Harlow Overview

Reception and Administration Building at Harlow Campus

A world away from Memorial’s two Newfoundland campuses lies a special part of the university’s experience – Harlow Campus in Essex, England. Located about 40 km north of London, a 45-minute drive from Heathrow International Airport and just 20 minutes from the Gateway to Europe, Stansted Airport, Memorial’s European campus has been attracting students and faculty since 1968.

Situated in the heart of Harlow, the campus buildings are a mix of Victorian and older. Acquired during the presidency of Lord Taylor of Harlow, the campus consists of a mainresidence/teaching/administration building built in approximately 1870 as a Maltings, originally used for curing grain; St. John’s House with its classrooms and faculty quarters, a former Victorian Schoolhouse; Cabot House residence (circa 1650); and two apartments in Market Street (two minutes walk from the main campus) which date from the mid 17th century.

Providing a residential accommodation for students and faculty studying and working in the UK has been the raison d’être for Harlow Campus since its establishment more than 30 years ago. However there’s an emerging new vision of the campus as Memorial’s flagship international experience. Director Karen Cracknell says there’s every reason to believe that Harlow Campus can develop both physically and programmatically into centre of excellence in international and European studies.

Ms. Cracknell is working with university officials and the members of the board of the Harlow Campus Trust to draft an ambitious plan for expanding the mandate of the campus and redesigning the facilities to implement that plan.

"Our vision is to make Harlow Campus a vibrant, well-attended facility that advances the internationalization agenda of Memorial."

She said that a vital ingredient of that plan is the involvement of faculty members.

"I want to continue work with faculty from all areas of Memorial to identify and develop unique courses for delivery at Harlow, particularly with an European or international theme, we are hoping to run a European studies minor as a cornerstone program at Harlow."

Ms. Cracknell added that the new program has tremendous potential for attracting students who are seeking an educational qualification with a clear international dimension.

"It could attract more students from Memorial to Harlow, and, if marketed properly, might also appeal to international students." She said that ideally students from Memorial studying at Harlow would be living and working there alongside students from other countries, learning about their cultures as well as being immersed in the British scene.

Dr. Evan Simpson is Memorial’s vice-president (academic). He noted that, "As Memorial moves deliberately into an era of internationalization, a program of European studies provides an ideal connection between the future we envisage and past relationships between England and Newfoundland. I look forward to the time when students actively compete for a limited number of spaces at the Harlow Campus, since this will indicate the university’s success in enabling undergraduates in particular to recognize themselves as belonging to a global society as well as to a local community."

Other programs being considered for offer at Harlow are English-as-a-second-language offerings for professionals in areas such as medical and pharmaceutical terminology.

The revitalization plan is due to be completed and presented to the Harlow Campus Trust Board, chaired by Dr. Alan Perry, in mid April. It is hoped that a recommendation will be taken forward to the Board of Regents.