KU Big Read wins ‘Best project of the year’

Kingston University Big Read was awarded the ‘best project of the year’ this week at the University’s second annual Rose Awards held at the Rose Theatre.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Matthew Hilton and Knights Park student union officer, Beatrice Carey, presented them the award, and credited the group for “really teaching across the institution and joining us all up’’.

Dr Alison Baverstock, KU Big Read panel member and professor at Kingston University, said: “This pan-university involvement has been a key factor in the project’s development. This was reflected at the ceremony when I think we also managed to qualify for a second title, that of ‘most people on stage’.’’

The Rose Awards are held by Kingston University to celebrate their staff’s success and their achievements in learning, teaching, research and contribution to the community.

More than 80 Kingston University staff were celebrated at this year’s ceremony and among the winners were the sports exercise team for outstanding customer/student service, faculty of arts and social sciences for excellence in learning/teaching and estates directorate safety office team for outstanding contribution to the University.

Volunteers and staff from KUSCO, reception, the LRC, marketing and communications, data management and student engagement are all contributing parts to the Big Read project. It was created to promote student engagement by providing new students with a shared reading experience and making them feel welcome and included.

“It really was a superb team effort and great to see so many of us there to accept the award,” said Baverstock.

Soon they will be sending out a survey to all students and staff to find out what they thought about the project “in the hope that we can build on this in the future”.

This year’s awards were designed by staff members Richard Trupp, Yashar Sadeghi and Guillermo Rodriquez from the faculty of art, design & architecture. The trophies were manufactured from 3D digital models, which were printed using Kingston University’s 3D printer.

“An example of the ‘thinking through making’ philosophy of the faculty,” Kingston University wrote on Instagram.

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