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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Relocation Project

We have compiled this list of FAQs to provide some answers to the questions we get asked regularly about the relocation. 

Please note, these answers are correct at the time of writing, but given the nature of the project, some will be subsequent to change at any time.  We will update these FAQs frequently, adding more detail and clarification as we progress with the project.

We encourage you to send us your questions: transition@rave.ac.uk

Search the FAQs (using keywords)



New Building - Design

How much will the building cost?
How are we going to raise the money?
Wouldn’t this money be better spent on improving the facilities we currently have?
How can you reassure students and their parents that the money spent on this building will benefit them?
Will the building be environmentally friendly?
Which does the inside of the building look like?
Will there'll be shared offices and hot-desking?
Will there still be meeting rooms of various sizes?
Will be able to conduct confidential meetings?
How will the noise level be managed if we’re open-plan?
Will the space be temperature controlled?

New building - academic facilities

How will the relocation affect the course portfolio?
Will there be long distance learning courses available?
Is it true there won't be a TV studio?
Is it true that the TV studio isn't on the ground floor?
Is it true there won't be workshops?
Are there going to be computer labs?
Will there be a shop?
Are all the spaces bookable?

New building - ICT

Is it true that it will all be wireless and nothing else?

New building - services

Will the traditional opening times be the same or 24/7?
How late will the college remain open for students/staff to use the facilities?
Will there be a restaurant and eating facilities in the new building? 
Will there be any eating facilities after 5pm?
Will there be a student common room? Will there be a staff common room?
Will there be lockers for staff and one for every single student using the building?
Will there be recycling facilities for paper, card, cans and plastic?
Will there be childcare facilities, eg a crèche?

Timetable

When does the building work actually start?
When are we moving?

Student services

Won’t this move be incredibly disruptive to students who will have to move during their studies?
What will we be doing to ease this disruption?
Will there be any student accommodation, if so how many units?
How near is it?
What will it be like?
How much does it cost?

Transport and parking

Is there car parking at the new building?
Are there places to park my motorbike/scooter/moped parking at the new building?
What's the best route and best form of transport to take from where I live to the new College? And how much will it cost to get there?
Will I be able to park by bicycle if I continue with the ride to work scheme?

Branding and marketing

Will we be rebranding the College?
What will we be called when we move?

Chislehurst site

Will the Chislehurst building have all facilities until closure and maintained to standard?

 

New Building - Design

How much will the building cost?
The project budget is £50million.

How are we going to raise the money?
Most of the funding is coming from the sale of the Chislehurst site. We are also receiving funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the London Development Agency, other public sector partners and some private sponsorship.

Wouldn’t this money be better spent on improving the facilities we currently have?
We did explore this option but the cost of modernisation was well in excess of any funds we had, or were able to borrow. We would also have faced difficulties in getting the necessary planning permission. Longer term, to remain in Chislehurst would not have served the wider sustainability needs of the college in terms of our competitiveness and educational offer. Therefore we decided to sell the site and use the proceeds to fund an entirely new campus, with new facilities in an exciting new location.

How can you reassure students and their parents that the money spent on this building will benefit them?
Our new building will be equipped to the highest standards. Students will have access to the best facilities and equipment as part of a high quality professionally-led education.

Will the building be environmentally friendly?
The College is required to achieve a BRE Environmental Assessment (BREEAM) rating of ‘excellent’.  The BREEAM assessment methods and tools are all designed to help construction professionals understand and mitigate the environmental impacts of the developments they design and build.  The assessment methods essentially look at Management, Health and Wellbeing, Energy, Transport, Water, Material and Waste, Land use and Ecology and Pollution.  Credits are awarded in each of these areas according to performance.  A set of environmental weightings then enables the credits to be added together to produce a single overall score. The building is then rated on a scale of Pass, Good, Very Good or Excellent and a certificate awarded to the development.

Which does the inside of the building look like?
Please take a look at the design drawings on the Wiki. This gives a general indication of what the interior will be like, with a strong emphasis on shared spaces and collaborative working.

Will there'll be shared offices and hot-desking?
Yes. It is our aim to make Ravensbourne a genuinely flexible and collaborative learning and working space. We will be conducting some user groups soon to learn from you how you would like the spaces to work.

Will there still be meeting rooms of various sizes? 
Yes.

Will be able to conduct confidential meetings?
Yes.

How will the noise level be managed if we’re open-plan?
We are working with acoustic consultants who are advising us on how best to manage noise throughout the building.

Will the space be temperature controlled?
Yes, via the new building management system. A building management system controls temperature centrally.

New building - academic facilities

How will the relocation affect the course portfolio?
The College continuously reviews its course portfolio to ensure it is relevant and competitive. We are developing new courses and faculties, informed by our new location and facilities, to ensure we make the most of our new environment.

Will there be long distance learning courses available?
We have no plans to offer these at this stage.

Is it true there won't be a TV studio?
The new building will have a TV studio. In fact, 3 studios are planned.

Is it true that the TV studio isn't on the ground floor?
There is a large studio on the ground floor.

Will there be workshops?
The College will be providing state-of-the-art prototyping facilities that support its academic programmes and its enterprise and innovation activities.

Are there going to be computer labs?
There will be some specialist computer facilities. For general computing, students will use their own computing resources.

Will there be a shop?
We are looking at different ways to provide facilities for students to get the materials they need, appropriate to the new building.

Are all the spaces bookable?
Yes.

New building - ICT

Is it true that it will all be wireless and nothing else?
No. As well as ubiquitous wireless, we will deliver a wired Ethernet network.

New building - services

Will the traditional opening times be the same or 24/7?
We will be open longer in the new building but for how long is still under review.

How late will the college remain open for students/staff to use the facilities?
We are consulting students and staff and this will inform how long the building and its facilities are available for on a daily basis.

Will there be a restaurant and eating facilities in the new building? 
Yes. We will have a café/deli on the ground floor, and vending machines throughout the building.

Will there be any eating facilities after 5pm?
Yes, vending facilities will be available.  Plus we are a stone’s throw from The O2 which has numerous eating facilities.

Will there be a student common room? Will there be a staff common room?
There will be a number of areas throughout the building to work or relax and eat or drink.

Will there be lockers for staff and students using the building?
There will be lockers for all staff and bookable lockers for students.

Will there be recycling facilities for paper, card, cans and plastic?
Yes, we will be making a concerted effort to improve recycling habits in our new building.

Will there be childcare facilities, eg a crèche?
In our building no, but we will explore shared services with other partners at Greenwich Peninsula.

Timetable

When does the building work actually start?
Currently, we are aiming for the building work to start in March 2008.

When are we moving?
Most building projects are subject to unforeseen delays so the dates listed here could change. However, the current timetable suggests that will be moving in 2010. The building will be completed in June 2010 and then the fit out will take a further three months, so final completion is set for Sept / Oct 2010.

Student services

Won’t this move be incredibly disruptive to students who will have to move during their studies?
We will do everything we can to ensure it isn’t. We have spoken to other HEIs that have undergone similar relocation projects, and know that this can be achieved with minimum disruption to students.

What will we be doing to ease this disruption?
We consult students about their needs. We will offer advice, support and information to students on all aspects of student life in Greenwich.  We will make sure that students are given clear information well in advance of them having to consider new accommodation, travel arrangements, timetables and teaching locations, access to new facilities and so on.

Will there be any student accommodation, if so how many units?
We are working with developers on this issue. Details to be confirmed.

How near is it?
Any student accommodation will be at the Peninsula, exact location to be confirmed. Hopefully, it should be no more than a 5-10 minute walk from the new building.

What will it be like?
It’s too early to say.

How much does it cost?
Again, it’s too early to say. The construction won’t cost the college anything.  Rental fees are likely to be in line with local rates in East London.

Transport and parking

Is there car parking at the new building?
There will be no parking facilities provided by the college directly. Staff and students will be encouraged to use public transport. There will be limited provision for disabled parking bays and deliveries.

Are there places to park my motorbike/scooter/moped parking at the new building?
There will be no parking facilities for motorcycles, mopeds or scooters provided directly by the college. Please refer to the link below to find other car parks on the Peninsula that you can use: http://www.theo2.co.uk/inside/car-parking-2.html#cycles

What's the best route and best form of transport to take from where I live to the new College? And how much will it cost to get there?
The new building at Greenwich is based next to the O2 Arena and is well served by the London transport system (Tube, cycling, ‘Thames Clipper’ boat, bus). The nearest tube station is North Greenwich (a 200m walk). In order to research your travel journey, travel time and costs please consult the following useful links:

Transport for London: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
National Rail: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Will I be able to park by bicycle if I continue with the ride to work scheme?
Yes, provision is being made for bicycle racks to accommodate 150 bicycles immediately next to the College.

Branding and marketing

Will we be rebranding the College?
We are about to embark on a brand review project. The first phase of this project will be to audit our reputation and the perception of Ravensbourne amongst our many stakeholders. From those findings we will decide whether we need to rebrand the college.

What will we be called when we move?
The Ravensbourne name holds great value and resonance with our stakeholders in industry and educational circles. Our brand review will look at the strength of our name, reputation and positioning and will make recommendations whether our name stays the same or not.

Chislehurst site

Will the Chislehurst building have all facilities until closure and maintained to standard?
Yes, we will maintain all facilities and services at current standard up until the point we close the doors for the last time. We want to minimise any disruption to staff, students and local residents.

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