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UEL’s Carole Snee retires after seventeen years of success

Thursday 31 July 2008

Carole Snee, one of the central figures behind the construction and successful development of the University of East London’s (UEL) Docklands campus, has retired after seventeen years at the university.

Carole was originally appointed Head of the newly established Docklands Unit at the former Polytechnic of East London in 1991. During almost two decades at UEL, she oversaw planning and fund-raising for major developments, both at Docklands and Stratford, and greatly strengthened UEL’s role in the social and economic regeneration of east London and the Thames Gateway.

On Wednesday 30 July, Carole enjoyed her final day as Director of UEL’s External and Strategic Development Services (ESDS). The new Director, Selena Bolingbrooke, previously worked alongside Carole as Head of Strategic Planning and Quality Enhancement at UEL from 2003-5.

Carole said: “Like many of the staff here at UEL, I have always been driven by a belief in the role of education in transforming people’s lives. At the start of my time here, there was very low participation rate among east London residents in higher education and a general feeling that ‘university wasn’t for us’.

“My colleagues and I felt passionately that the creation of a quality university, providing iconic architecture and the opportunity to participate and succeed in higher education, could play a key role in breaking that cycle of low aspiration and underachievement. The success of our pioneering project has since inspired similar developments across the UK.”

UEL’s Docklands campus was officially opened in 2000 by former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone on his very first day in office. The first new university campus to be built in London for over fifty years, it was short-listed for Building of the Year in 2001.

After its construction, Carole took on further responsibilities in relation to UEL’s Widening Participation agenda, working with local schools and colleges to raise aspirations. When ESDS was established in 2002, Carole was the natural choice to be appointed to the position of Director.

Carole said: “Working here at UEL has been an enormously enjoyable and incredibly fulfilling experience, largely due to the fact that so many of the staff are driven by social values, rather than personal ambition. I’m very happy to be leaving my wonderful team in the capable hands of Selena Bolingbrooke, who I know well as a committed and value-led colleague.”

Before arriving at UEL, Carole developed her career in the Chief Executive’s Department at the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the Greenwich Employment Research Unit, Goldsmiths College and Thames Polytechnic.

Although she will still be involved as a consultant in UEL projects, Carole now has her sights on another exciting development – the newly-built house in the Provence region of France, which her architect brother designed, and where she will be enjoying her years of retirement.

Susan Price, acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of East London, said: “Carole has played a crucial role in the successful development of the University of East London. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy, not least in the shape of our Docklands campus, will live on for decades to come. On behalf of all UEL staff, I wish her all the best for her new life in France.”

For details and pictures contact Daniel Cherry: 020 8223 2194

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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