University of Surrey
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| University of Surrey | |
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| Established: | 1891 as Battersea Polytechnic Institute |
| Type: | Public |
| Endowment: | £ 78.6 million[1] |
| Chancellor: | HRH The Duke of Kent[2] |
| Vice-Chancellor: | Prof. Christopher M. Snowden [2] |
| Pro-Chancellors: | The Rt Hon Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone Dr J R Forrest Sir Alan Rudge Sir William Wells[2] |
| Staff: | 2,338 incl. 1,403 academics and 150 researchers[1] |
| Students: | 15,705[3] |
| Undergraduates: | 9,600[3] |
| Postgraduates: | 6,105[3] |
| Location: | Guildford, Surrey, England |
| Campus: | Suburban |
| Pro-Chancellors Emeritus: | Sir Eric Ash Sir Idris Pearce Mr J D M Robertson[2] |
| Colours: | Blue and Gold |
| Affiliations: | 1994 Group AMBA AACSB PATA Universities UK ACU EUA |
| Website: | http://www.surrey.ac.uk |
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The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology before gaining university status. Its roots however go back to the Battersea Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1891 to provide further and higher education for London's poorer inhabitants.[4]
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[edit] Campus
The University moved in 1968 to a new 30 ha (74-acre) site on Stag Hill in Guildford, Surrey, adjacent to Guildford Cathedral (see picture, below). A further 90 ha (222 acres) allocated to the University remained undeveloped until 2005. The new Manor Park campus, designed as a car-free village, is 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) from the Stag Hill campus,[5] on the other side of the A3 trunk road, near the Research Park. It combines residences for students and staff, buildings for research and teaching, and sporting facilities.
In 2007, the University began work on building a £35 million new sports centre. On completion, it will house a 50 metre pool, three sports halls, a squash centre, 700 metres of fitness facilities, two artificial floodlit pitches, outdoor and indoor tennis courts, four real tennis courts and a climbing centre.[6]
[edit] Research
The University is noted for research into small satellites, with its Surrey Space Centre and spin-off commercial company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, the University of Surrey received a 5* rating in the categories of "Sociology", "Other Studies and Professions Allied to Medicine", and "Electrical and Electronic Engineering" and a 5 rating in the categories of "Psychology", "Physics", "Applied Mathematics", "Statistics and Operational Research", "European Studies", and "Russian, Slavonic and East European Languages".[7]
In addition, the Surrey Research Park is a 28 ha (69-acre) low density development which is owned and developed by the University, providing large landscaped areas with water features and facilities for over 110 companies engaged in a broad spectrum of research, development and design activities. The University generates the third highest endowment income out of all UK universities reflecting its commercially-orientated heritage.[8]
[edit] History
The University of Surrey was preceded by the Battersea Polytechnic Institute which was founded in 1891 and admitted its first students in 1894. Its aims were to provide greater access to further and higher education for some of the "poorer inhabitants" of London. The Institute focused on science and technology subjects, and from about 1920 taught some classes for University of London students.[9]
In 1956 the Institute was among the first to receive the designation "College of Advanced Technology" and was renamed Battersea College of Technology. By the beginning of the sixties the College had virtually outgrown its building in Battersea and had decided to move to Guildford. In addition to this, the Robbins Report of 1963 proposed that the Colleges of Advanced Technology, including Battersea, should expand and become degree-awarding Universities.[9]
In 1965 the University-designate acquired a greenfield site in Guildford from Guildford Cathedral, Guildford Borough Council and the Onslow Village Trust. The following year, on 9 September 1966 the University of Surrey was established by Royal Charter and by 1970 the move from Battersea to Guildford was complete.[9]
Early visitors to the new campus were Led Zeppelin, who performed their very first gig at the University of Surrey on 15 October 1968.[10]
In 1982 the University became the trustee of the building of the Guildford Institute and uses parts of the building for its adult education programme which ensures a University presence in the heart of Guildford. The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (formerly Associated Examining Board) moved from Aldershot to its own headquarters building on the Stag Hill campus in 1985.
The University marked its Silver Jubilee in 1991, an event celebrated by the publishing of Surrey - The Rise of a Modern University by Roy Douglas[4] and by a Service of Thanksgiving in Guildford Cathedral attended by Her Majesty The Queen in March 1992.
The University celebrated its 35th anniversary year in May 2002 with a major event in Guildford Cathedral and the gift of the Surrey Scholar sculpture (by Allan Sly FBS), located at the bottom of the town's historic High Street, to the people of Guildford and marking the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen. As of 2002 there were over 90,000 graduates of the University, working in all parts of the world. Understanding the Real World, a visual history of the University, by Christopher Pick, was published to coincide with this anniversary.[9]
On 1 July 2005, Prof. Christopher Snowden became Surrey’s fourth Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive. Like his predecessors Prof. Dowling and Prof. Kelly, Prof. Snowden is a fellow of the Royal Society. He was appointed in recognition of his pioneering work in the fields of microwave engineering and compound semiconductors.
In 2007 the University saw a major increase in overall applications by 39% compared with the previous year.[11] This was followed by a further increase in applications of 12% in 2008.[12]
[edit] Structure
The academic activities of the University are divided into the following four faculties:
[edit] Faculty of Arts & Human Sciences
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[edit] Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
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[edit] Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
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[edit] Faculty of Management and Law
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[edit] Educational links
Since its foundation, the University of Surrey has fostered links with other educational bodies in the local community and region. For example, in recent years it has validated courses at and subsequently accredited Saint Mary's College (now an independent institution called St Mary's University College, Twickenham), Wimbledon School of Art and Farnborough College of Technology. The University currently validates courses at North East Surrey College Of Technology (NESCOT), Conservatoire for Acting & Musical Theatre, Guildford College of Further & Higher Education, King Edward VII Hospital Department of Staff Development, The Nuclear Department at HMS Sultan, St John's Seminary, Southern Theological Education & Training Scheme (STETS), the Pre-Retirement Association and SHL (UK) Ltd.
In 1998, as a result of the continuing development in the relationship between the University of Surrey and the nearby Roehampton Institute, it was decided to form an academic federation. In November 1999, the Privy Council approved the necessary changes to the University's Charter and Statutes and the Roehampton Institute became The University of Surrey Roehampton at the beginning of 2000. Between then and 2004 then Surrey and Roehampton worked together as the Federal University of Surrey. In June 2004, the Privy Council granted Roehampton an independent university title, and it became Roehampton University from 1 August 2004. This move ended the federal partnership between the two institutions, although collaboration between the two is being maintained.
In 2007, the University of Surrey and Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian, China launched the Surrey International Institute, DUFE. SII, DUFE offers Surrey degree and dual-degree programmes in China.
[edit] Awards
In 1991 the University was granted the Queen's Award for Export Achievement, and in 1997 it was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher & Further Education in recognition of the University's outstanding achievement in satellite engineering and communications, teaching and research by the Centre for Satellite Engineering Research and its associated companies. In 1998 Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) was awarded the Queen's Award for Technological Achievement. This was presented in person by The Queen on her second visit to the University, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and HRH The Duke of Kent, Chancellor of the University.
More recently the University was awarded the 2002 Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher & Further Education, this time for its internationally renowned research and development on optoelectronic devices and ion beam applications. For a university of its size and age, Surrey has one of the highest number of staff who are academicians of the learned societies: 10 Fellows of the Royal Society, 21 Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering, one Fellow of the British Academy and 6 Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences.
In July 2007, the University of Surrey was awarded Fairtrade University status by the Fairtrade Foundation.
[edit] Notable academics and alumni
[edit] Academics
- Jim Al-Khalili - Nuclear physicist, author and broadcaster.
- Aleks Krotoski - Technology journalist and broadcaster.
- Lewis Elton - Physicist and researcher into higher education
[edit] Alumni
- Sir Alec Issigonis - Designer of the Mini
- Jeremy Kyle - Television and radio broadcaster
- John Warburton - Television producer and director
- Nabil Shaban - Actor
- Keith Harris - Chairman of investment bank Seymour Pierce and director of Wembley National Stadium Ltd[13]
- David Varney - Former chairman of HM Revenue and Customs
[edit] Media
The Surrey branch of the BBC's Southern Counties Radio local radio station has its studios on the campus.[14] In addition the University has a student-run medium wave radio station, GU2 Radio (GU2 is the local postcode prefix). The student newspaper, barefacts,[15] is published fortnightly.
[edit] Proposed Surrey Multifaith Centre
In November 2007, the University was given planning permission to build the Surrey Multifaith Centre at the University of Surrey. This will be the first building in Britain to have a Synagogue, Muslim Prayer Hall, Gurdwara and Chapel built separately under one roof.[16]
[edit] Students' Union
The University of Surrey Students' Union comprises the student body and is led by five sabbatical officers and a team of part-time officers. The current president is Alex Collins.[17]
[edit] International partners
Brock University, Canada
Dongbei University of Finance & Economics (DUFE), China
Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
La Trobe University, Australia
Michigan State University, USA
Mahidol University, Thailand
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore- North Carolina State University, USA
- Singapore Management University, Singapore
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA
University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong- University of Maryland, College Park, USA
- University of North Texas, USA
[edit] References
- Understanding the Real World, a visual history of the University of Surrey.
- ^ a b Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2006 (PDF). University of Surrey (2006-12-07). Retrieved on 2007-08-18.
- ^ a b c d University of Surrey Calendar. Retrieved on 2008-06-12.
- ^ 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 2008-04-12.
- ^ a b Douglas, Roy (1991). Surrey- The Rise of a Modern University. ISBN 1-85237-067X.
- ^ University of Surrey Accommodation Services: Band D Rooms
- ^ The Independent: Which is the best university for sport?. Retrieved on 2008-06-13.
- ^ HERO - Higher Education & Research Opportunities in the UK: RAE 2001 : Submissions. Retrieved on 2007-06-01.
- ^ RED Scientific
- ^ a b c d Pick, Christopher (2002). Understanding the Real World, 91. ISBN 1 85237 246 X.
- ^ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Led Zeppelin. Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ BBC News: Are top-up fees changing courses? (2007-02-14). Retrieved on 2007-04-16.
- ^ University of Surrey sees highest growth in applications.
- ^ Surrey Centre for Sport.
- ^ BBC Southern Counties Radio Website. Retrieved on 2007-04-16.
- ^ Students Union Website: About Barefacts.
- ^ Multi-faith centre gets the go-ahead.
- ^ Surrey SU University Students Union - The Home for Surrey SU University Students
[edit] External links
- University of Surrey – Official website
- University Of Surrey Students' Union – Official website
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