboratory provides anexcellent training ground in laboratoryresearch. Students benefit from anintegrated biology approach, and theirDPhil degrees are highly rated byresearch groups worldwide. In addition tothe laboratory-based projects, a researchdegree and a taught MSc programme inbioinformatics are available. The ability toefficiently manage and interrogate thewealth of data now available requires acombination of computationalmethodologies and biologicalunderstanding. The taught MSc courseprovides intensive training in softwaredevelopment, database technologies andmolecular genetics and is suitable forgraduates with biological and non-biological backgrounds. The course isjointly managed by Applied Computingand the Clore Laboratory.

Computing at Buckingham has evolvedover the years and has been activelyinvolved in cutting edge technology andcollaborative research projects. TheDepartment of Applied Computing,formally known as Information Systems,has forged collaborative links with

international research institutions,contributes to major EU and UK researchprojects, and is interested in technologytransfer and industrial collaborations.

Currently, Applied Computing research isfocused on the emerging technologies ofmobile wireless networks and theirsecurity, face recognition for mobiledevices, and biomedical imaging. Thedepartment has been successful inattracting EU funding and is activelyinvolved in technology transfer. The mostrecent EU funded projects areSecurePhone and BroadWan. The work ofSecurePhone is led by Dr Sabah Jassim(head of the department) and involvesface recognition for Personal DigitalAssistants (PDA). Professor Chris Adamswho is a leading authority on wirelessnetwork technology leads the work of theBroadWan programme which is concernedwith the utilisation of broadband networksfor business, organisations, education,healthcare and local authorities. Thedepartment is actively involved in settingup a number of consortia for further EUbased research projects. In collaborationwith colleagues in the Clore Lab, they arealso developing research projects onimage processing/analysis for biomedicalimages.

The department has been developingpostgraduate and undergraduate degreeprogrammes that reflect their researchstrengths. These include an MSc inInnovative Computing, the MSc inBioinformatics, BSc in Computing and aCertificate in Computing (for non-computing graduates as a Pre-Masters ora stand alone programme). The taughtcourses are designed to equip studentswith the knowledge to meet the shortageof skills in emerging new technologies.Innovative courses include data mining,imaging, wireless and mobiletechnologies, and information security.

The department also offers researchprogrammes leading to MPhil and DPhildegrees in computing. The main areas ofresearch include biometric authenticationtechniques, information security, mobileand wireless communication andnetworking, database and data mining,multimedia systems, content-based videoand image databases and retrievaltechniques, biomedical image databasesystems and medical image analysis.

The Psychology department is focusedprimarily upon delivery of the singlehonours BSc Psychology course whichwas first introduced in 2004. However, allthe core members of staff are engaged intheir own research projects.

12

Philip Fine’s main research interest is thearea of music psychology. He has just hada journal article published which looks atthe effects of various factors on howaccurately singers can read music atsight. Current music psychology projectsinclude an investigation into how intervalsize affects singing pitching accuracy, anexploratory study of the factors affectinglisteners’ understanding of singers’ words,and a preliminary investigation into genderdifferences between musical instrumentlearners and professional players. Philip isalso carrying out cognitive research withHelen Clegg and Linda Luckhurst into themental processes expert crypticcrossword enthusiasts use to solvecrosswords. Philip’s recent and currentcollaborations include those withinvestigators in the UK (Oxford and YorkUniversities; music colleges in Londonand Manchester), Italy (University ofBologna) and America (Universities ofHouston and Wisconsin).

Alan Martin’s research interests includechildren’s understanding of scientificconcepts, conceptual change,developmental psychology andevolutionary psychology. He is currentlywriting up papers from his research intothe development of children’sunderstanding of science and exploringresearch opportunities with thepsychology department’s visitingProfessor David McLoughlin; lookingparticularly at the effectiveness of variousspecial needs provisions used within theeducation system.

Linda Luckhurst has just embarked upona Doctorate in Counselling Psychologyand Psychotherapy by ProfessionalStudies (DCPsych) with the MetanoiaInstitute, which also has a significantresearch component. Linda is also usingher expertise in counselling within theUniversity of Buckingham student supportdepartment.

This short summary of the researchactivity within the School of Scienceillustrates that it is very human centred.Research at Buckingham is concernedwith human health, security,communication, artistic appreciation andproduction, learning and emotional wellbeing. Therefore, at Buckingham we aremaking our own contribution to a broadrange of specific but important scientificfields that touch people’s everyday lives.

Dr Alan MartinLecturer in Psychology and DeputySenior Tutor

International NegotiationCompetition for LawStudents 2006, Orlando,FloridaTom Durbin and Denise Saunders havebeen named “runners up” in theprestigious International NegotiationCompetition which took place in July thisyear in Orlando, Florida.

Denise Saunders, Janice Denoncourt andTom Durbin (back)

This was a truly international competitionwith sixteen Law Schools from around theworld participating, including HarvardUniversity.

Representing England and Wales, theBuckingham pair had to negotiate threeseparate scenarios relating to a fictitiousinternational film production. Buckinghamfaced teams from Singapore, the USA andPuerto Rico. One American judge,commenting on Buckingham’s performancestated, “The team was professional,pleasant and efficient. There were timeswhen I forgot you were law students!”Ultimately, the overall winner was the teamfrom the University of Otago, New Zealand.

Competitors were treated to dinner at theHard Rock Café in Downtown Disney andprovided with passes to visit the UniversalStudios attraction. “It was an incrediblyrewarding experience and I have met lots ofgreat future lawyers from around the world”,said Tom, originally from Bristol.

Mrs Charlotte Walsh, Dean of the LawSchool, remarked, “The team’s results aretestament to the Law School’s efforts toproduce top law graduates. Many thanks tothe University of Buckingham Foundationfor their sponsorship.”

Tom and Denise are now in their final yearat the Law School. The first-ratenegotiation skills they have developed willbe an asset in their legal careers.

Finally, Buckingham will host the NationalNegotiation Competition Finals next year in March 2007. This will furtherenhance the University’s reputation as a topLaw School. Internal knock-out rounds willtake place in January 2007 and all LLB andLLM students are eligible to participate.

Janice DenoncourtLecturer in Law, Faculty Advisor

The MA in Global Affairs– Successful Launch of

Masters Programme

Students from Bulgaria, Burundi,Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan andthe United Arab Emirates (twelve inall) gathered in Buckingham for thelaunch of the new mastersprogramme in Global Affairs in theDepartment of Economics andInternational Studies in September,2006. To our delight, many of thestudents have the closest personallinks with the University, seven ofthem being Buckingham alumni.

Dr Deborah Davenport, Lecturer inInternational Political Economy andProgramme Coordinator, ProfessorJohn Clarke, Secretary of theUniversity and Professor of ModernHistory; and Dr Charles Henn, Co-Director and Founder of theProgramme, Consultant Professorand University College atBuckingham alumnus, are allteaching on the innovativeprogramme this term; their coursesare in International EnvironmentalPolitics; Medieval History andInternational Political Law,respectively. Courses fromProfessor Richard Langhorne,Professor Martin Ricketts and DrCornelia Navari will follow in thenew year. In April, 2007, theDepartment will be welcoming anew cohort onto the MA in GlobalAffairs.

Staff and some students currentlyon the MA in Global Affairs course

We are confident that students fromthis extraordinary Masters coursewill go on to make history. Watchthis space for news of futuredevelopments in their careers andvisit the website:www.buckingham.ac.uk/internationalfor more details of the programme.

Department of Economics andInternational Studies

University News

13

University News

University of BuckinghamCelebrates 15th Year of itsUnique Service ManagementProgrammes

On 28 July 2006, the University ofBuckingham held a one-day programmeon the theme, Profitable growth throughCustomer R 3 - Retention, Repurchaseand Referrals, in celebration of 15 yearsof education and research in themanagement of services – an area ofspecialisation that sets the Universityapart from all other Universities in the UKand Europe.

The University’s Chief Operating Officer,Mr Julian Lovelock, opened theproceedings with an overview of theBusiness school and its variousachievements. Even though over 70% ofUK’s GDP comes from services and mostadditional employment is generated byservices in much of the western world, theacademic community has been very slowin responding to this shift in economicactivity. While some universities offerspecialist programmes in hotelmanagement, tourism, transportation,retail, etc, there is no university other thanBuckingham that offers a genericprogramme in the management ofservices.

The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Terence Kealey,provided a macro view of how the globaleconomy is shifting. Rather than worryingabout the UK’s economy shifting frommanufacturing to services, he suggestedthat we should view the shift withoptimism. Just as total employmentdwindled from 70% of the population inagriculture a few centuries ago to a mere1.5% today, thanks to automation andscientific innovation, a similar trend isbeing seen in manufacturing. Innovationbeing fuelled by investment in R&D,robotics and automation, is reducing totalemployment in manufacturing. Within adecade or so, almost 90% of UKemployment will be in the services, hepredicted.

The Programme Director of ServiceManagement at the University,V.S.Mahesh spoke on the conferencetheme of customer retention, repurchaseand referral based on extensive researchcarried out at the University with supportfrom major corporations and publicservices. The Lean Service Guru, JohnBicheno, another veteran at the University,provided several examples of how the fiveprinciples of Lean thinking are applied tomake services more efficient and reliable.

(From l-r) Sue Lampard (2000), SuzannaTomassi (2001), Fola Jolade (2001), DebaBardhan Correia (2000), V.S.Mahesh,Gordon Stoddart (2001), John Bicheno andJorge Correia (1999)

Rowland Dexter, Managing Director ofQgate addressed the conference on CRM –commonly understood to be CustomerRelations Management but in Mr Dexter’slexicon also termed Customer ReallyMatters. He emphasised how much simplerand easier to use CRM solutions havebecome. Jorge Pinto Correia, who is on theverge of completing a DPhil at theUniversity, shared the outcome of hisresearch on how organisations need tomove beyond CRM to Knowledge co-creation. The movement from explicitknowledge that can be held in computers totacit knowledge that is internalised byhuman beings is not an easy step but onethat has to be taken by modern dayorganisations, he said.

Gordon Stoddart, one of the distinguishedalumni of the University’s ServiceManagement programme and currentlydirector of Innergy presented a case thatdemonstrated how an organisationachieved a dramatic turnaround bygenerating commitment and buy-in from allemployees. His key message was that acompelling case had to be first created togenerate top management buy-in.

What many considered to be the piece deresistance of the conference was apresentation by Neil Whitaker, Head ofLocal Business support at Barclay’sGadbrook Park in Cheshire. He detailed thevery simple and humane principles of theirfitness and well being programme that hasbeen institutionalised by them. Theaudience were able to understand how andwhy they won the European call centre ofthe year award in 2005 – marked byremarkably low levels of attrition andabsenteeism.

There were also participants fromorganisations such as Seimens, Barclays,Hays, Thames Water, United Utilities,Surrey Police and the University of Surreyplus several alumni and current studentsfrom the MSc Service Managementprogramme.

V S MaheshProgramme Director ServiceManagement

News from the FoundationOfficeMany readers of the Independent haveasked me to explain the role of theFoundation and its relationship with theUniversity. It was set up in 2002 with thespecific task of raising money to help fundUniversity projects. Any funds raised aresolely to help the University; donors mayrequest that their gifts be used for specificpurposes that benefit the University, orthey may ask that the University use theirdonations for whatever projects it regardsas most urgent. The Foundation is thereto serve the University and its needs.

Forward Together - 30th AnniversaryCampaign 2006-2012The Foundation office has enjoyed a verybusy and fruitful time since the last issueof the Independent. Our new fundraisingdrive to celebrate the University’s 30th

anniversary has got off to an excellentstart. Both old and new donors haveresponded enthusiastically to our newbrochure and those of you who attendedthe Homecoming will have received acopy. Unfortunately, I was unable to attendthe event but I heard very good reports. Ifthose of you who were not present wouldlike to receive a copy of the brochure docontact the Foundation office and we willhappily send one to you. If you prefer, youmay download a copy from theFoundation’s web pageswww.buckingham.ac.uk/ubfoundation; if youwould like to join the campaign, you willalso find all the relevant information there.

Donations received in 2006This has been an exciting time for theFoundation as the donations for 2006reached the £900,000 mark, and 2006has not yet finished. An anonymous donorfrom Bermuda has given £500,000 for achair in dermatological science, andProfessor Ronald Coase, the Nobel prizewinner in Economics, has offered todouble his original donation of £170,800for scholarships. Wouldn’t it be wonderfulif we could achieve a record in our 30th

anniversary year and pass the £1 millionmark. The receipt of generous donationsfrom our alumni has been particularlygratifying this year, and I would like tothank them and all our donors for theirgenerosity towards the University.

The Palamountain award for excellencedinnerThe family of Edgar Palamountain haskindly offered to give a dinner in London,on 24 January 2007, at the Leathersellers’Hall to honour the Palamountain medalwinners. The event will be reported in thenext Independent.

Dr Mary WelsteadDirector of the University ofBuckingham FoundationDirect Line: +44 (0)1280 820263Email:mary.welstead@buckingham.ac.uk

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University News

Obituaries

Professor A.G. Lehmann 17 February 1922 – 9 July 2006

With the death on 9 July of GeorgeLehmann, Emeritus Professor, anotherlink is broken with the early history ofBuckingham. In the 1970s he was closelyconnected with the planning of what wasthen the University College atBuckingham, serving on the PlanningBoard and subsequently on the AcademicAdvisory Committee. He was an idealrecruit onto these bodies, having beendrawn into a wide variety of advisorycommittees for university education inUlster, Germany, Hong Kong and otherparts of the world.

Educated at Dulwich College, GeorgeLehmann was an impressive athletebefore the Second World War but havingcontracted polio while serving in India, hewas left with a permanent disability andwalked with difficulty. It was characteristicthat he did not permit this to interfere withhis career or his zest for life.

With retirement approaching, thisenergetic man found a congenial newchallenge at Buckingham. He wasappointed Rank Foundation Professor ofEuropean Studies and Dean ofHumanities in 1983, until his final andmuch-regretted retirement in 1988.

Life at UB was never dull with GeorgeLehmann here. His habit of requestingdefinition and clarity during lunchtimeconversations was a cause of alarm (‘Nowwhat exactly does that mean ?’). But thisproceeded, not from a desire to putcolleagues down, but from a genuinesearch for knowledge.

With the students he was a patient andkindly teacher, particularly if they were indifficulties. They will keep an affectionatememory of him, as will his many friends.

Tony Hayter

Tom Treacy,14 February 1926 – 27 August 2006

It is with greatsadness that wereport the death ofTom Treacy on 27August 2006. MikeBooth, his colleaguein the Post Roomsays ‘’Tom Treacyworked in the

Student Post Room at the Universitybefore I came here and I worked with himfor two years. In that time I came to knowTom as a very kind, gentle,compassionate individual with a goodword for everyone, besides having awonderful sense of humour. He had agood rapport with the students and alwayshad time to listen to their problems. Hewill also be greatly missed by thecommunity as he was involved with localcharities’’. Our sympathy goes to his wifeBeryl and their family.

Mike Booth (Student Post Room)

John Beloff19 April 1920 – 1 June 2006

John Beloff, who was the brother of MaxBeloff (Buckingham’s first Vice-Chancellor)and a benefactor to the Max Beloff Centrefor the Study of Liberty, died on June 12006, aged 86.

John Beloff was the son of Russian Jewswho came to England before the FirstWorld War. He was the fourth of fivechildren and described himself as thefamily’s failure because he did not matchup to the success stories of Max or hisother siblings.

Although he began his career as anarchitect, he abandoned it after he wasinjured in the Second World War. Hebecame fascinated by extra-sensoryperception and parapsychology, and asexecutor of Arthur Koestler’s estate, hepersuaded the University of Edinburgh toaccept Koestler’s bequest for a chair inparapsychology. Unlike his counterparts atother universities, John Beloff was anacademic who took an intelligentapproach to the controversial discipline ofparapsychology.

John Beloff was a respected philosopher;an atheist but fascinated with theparanormal and life after death, who wasactive in the Society for Psychicalresearch and became its president, first in1972 and second in 1982. Although henever experienced the paranormalhimself, he defended it against skeptics:he maintained that it was a failure on hispart rather than proof of its non-existence.He believed in voluntary euthanasia. Hedid not want a funeral but preferred todonate his body for medical research. Hiswife Halla and his daughter and sonsurvive him.

Dr Mary Welstead

Lord Harris Of High Cross10 December 1924 –19 October 2006

The University was saddened to hear ofthe death of Lord Harris of High Cross.Ralph Harris was one of the foundermembers of the University of Buckinghamand a strong supporter throughout his life.The idea for an independent universitywas born at the Institute of EconomicAffairs through discussions between LordHarris and some of his colleagues,including Margaret Thatcher, ArthurSeldon and Harry Ferns.Lord Harris (an Honorary Graduate atBuckingham) regularly attendedgraduation ceremonies and events at theUniversity, always wearing one of histrademark embroidered waistcoats andwith a pipe in hand. He was a cherishedmember of the community at Buckinghamand will be sadly missed.

Lord Harris

The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Terence Kealeysays:“Ralph Harris became a friend of mine -but then it was impossible for him not tobefriend anyone associated withBuckingham. He loved Buckingham andwe loved him and we are intensely sad hehas died. We send Lady Harris and hisfamily our very best wishes.

It should be noted, of course, that RalphHarris was a giant on the national andindeed international stage: he will bemissed globally.” Professor Martin Ricketts, Dean of theSchool of Humanities says:

‘’The achievement of Ralph Harris and hiscolleagues at the Institute of EconomicAffairs in preserving and defending theclassical liberal heritage in the hostilepost-war intellectual climate was anenormous contribution to intellectual andpolitical life in the UK. The example of theIEA encouraged imitation across the globeand similar institutions can now be foundon every continent patiently explaining thepotentialities of market processes and thelimitations and dangers of governmentaction. For those who knew Ralphpersonally his death removes anunstinting source of encouragement andsupport. He spent his life apparently as an‘outsider’ - an unremitting critic of stateintervention and a champion of theindividual. Yet his personality, sense ofhumour, manners, open mindedness andfriendships somehow complemented hiseconomic and political ideas and revealedhim as a cultural and institutional ‘insider’in the great traditions of Scottish andEnglish liberalism’’.

15

Tom Treacy

Buckingham in the NewsLe Meridien Nirwana Golf andSpa Resort appoints Arul newDirector of Sales and MarketingAlumnus, Audra Rohini Arul, (PEL),has been appointed Director ofSales and Marketing at Le MeridienNirwana Gold and Spa Resort inBali.etravelblackboard.com 4 August

First Atlantic hires execsNews that alumnus TracyMacDonald (Law) has beenappointed manager of complianceand corporate services at FirstAtlantic.The Royal Gazette 1 November

Lessons for the state sectorThis article follows the publishing ofthe results of the National StudentsSurvey, and looks at Buckingham'ssuccess. It considers howBuckingham was once seen as ‘’ananomaly in British education," butthat "now other academics areasking themselves whether theywould be better off without thegovernment's money." Dr Kealey isquoted, as is MBA student AlexKeeling and Professor JamesTooley of Newcastle University, whois quoted as seeing Buckingham asa "trailblazer".The Independent 7 September

Time for Britain to grow its ownIvy LeagueThe Vice Chancellor's article looksat the success of the independentIvy League universities in the USand highlights the possibility ofBritain having an equivalent. DrKealey uses Oxford as an examplesuggesting that it should breakaway from the Higher EducationFunding Council (HEFCE), whichwould give it more freedom andallow it to charge realistic fees; healso advocates that the ResearchAssessment Exercise break awayfrom HEFCE so that it can act as anational endowment fund for alluniversities, independent orotherwise.Times Higher Education Supplement26 October

Comments and Buckingham in the News

Comments on our success inthe National Student Survey 2006

Huge congratulations to Buckingham University for leading in the results of the NationalStudent Survey. What great accomplishment to be published by Times Higher Educationas a top university in UK. Everyone in the University should be proud and especially thealumni.

Hopefully the publication would be a truly rewarding marketing tool.

Please pass on my best regards and again huge congratulations to everyone in theUniversity.Take care and stay in touch.Very truly yours,Joy Tampi (BSc(Econ) Accounting and Financial Management ’97, LLB ’99)

******************************That is fantastic news and a credit to all of you.

It is rather a nice accolade especially on the 30th anniversary of Buckingham. It hascome a long way since the days when I attended and there was much scepticism aboutthe very being of Buckingham, or, as it was then University College at Buckingham.A wonderful "birthday present" I think. Buckingham should be proud and has every rightto be. You all deserve great credit and are a fine example of how to get it right.

It is also a fitting tribute to the memory of Lord Beloff.

Kind regards,Brendan McKeever (Law)

******************************It is a great privilege to Chair the Council of the University that has just been voted in theNational Student Survey (as reported in the Times Higher) the top university in the UKfor "Student Satisfaction". This is a reflection on the quality of the University's staff,academic and support, and its students; each inspires the other to greater endeavours.

Thank you and many congratulations. Sir John Brigstocke, Chairman of Council

******************************I had actually read in our local paper of the recognition our University had been givenand I am pleased that the staff have won the credit which is due to them.

I will always remember the dedication shown by the lecturers and support staff while Iwas there and am very proud to say that it is where I studied. I have very fondmemories of my time in Buckingham.

I am always so impressed by the support and updates which we receive from you. Itretains the link with the University which would otherwise have unknowingly beensevered years ago.

Thank for all your hard work!Ailsa Dennett (nee McPherson) (LLB ’97)

******************************Congratulations!

However, I knew this way back in 1993 when I started my BSc in Business Studies!

Too bad it has taken the rest of Britain all this time to realise it . My best wishes to youall and hope that Buckingham continues to lead the way when it comes to a "quality"education.

Regards,Najib Makhdoom (BSc Business Studies ’95, MSc Service Management ’96)

******************************Buckingham figured out a long time ago that students, particularly paying ones, haveincreasingly high expectations of their education. As a student and subsequently as amember of the alumni, I have witnessed the University’s continuous efforts to ensure itsprogrammes are up to date and relevant as well as its commitment to providing excellenttuition with a very well qualified and dedicated faculty. The results of this survey are nosurprise to me as Buckingham has always treated its students and alumni as valued lifelong customers.

Kevin Starling (MSc Service Management ’96)

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16

To All AlumniThis publication is for you and if youwould like input into the next issue,please send comments and ideas toAnne Matsuoka.The next publication we produce willcontain more information, updatingyou on where alumni are these daysand what they are up to.

Please Note:Copy for the next issue required by

2 February 2007www.buckingham.ac.uk