With the Olympics just around the corner businesses and organisations are already keen to take over parts of the site at Stratford, east London, and there are a number of universities in the frame. The Guardian has reported how all three of the bids shortlisted for a chance to occupy the Olympic press and broadcast centres involve a higher or further education element; a fashion college, a partnership between a French sports retail company and Loughborough University, and finally research and technology centres. UCL is also developing plans for a new campus east of the Olympic Park, with possible research and teaching space as well as accommodation for staff and students. Peter Scott, professor of higher education at the Institute of Education, told the Guardian that “while setting up branch campuses can be fine for universities that are global brands, the ineffable essence of the institution may not translate so easily”. But how far does place matter in a globalised sector, where communication is increasingly carried out online rather than in a college quad?
Competition for a place on the Olympic Park is clearly rife; however there is surely no reason why staff and students should all be from the same institution. The University of London already welcomes students from other universities such as Goldsmiths and Royal Holloway, to study some of its specialist courses. Simon Renton, UCU vice-president and history lecturer at UCL said, "There would be no good reason why, with goodwill on all sides, we couldn't be exchanging students with a wider group of institutions, and why other institutions couldn't do the same kind of thing”. If plans were to go ahead, UCL will have familiar neighbours. Also opening a site in Stratford is Birkbeck College, which is based just a few streets away from UCL's Bloomsbury home. From autumn 2013, its new campus in Stratford centre – to be called University Square – will offer flexible day and evening courses, in a joint venture with the University of East London. Could this mean the future of higher education at the Olympic site could be more about collaboration than competition?