Anglia Ruskin University
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| Anglia Ruskin University | |
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| Established: | 1858 (as Cambridge School of Art) |
| Chancellor: | Michael Ashcroft |
| Vice-Chancellor: | Prof. Michael Thorne |
| Students: | 20,300[1] |
| Undergraduates: | 15,530[1] |
| Postgraduates: | 3,445[1] |
| Location: | Cambridge and Chelmsford, Essex, England () |
| Website: | http://www.anglia.ac.uk |
Anglia Ruskin University, formerly Anglia Polytechnic, is a university in England, with campuses in Cambridge and Chelmsford.
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[edit] History
Anglia Ruskin University has its origins in the Cambridge School of Art opened in 1858 by John Ruskin, which became the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology (CCAT) from 1960. This merged with the Essex Institute of Higher Education in 1989 to form the Anglia Higher Education College. The merged college became a polytechnic in 1991, going by the name Anglia Polytechnic, which was then awarded university status in 1992.
Initially Anglia Polytechnic University (APU), it retained the word 'polytechnic' in its title because "the term 'polytechnic' still had value to students and their potential employers, symbolising as it did, the sort of education that [they] were known for – equipping students with effective practical skills for the world of work"[2] although in 2000 there was some self-doubt about including the term 'polytechnic' - it was the last university in the country to have done so. Wanting to keep the 'APU' abbreviation, a suggestion put forward by the governors was 'Anglia Prior University' (after a former Chancellor), but the Governors decided to keep 'polytechnic' in the title.
The University eventually reconsidered a name change, because "Nowadays, few remember the old polytechnics and technical colleges, and there [was] no longer any added value to students or faculty in retaining the word 'polytechnic' in [the] title. Indeed, it [was] sometimes seen as a hindrance, especially in non-vocational subject areas."[3] From over two hundred suggestions and consultations with staff, students and local residents, communities and businesses, the University chose Anglia Ruskin University (thus incorporating into the title the surname of John Ruskin, who founded Cambridge School of Art in 1858, which eventually became the university), with the new name taking effect following the approval of the Privy Council on 29 September 2005.
Past lecturers include Odile Crick, the wife of Francis Crick who with James Watson, aided by Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin, discovered the structure of DNA in 1953. Odile created the simple iconic image of DNA, as two intertwined ribbons linked by 10 rungs per turn of the double helix, that appeared in the scientific paper in the journal Nature announcing the discovery of the structure of DNA, and it has never been bettered since. The discovery of the "code for life" - the structure of DNA - was revealed to a few bemused drinkers at The Eagle pub in Benet Street in Cambridge in 1953 by Francis Crick and James Watson. Odile was a lecturer at CCAT, now Anglia Ruskin University [1]. The author Tom Sharpe was a lecturer in History at CCAT between 1963 and 1972 and Anne Campbell[2], the Labour MP for Cambridge from 1992 to 2005, was formerly a lecturer in Statistics at CCAT .
[edit] Organisation
There are five Faculties of study at Anglia Ruskin University:
- Ashcroft International Business School
- Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Health and Social Care
- Faculty of Science and Technology
Faculties are sub-divided into departments or divisions.
HSHS, the former Homerton School of Health Studies, was acquired by the University from the Trustees of Homerton College in 2005, after working closely in partnership for a number of years. The two organisations have now integrated to form the Faculty of Health and Social Care.
[edit] Profile and reputation
Anglia Ruskin University is the 13th largest university in the United Kingdom, and the largest provider of face-to-face part-time training in the country.
Recent evaluation discrepancies were noted. The Guardian University Guide 2008 ranked Anglia Ruskin 72nd of 119 institutions in UK, a gain of 32 places compared to last year ranking[4]. However, The Sunday Times University Guide ranked Anglia Ruskin 123 over 123 institutions and The Times Good University Guide ranking was 104 over 123 institutions[5]. The Sunday Times University Guide rely heavily on the undergraduate student evaluation performed annually (NSS). Anglia Ruskin fared "comparatively badly" mainly due to poor ratings for teaching organisation and management. The Sunday Times University ranking is basically based on the NSS survey which even students from University of Cambridge are arguing that results are meaninglessness[6]. NSS survey is widely contested and boycott by several student unions[7]. Despite this, there has been recent controversy over the NSS at Anglia Ruskin when in 2008 it was reported that students had been pressured into giving good marks to the university. [8][9]
Anglia Ruskin's Cambridge Campus is home to one of only 5 Optometry schools in England (with there being only 8 in the whole of the UK) having its own Optometry Clinic offering free eye tests and a full range of optometric services to members of the public throughout the academic year. [3]
The University was, in June 2007, rated joint 8th in the first "Green League" of British universities, compiled by People and Planet for The THES. Factors taken into account in the survey included carbon emissions and recycling rates.
Stephen Fry, on receiving an honorary degree from Anglia Ruskin, compared the University favourably with Cambridge University where he had received his own undergraduate degree, saying ""Here at Anglia Ruskin University they have the advantage of not having all that pressure and not being surrounded by idiots who think they are in Brideshead Revisited but still have all the same architecture and facilities".[10]
A recent investigation performed at the end of 2007 from the QAA reveal that as a result of its investigations, the audit team's view of Anglia Ruskin University is that confidence can reasonably be placed in the soundness of the institution's present and likely future management of the academic standards of the awards. Moreover, confidence can reasonably be placed in the soundness of the institution's present and likely future management of the quality of the learning opportunities available to students.[11]
[edit] Partner organisations
Anglia Ruskin's regional partners are: Braintree College, Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge Theological Federation, Chelmsford College, The College of West Anglia, Epping Forest College, Harlow College, Huntingdonshire College, Norwich School of Art & Design, Peterborough Regional College, SEEVIC College, Suffolk Postgraduate and Research Centre and Thurrock & Basildon College.[citation needed]
Anglia Ruskin is also partnered with Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia in a student exchange program. This allows credits earned at one university to count towards the other's degree programs. A similar agreement is in place with Valparaiso University in the United States and University of New Brunswick in Canada.[citation needed]
Anglia Ruskin University is a founder member of the Cambridge Network. [4]
[edit] Notable alumni
Alumni include Pink Floyd members Syd Barrett and David Gilmour. Other alumni include Patricia Scotland, Britain's first black female QC, Ronald Searle (creator of St Trinian's), Harry Potter illustrator Thomas Taylor, Australian architect Harry Seidler (Cambridge Polytechnic) and Michael Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft.
Kafeel Ahmed, a suspected terrorist in the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack, was a research student in computational fluid dynamics at Anglia Ruskin.[12][13][14]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2006/07 (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet). Higher Education Statistics Agency. Retrieved on 2008-04-03.
- ^ Anglia Ruskin University
- ^ Anglia Ruskin University
- ^ University guide | EducationGuardian.co.uk
- ^ Anglia Ruskin University | Good University Guide - Times Online
- ^ Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU) » National Student Survey
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Student_Survey
- ^ Varsity Newspaper - ARU makes desperate attempt to improve poll performance
- ^ Cambridge Evening News - Students are 'bullied' into praising courses
- ^ BBC NEWS | England | Cambridgeshire | Fry talks of Cambridge 'elitism'
- ^ http://qaa.ac.uk/reviews/reports/instReports.asp?instID=H-0047
- ^ James Sturcke and agencies. "Glasgow suspect moved to burns unit", Guardian Unlimited, 2007-07-06. Retrieved on 2007-07-13.
- ^ Property searched in terror probe. BBC News (2007-07-05). Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
- ^ Adam Lusher and Jasper Copping. "Islamic charity linked to car bomb suspect", Sunday Telegraph, 2007-07-08. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
[edit] External links
- Anglia Ruskin University – Official website
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