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Carole Snee awarded OBE for services to urban regeneration

Tuesday 6 January 2009

Carole Snee (right) with Danuta Huebner, EU commissioner for regeneration

Carole Snee, who over the past seventeen years has successfully steered the development of the University of East London (UEL) as a key partner in regional development, has been awarded an OBE for services to urban regeneration in the New Year Honours list.

During almost two decades at UEL, Carole 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.

Carole said: "The award of the OBE is a well-deserved recognition of the fantastic effort put in by a whole team of colleagues at UEL over many years and their work with many great partners". 

"I have always been passionate about the role of education in transforming people's lives. The Docklands campus and other developments were never just about iconic architecture, but about the opportunity for people to participate in and succeed through higher education.  Breaking the cycle of low aspiration and under-achievement is what has motivated me throughout my time at UEL.  I am immensely proud of the opportunities we have created for east Londoners."

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. Its success has since inspired similar developments across the UK.

Carole said: "Working at UEL has been an incredibly fulfilling experience.  Whatever the challenges, UEL's commitment to regeneration and its social values made it a great place to work.  When I went to UEL, higher education barely played a part in urban regeneration.  Now, universities are recognised as key players because of the effect they can have on people's lives and in bringing about change.  Down the Thames Gateway and beyond, this is in no small part due to the trail-blazing work of staff at UEL."

Before joining UEL in 1991, Carole worked in the Chief Executive’s Department at the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the Greenwich Employment Research Unit, Goldsmiths College and Thames Polytechnic. Carole retired in July 2008, but is still working with UEL as a project consultant.

Professor Susan Price, acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of East London, said: “We are all thrilled that Carole has been awarded her OBE, which is richly deserved and very special. We believe she is the first member of staff from a UK university to be honoured for services to regeneration, which is a real testament to her central role in the successful development of our university and the communities we serve.”

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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