Education and careers

RTPI Learning Partner Profile - London South Bank University - Department of Urban Environment & Leisure Studies

London South Bank University was founded in 1892 as the Borough Polytechnic and amalgamated with four other colleges in 1970 to become South Bank Polytechnic. In June 1992 it was granted University status by the Privy Council. With over 22,000 students, the University is one of the largest in London. It is a progressive, dynamic institution combining traditions of excellence in vocational and applied subjects with specialist industrial and professional links.

LSBU aims to provide courses which equip students for future employment. It is committed to maintaining close links with industry and the local community. Most academic staff have relevant commercial, industrial or public sector experience.

The Department of Urban, Environment and Leisure Studies (UELS) was established in the 2003/04 academic year, and is part of the Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences. The Department brings together three subject areas, with undergraduate and postgraduate academic programmes in planning, housing and regeneration, and tourism and hospitality. Planning and housing courses offer a full range of Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) accredited courses respectively. The MA Housing programme is also accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The Departmental offer includes full time and part time modes of study, and undergraduate and postgraduate courses, from HNC to MA levels, and research supervision to MPhil and PhD. The Department is also involved in delivering a distance learning MA/PG Diploma in Town Planning in a consortium with three other Universities. LSBU has been providing professionally accredited town planning courses for approximately 40 years.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

A Staff development policy has been formally adopted, distributed to staff and is regularly updated. Implementation is monitored via the Faculty Teaching and Learning and Staff Development Committees.
All staff are encouraged to undertake staff development activities via the staff appraisal system. This may include formal learning opportunities (PhD, MA etc), attendance at conferences and seminars, training in specific IT or management issues, or other activities relevant to staff positions.
New staff are required to undertake a full induction process, are allocated a mentor and are strongly encouraged to study for the Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education if they are inexperienced lecturers.