Future of UKCLE

Following the decision of the Higher Education Academy to discontinue funding to subject centres, the UK Centre for Legal Education will cease activity in its present form at the end of July 2011.

Closure: a message from UKCLE’s Director

As you are aware, UKCLE will be closing down as the Higher Education Academy (HEA) Subject Centre for Law at the end of July 2011. Following closure:

• all enquiries regarding discipline-based support should be directed to the Higher Education Academy. The HEA are in the process of appointing a ‘discipline lead’ for law who will be their primary academic contact with the subject community – see the HEA website for details.

• the current UKCLE website will continue to be available following closure. However, online forms will be closed and the website will not be updated after July.

• there will be no Learning in Law Conference in January 2012, though we are currently exploring the possibility of re-launching the conference in 2013.

• planning is underway to ensure the continuation of a small number of other UKCLE projects, including the Toolkit for law teachers, Digital Directions, the Islamic Law Special Interest Group, and the National Law Students Forum.

Finally, on behalf of everyone at UKCLE, I want to thank you for your partnership over the years. UKCLE would have achieved very little without the support of numerous key contacts, Advisory Board members, and other stakeholders, as well as the many colleagues who have written for our publications, produced learning resources, undertaken research, and attended our events. I would also like to acknowledge, on behalf of the subject community, the contribution of Centre staff, both past and present. The Centre’s remit has always been wide, and it has also depended on the commitment and professionalism of a relatively small team of academic and support staff, consultants and associates to deliver against a set of often challenging targets and priorities. Thank you to you all, and best wishes for the future.

Julian Webb, Director, UKCLE

Last Modified: 12 July 2011