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Spotlight on Victoria Banks

8 July 2015

This week the spotlight is on Victoria Bank, Life Learning Co-ordinator, UCL Life Learning.

Victoria Banks

What is your role and what does it involve?

My role within the UCL Life Learning team is to assist with setting up and streamlining internal processes for Life Learning to allow for further growth and implementation of this area across the University. Projects I've been involved with have included a large market research piece, the design and implementation of our course finder website (now accessible via the UCL homepage) and launching our inaugural round of investment funding.

Our team, led by Professor Andrew Eder was set up (via UCL Enterprise) in September 2013 with the task of increasing UCL's short course provision and successfully promoting these offerings to external learners.

Our aim is to help academics enhance their global reach and impact as well as increase their departmental income to support local activities through an enhanced provision of professional development, executive education, personal learning and summer schools. UCL currently delivers about 20,000 learner days each year and it is the intention to grow this to at least 50,000 learner days per annum through an expanding portfolio of cutting-edge short courses for career advancement and personal growth.

The team is a dedicated resource to provide departments with advice, support, practical help and best practice guidance around short courses and continuing professional development (CPD). The team can be contacted at lifelearning@ucl.ac.uk for advice on planning, developing, marketing or evaluation.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

I've worked at UCL for over eight years now. My previous role at UCL was within the Eastman Dental Institute where I worked as Departmental PA and Programme Administrator for the CPD department.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

Turning around a visit of HRH Princess Anne in 2010 to open a new clinical skills floor with very little notice (and sleep). It was an intense few weeks of planning involving the repainting of a building and other unexpected challenges but well worth it, even if she was there for only thirty minutes.

Last week I also took part as a staff volunteer for Citrus Saturday which is run by UCL Advances and aimed at teaching entrepreneurship and enterprise skills to young people around the world simply by getting them to make and sell citrus drinks. Despite my lack of business mentoring and child control skills, the day went very well and my team 'Sour Power' sold over £300 worth of freshly made lemonade and orange juice to the thirsty public making their way through Euston station. I'd recommend getting involved to anyone.

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of you to-do list?

I'm really pleased that we've recently launched our inaugural round of investment funding to help departments develop their course ideas in the Life Learning arena. It's a project I have done a lot of work on and am coordinating.

Departments are invited to apply for between £5k to £25k to develop and deliver high-margin Life Learning activity. 

Examples of how the funding could be used include: 

• academic or support staff time

• instructional design time (for online courses)

• rich media content creation

Along with investment funding, successful applications will receive additional support from the Life Learning team. 

This includes:

• marketing and communications support (to include a presence on the Life Learning website and advice about search engine optimisation) 

• course design and quality enhancement

The deadline to submit application documentation is 5pm on Monday 27 July 2015. 

Application information can be found via our staff area on the website.

What is your favourite album, film and novel?

Album: Very much a music to suit the mood and moment kind of person so a happy Spotify subscriber. Although right now I have GoGo Penguin v2.0 on repeat.

Film: The Goonies - loved as a kid and adult.

Novel: Engleby by Sebastian Faulks although a recent favourite is We are all completely beside ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler.

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?

Newcastle United's trophy room has been broken into and contents stolen. Police are currently looking for a man in possession of a black and white carpet.

(Only humour (poor or otherwise) got any Newcastle United fan through most of last season).

Who would be your dream dinner guests?

My housemates who I lived with at university for 3 years. Geographical location and busy lives prevent regular meet ups but we'd spend some fun hours reminiscing (along with a few better quality bottles of wine than our student loans would allow back then) and catching up on the past 10 or so years.

I'd also bring Ludwig van Beethoven (preferably with his hearing restored) to provide the musical backdrop for the night.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Knowing what you don't want can often be more valuable than knowing what you do want.

What would it surprise people to know about you?

Back in my early twenties I was a pretty good ballroom dancer.

What is your favourite place?

The views over the Cote D'Azure from the village of Mons (Provence) will always be very special to me.