Specification for an Assistant Oral Historian
Institutional Memory Project
Remembering UAL: how did we get here?
BACKGROUND
The University of the Arts London has a large amount of historical evidence in the archives of many
of its Colleges, but less institutional memory from the time it became the London Institute and then
University of the Arts London. We aim to present the narrative of the University, through engaging
answers to questions such as:
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How and why was the London Institute formed?
When and why did various colleges join the University?
When did the University and its constituent colleges move sites and why?
Who were the previous Rectors/Vice-Chancellors of the London Institute and the University?
What has defined the University since its inauguration in 2004?
Where is its history held?
Over the period of the current University Strategy, up to 2022, over half of the University’s estate
will move location or undergo significant upgrading and refurbishment. LCF and LCC will move to
new buildings. Camberwell and Chelsea will undergo substantial reuse of spaces. The University
and its colleges want to celebrate our heritage and legacy as we continue to live out our strategy of
being at the leading edge of our disciplines, through the development of inspiring new spaces which
will equip the University to serve its disciplines and its communities in the twenty-first century.
These major development projects will surface institutional memory as colleagues empty existing
storage spaces in readiness for moving, plus new archival evidence will be generated during the
projects, and publicity around the works will be enhanced by the use of our existing and growing
institutional memory.
Some key historical dates, to define the history of the University are:
1985 The London Institute was formed
1993 Privy Council approved degree awarding powers
2002 Privy Council approved degree awarding powers
2003 London Institute was granted University status as University of the Arts London
2004 LCP became London College of Communication
Key dates relating to the histories of the colleges, which will occur during the time of the current
University strategy are:
2018: 120 years of Camberwell College of Arts (established 1898)
2019: 125 years since the Saint Bride Foundation Institute Printing School opened in Saint
Bride Lane (became LCC)
2019: 165 years since Saint Martins School of Art was established in 1854
2020: 125 years of Chelsea College of Arts, which was established as the South-West
Polytechnic, which opened at Manresa Road, in 1895
2020: 130 years since Wimbledon College of Arts was established in 1890
2021: 125 years since The Central School was established in 1896
2022: 145 years of London College of Fashion (initially established in 1877 as Leather Trade
School)
BENEFITS OF DEVELOPING OUR INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY
The narrative of the University can be better articulated through the Institutional Memory which will
provide accurate historical sources, to enable us to celebrate the longevity and authenticity of the
institution, at the times of the significant anniversaries of the University’s Colleges.
The ongoing history will be secured for future researchers and can be used to develop pedagogic
practice in the creative arts. It will align with the separate research project Lost and Found which
is investigating pedagogies in Art, Design and Communications at UAL and its constituent
colleges, c.1974-2015.
The University will use the outcomes of these initial project phases to reach out to its alumni student
and staff body and will build links with those who have shaped it, informed by knowledge of the
institution’s legacy, through an invitation to them to add their own contribution to the institutional
memory.
The collection of oral history is a critical element in the development of the Institutional Memory
and a significant workstream in the project.
ORAL HISTORY WORKSTREAM
The project seeks to appoint an Assistant Oral Historian to stand in for the Consultant between early
January and the end of March 2016, to deliver the first phase of the oral history workstream to the
Institutional Memory project team.
The Assistant will be asked to carry out up to 4 interviews, using questions already prepared by the
Oral History Consultant and the Project Archivist.
The assistant will deliver:
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Up to 4 oral history interviews with significant individuals who can inform the Institutional
Memory of the foundation of the London Institute and University of the Arts London
Files in an agreed format on hard-drives that can be preserved by the University
Transcripts of these interviews as MS Word and PDF documents
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Contribution to the content for the university’s web page to highlight the narrative of the
University’s development
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Project Manager: Sarah Mahurter, Manager, University Archives and Special Collections Centre
SRO: Edward Venning, Director of Communications and External Affairs
Project Officer: Robin Sampson, Assistant Archivist, Institutional Memory Project
Head of External Affairs: Pete Austin
SUBMISSION
Please submit your expressions of interest and/or full proposals to:
Sarah Mahurter, Manager, University Archives and Special Collections Centre
s.mahurter@arts.ac.uk
Please submit your documents by Friday 8th January 2016.
For a discussion about the role, please call Sarah Mahurter on 020 7514 9330 (please note that I am
out of the office from 23rd December 2015 to 6th January 2016)
Please provide a quote for your services in the form of a costed proposal to assist the delivery of this
project in the absence of the lead oral historian. Please ensure that your submission includes:
 Your proposed methodologies for completing the deliverables of the project
 Please state costs for interviews carried out orally, with and without the use of video
 Please indicate if you have your own equipment or include hire costs in your proposal
 Experience of previous relevant work
 Your CV
 Two references that can be followed up the Project Manager.