28.07.08
Arts University Cornwall gathers momentum with announcement of new senior appointments

University College Falmouth's ambitious plans to create a new Arts University in Cornwall gather momentum with the announcement of three key appointments to its senior management team.

Professor Geoff Smith has been appointed Deputy Rector; Dr Andrew Upton will take up the role of Pro Rector External Relations & Knowledge Transfer and Sara Reed will become Director of the School of Art & Performance during the new academic year.

Professor Geoff Smith will take up his post in November 2008. Geoff studied Music at Nottingham University, received an MPhil in Electronic Music from Oxford University and completed a PhD in Music Composition at Huddersfield University before working as a freelance composer and performer. Published by EMI, he became the youngest composer to be signed to Sony Classical in the history of the label. He taught at the universities of Manchester and Huddersfield before becoming Head of Music at Bath Spa University. In 2002, he founded the School of Music and Performing Arts at Bath Spa which now comprises more than 900 students in Music, Drama and Dance, and was recognised in 2005 as a national Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. He is an elected member of the National Association for Music in Higher Education executive, a member of PALATINE's Advisory Board (the HEA Subject Centre for the Performing Arts) and an institutional assessor for the QAA. He was awarded a professorial title in 2005 for 'outstanding qualities of academic leadership' and recently completed an MBA in Higher Education Management.

"I am thrilled to be joining a staff and student community that has its sights set on making history," commented Professor Smith. "In establishing ArtsUniversityCornwall, we have an opportunity not only to accelerate the region's creative and cultural renaissance, but also to define a model of arts pedagogy that is of international distinction."

Dr Andrew Upton joins UCF in September from Southampton Solent University where he has enjoyed a successful career in a range of key roles. Having trained as a biologist and undertaken post-doctoral research on the microbiology of marine sediments, Andrew worked as an environmental consultant in industry before joining what was then Southampton Institute in 1994. After 12 years in the Faculty of Technology, during which time he gained an MBA, Andrew was a lecturer and then Associate Dean (External Development). He then became founding Head of the Community & Enterprise Office in 2006, leading the development of business and community knowledge transfer activities across the university.

"I am delighted to be joining UniversityCollegeFalmouth at such an important time in its development," said Andrew. "It is clearly a hugely dynamic institution that is already very successful in giving students an excellent range of learning opportunities, with a very clear vision for the future," he added. "I am looking forward to meeting and working with as many staff as possible to take forward the external development of UCF."

Sara Reed, who is currently Director of Choreography at the College's Dartington Campus, takes up the new role of Director of the School of Art & Performance at UCF on 1 October.

Sara trained at Laban and the Place before receiving an MA in Performing Arts from Middlesex University. She is currently completing a PhD at the University of Surrey. Sara has worked in Higher Education since 1992, firstly at the University of Chichester and for ten years at the University of Surrey before joining Dartington College of Arts in 2004. For some years, Sara's focus was on professional training within a range of different contexts, through the management of student placements in a number of high profile arts organisations across the UK. Her interest in curriculum development most recently involved her in the creation of the first university department of contemporary dance in Poland. Sara's current research and practice is in the area of somatics with a particular interest in the training of performers.

Sara stated: "I am delighted to have both the privilege and the challenge of leading the new School of Art & Performance, and working with a talented and committed team of colleagues towards establishing ArtsUniversityCornwall in 2012."

"This strengthening of our senior management team demonstrates our determination to create a world class ArtsUniversity in Cornwall that will make a significant impact regionally, nationally and internationally," added UCF's Rector, Professor Alan Livingston. "We are delighted to welcome Geoff, Andrew and Sara to these major new roles during this dynamic period of expansion."

In April 2008, University College Falmouth merged with Dartington College of Arts to create a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing.

The merger will pave the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall in 2012, creating a Higher Education institution unique to the South West.

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education, funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

For further information about University College Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk.

For further information please contact Jilly Easterby, Head of Public Affairs, University College Falmouth on 01326 213792 or email jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). University College Falmouth is a partner of the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
The Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

back to top