Universe editorial policy
Welcome to Universe - the magazine of Teesside University.
Universe aims to provide a snapshot of University successes (student, academic, new courses), developments and main events, over a time period. The magazine’s distribution includes regional and national journalists, libraries and contacts in health, regional education and business.
Events covered can vary from the regular annual events (Academic Awards and awarding of Honorary degrees, Animex animation festival), to one-off ministerial or VIP visits, exhibitions and sporting successes. It is distributed three times a year, as a 12-page edition.
Future editions will have articles linked by a common theme, for example the University’s initiatives in employer-led learning, educational partnerships and DigitalCity’s developments.
The magazine has a positive ethos, portraying the University as an attractive, vibrant, quality institution. We place an emphasis on high-quality photographs supported by text. The front cover is a single image to attract the casual reader, with no text at all. The image is selected by the editorial team of Judy Hume and Stephen Laing, in collaboration with Marketing & Student Recruitment's graphics team.
The University’s mission statement of Providing Opportunity, Promoting Enterprise, Delivering Excellence is printed on the front cover and reflected in the magazine’s content.
We aim to create a magazine feel opposed to a newspaper. Each page has no more than two photographs with one central image, and articles will not be more than 250 words.
Content focuses on the University’s core corporate messages: employability and further study, affordability, accessibility, the pursuit of excellence in teaching and scholarship, contemporary research and enterprise successes.
Stories are also selected according to topicality, human interest; successes for the University (eg good quality ratings for courses or departments) future developments for the University (eg new buildings, bursary and scholarships package).
Occasionally Universe will dedicate pages to new appointments, specific subject areas and new courses with visual potential. Past examples include the Design Degree shows and the growth of Crime Scene Science provision at the University.
Page 2 is always dedicated to the Vice-Chancellor’s column, where he describes particular issues of interest eg proposed mergers with other institutions, campus developments. This is drafted with Universe’s Editor.
The final page sometimes has a lighter content, focusing on Students’ Union and Student Services’ activities, sporting successes and health campaigns. Again, the selected images aim to attract the casual reader. The centre page spread usually focuses on a theme, such as graduate employability, installation of new Chancellor, positive surveys for the University.
For more details please contact Universe Stephen Laing on 01642 342962 or email s.laing@tees.ac.uk
