UCL brings geography to life for UCL Academy students on new UCL East campus
9 January 2023
A group of GCSE and A-level Geography students from the UCL Academy school learnt about different aspects of urban regeneration on a trip to One Pool Street, the first building to open on UCL's new UCL East campus.
![A group of schoolchildren assembled either side of large orange letters spelling out U-C-L in the ground floor reception of One Pool Street on the UCL East campus](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-east/sites/ucl_east/files/styles/large_image/public/cropped_ucl_academy_group_shot.jpg?itok=w-vFTXl9)
The students heard about different aspects of regeneration in east London from Professor Ben Campkin, who is an expert in urbanism and urban history, as well as one of the UCL academics who has helped create the vision for working with local communities on the new UCL campus in Stratford.
Students then learnt from UCL East Director of Operations, Helen Fisher, more about UCL's partnership with the BBC, Sadler's Wells and UAL's London College of Fashion to create the new East Bank development on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The new culture, innovation and learning quarter is a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
![Professor Ben Campkin beside a screen with students from the UCL Academy school in front ot him in a UCL East campus seminar room](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-east/sites/ucl_east/files/styles/large_image/public/cropped_ucl_academy_with_ben_campkin.jpg?itok=Qd2PI5QU)
The sessions saw a lively discussion and follow up chats, with the students engaging well with the themes covered and asking really insightful questions of the presenters.
The UCL Academy is a high-achieving, non-selective secondary school established in 2012 by UCL with the aim of supporting students of all ability levels to higher levels of attainment and interest in further study. The Academy is in Swiss Cottage in the London Borough of Camden, which is where UCL's Bloombury campus is located.
UCL shares its facilities and expertise with the school through support for curriculum development and learning ethos, and a programme of master-classes, seminars and summer schools given by UCL staff. Staff at the Academy can access UCL resources and students work with UCL student mentors and tutors.
“All of UCL East is centred on interdisciplnarity. Everyone teaching and studying here is focused on the solving the grand challenges” extraordinary to hear plans to bring art, fashion, dance, media and academia all together at @UCLEast what a message for students to hear. pic.twitter.com/kPNNnYzSxv
— R Street (@MrStreetUCLAcad) January 6, 2023