In the year two thousand and sixteen on the twentieth day of the month of September witnessed by those here signed below to commit to enter into a process of ever greater union between Loughborough Market Town and the University of Loughborough and its constituents, we the students, staff and townspeople.
Our vision is to bind University and Town in one vision and into one place under the name Loughborough University Town, which marries the best of both institutions and becomes the world's best university town. Where two become one. A town where we the underwritten, be we students, staff or townspeople, commit to work together to respect each other’s customs and to each be valued members of the community, to develop thriving businesses and markets, trades and public services and to extend our outstanding sporting and educational opportunities to all in Loughborough.
Those undersigned commit to respect our neighbours, not to damage or foul the streets and to do away with caricatures and language of locals and students which only serve to divide us. We are and continue to be one people, the great people of Loughborough and together we will build a great town with a stronger market, university and all goodly things that can be bestowed upon us. We commit to be brave and act with good spirit to bridge the imaginary divides of student and townsperson, young and old, and to greet, befriend and embrace our fellow Loughborough citizens wherever they may come from.
There is nothing to fear from both a powerful University and a powerful town working in unison to become one place and one people. Whilst inferior in many regards, our neighbours in Oxford and Cambridge, provide some inspiration for what we could become as a University Town. The challenges that we face in achieving these goals should not generate fear or shame, Loughborough has grown quickly and successfully to date, but it is obvious to anyone who looks at a map that it’s future lies in becoming one place not two campuses. The reward will be more commerce, employment, new homes, opportunity and wealth for all and a place known around the world for having a world class University in the heart of a thriving, dynamic, historical market town. The commitment we make here sets in motion a one hundred year plan.
To achieve our radical goal we must open our hearts and minds and the first steps of this journey must start tomorrow. In this first chapter we the people of Loughborough, Charnwood Borough Council and the University of Loughborough commit to work towards the following goals:
1) To shift the centre of Loughborough by dismantling the geographical barrier between the university and town centre by bringing University run institutions into the town centre and town centre activities into the university, starting with a visionary 50 year master plan that looks at land development opportunities across University and the local borough with view to creating greater integration of the two geographies in the model of Cambridge and Oxford through a process of accelerated history. The master plan should explore opportunities to develop commercial, cultural and housing developments within campus grounds and to locate educational facilities in the town centre;
2) to dismantle existing trading barriers to create opportunities for students to operate businesses within the town centre and for local residents to open businesses on the campus;
3) to create opportunities for local residents to access Loughborough’s world class sport and education facilities by opening up the university to the public more, bringing these activities into the town centre to build connections with local groups;
4) to destroy local monopolies and controls on student spending;
5) to improve the life outcomes of all residents young, old, rich and poor by bringing the universities research out of the library and into the community where it can be a force for good;
6) to bring students and non-students together by opening up our brilliant student societies and sports facilities to non-students and to energetically promote the local town societies, meeting places and sports clubs to all of the population;
7) to harness the power of the digital revolution and sharing economy to create a fairer, affordable housing models for Loughborough residents which encourage students and townspeople to live together and create a mutually supportive economy between them;
8) to celebrate our new found union by hosting an annual Loughborough-wide festival of trade, education and citizenship where new and existing residents can celebrate the University Town’s achievements.
The goals described above shall be upheld and promoted by the establishment of a Ministry of Town and University Integration with powers bestowed upon it by the undersigned to work towards ever greater union and to promote the advancement of learning and knowledge, happiness, quality of life for both the townsfolk and students of Loughborough.
We the undersigned solemnly commit to honour this Charter, to promote its aims, to act in our personal and professional lives in ways consistent with its goals, and to work towards the creation of a unified, prosperous and successful Loughborough University Town.
Our vision is to bind University and Town in one vision and into one place under the name Loughborough University Town, which marries the best of both institutions and becomes the world's best university town. Where two become one. A town where we the underwritten, be we students, staff or townspeople, commit to work together to respect each other’s customs and to each be valued members of the community, to develop thriving businesses and markets, trades and public services and to extend our outstanding sporting and educational opportunities to all in Loughborough.
Those undersigned commit to respect our neighbours, not to damage or foul the streets and to do away with caricatures and language of locals and students which only serve to divide us. We are and continue to be one people, the great people of Loughborough and together we will build a great town with a stronger market, university and all goodly things that can be bestowed upon us. We commit to be brave and act with good spirit to bridge the imaginary divides of student and townsperson, young and old, and to greet, befriend and embrace our fellow Loughborough citizens wherever they may come from.
There is nothing to fear from both a powerful University and a powerful town working in unison to become one place and one people. Whilst inferior in many regards, our neighbours in Oxford and Cambridge, provide some inspiration for what we could become as a University Town. The challenges that we face in achieving these goals should not generate fear or shame, Loughborough has grown quickly and successfully to date, but it is obvious to anyone who looks at a map that it’s future lies in becoming one place not two campuses. The reward will be more commerce, employment, new homes, opportunity and wealth for all and a place known around the world for having a world class University in the heart of a thriving, dynamic, historical market town. The commitment we make here sets in motion a one hundred year plan.
To achieve our radical goal we must open our hearts and minds and the first steps of this journey must start tomorrow. In this first chapter we the people of Loughborough, Charnwood Borough Council and the University of Loughborough commit to work towards the following goals:
1) To shift the centre of Loughborough by dismantling the geographical barrier between the university and town centre by bringing University run institutions into the town centre and town centre activities into the university, starting with a visionary 50 year master plan that looks at land development opportunities across University and the local borough with view to creating greater integration of the two geographies in the model of Cambridge and Oxford through a process of accelerated history. The master plan should explore opportunities to develop commercial, cultural and housing developments within campus grounds and to locate educational facilities in the town centre;
2) to dismantle existing trading barriers to create opportunities for students to operate businesses within the town centre and for local residents to open businesses on the campus;
3) to create opportunities for local residents to access Loughborough’s world class sport and education facilities by opening up the university to the public more, bringing these activities into the town centre to build connections with local groups;
4) to destroy local monopolies and controls on student spending;
5) to improve the life outcomes of all residents young, old, rich and poor by bringing the universities research out of the library and into the community where it can be a force for good;
6) to bring students and non-students together by opening up our brilliant student societies and sports facilities to non-students and to energetically promote the local town societies, meeting places and sports clubs to all of the population;
7) to harness the power of the digital revolution and sharing economy to create a fairer, affordable housing models for Loughborough residents which encourage students and townspeople to live together and create a mutually supportive economy between them;
8) to celebrate our new found union by hosting an annual Loughborough-wide festival of trade, education and citizenship where new and existing residents can celebrate the University Town’s achievements.
The goals described above shall be upheld and promoted by the establishment of a Ministry of Town and University Integration with powers bestowed upon it by the undersigned to work towards ever greater union and to promote the advancement of learning and knowledge, happiness, quality of life for both the townsfolk and students of Loughborough.
We the undersigned solemnly commit to honour this Charter, to promote its aims, to act in our personal and professional lives in ways consistent with its goals, and to work towards the creation of a unified, prosperous and successful Loughborough University Town.
