Jun 10 2019
Over the last two terms I hope that you will have read and heard about the academic restructure that has been taking place.
 
The new structure will be in place for the start of the new academic year and so for our returning students, I wanted to recap on what the change will mean for you.
 
If you are coming onto campus over the summer, you may also find that some offices have been temporarily or permanently relocated, so it’s important that you know where to go to get the information you need.
 
The new structure dissolves our three Faculties and replaces them with six Schools and a Doctoral School for PhD students. Departments remain, and sit under the umbrella of a School. Replacing Faculties with Schools maintains the strengths of departments and your academic relationships, as we recognise how important these are to you.

The move to Schools is designed to address some of your feedback about how we can improve your experience at Royal Holloway.
   
Through the School structure and a reorganised administration we will create School Administration Offices with longer opening hours and which will be open over lunchtime. School Administration teams should also be able to release academics’ time from some of their administration work, giving them more time for you and the research that drives their teaching. There should also be greater consistency in how policies are applied across the School Offices, which will be of particular benefit if you are a joint honours student.

From a purely practical point of view, the creation of Schools will not make a great deal of difference to your daily life on campus. Your School Office location has been planned to be as central to the departments within that School as possible. This is to encourage cross-department collaboration.
 
There are some changes to the leadership; new Heads of School and School Managers have been appointed. This week you will receive an email from your Head of School introducing themselves to you. They will also share useful information on School Office locations and contact details. In some departments, a new Head of Department is also being appointed.
 
The move to Schools is a big step for Royal Holloway and, I believe, a positive one for you, our students. As the new structure beds down, I expect there to be elements that we need to adjust, and we will act quickly to ensure we minimise any disruption. If you are returning to Royal Holloway in September, I hope that you will notice the improvement. If you have concerns, please raise these with your School Office so that we can take action as appropriate.

Professor Katie Normington
Deputy Principal (Academic)