UCE name change hits a BUM note

Apr 26 2007 By Paul Bradley, Birmingham Mail

A SUGGESTED name for the University of Central England did not sit easily with bosses.

For among suggestions from students and staff was Birmingham University of the Midlands, in short BUM.

Another idea, Birmingham Regional University of the Midlands, move proved more popular, as it spells BRUM.

Students and staff at the former polytechnic were asked to come up with a new title for the institution after bosses thought new students did not know where it was.

Maxine Penlington, secretary and registrar at UCE, said: "People need to know what UCE is and where it is, so we have asked our staff and students what they think our new name should be.

"Our current name is very long so we are trying to find a better way of making people realise we are a university in Birmingham.

"We are very proud of being in Birmingham and being part of the city and we hope to have a greater presence in East Side in the future.

"People need to know we are a Birmingham university, not just a Midlands one."

After sending out an e-mail to everyone at the university, bosses received more than 300 responses with about 50 name suggestions.

A shortlist was drawn up of the most popular suggestions. They were Birmingham City University, Birmingham Central University, and Birmingham Metropolitan University.

The proposed names will go before a Privy Council in July where chiefs will decide which one they will use. If they agree to one of the names on the shortlist, it will appear next to the University of Birmingham in the UCAS guidebook, used by A-level students to choose their university.