University of Worcester
Encyclopedia
The University of Worcester is a British
university, based in Worcester
, Worcestershire, England. It was granted university status in September 2005.
validated the degrees for the Worcester College of Higher Education. The Herefordshire and Worcestershire College of Nursing and Midwifery was absorbed in 1995. In 1997 the Privy Council affirmed the institution's degree
-awarding powers and it subsequently became known as University College Worcester. In 2005 the Privy Council granted university status. The institution was renamed "University of Worcester" in September of that year.
The Jenny Lind
Chapel has been refurbished to its original state as has the Boardroom in which the British Medical Association
was founded in 1832.
Phase 2 has had to be reviewed due to deep cuts in Government funding and caps on student numbers, but is still planned to be completed.
basketball team, and as a further teaching and office space. The facility, to be called Worcester Arena, will be accessible to the local community. http://www.worc.ac.uk/about/news/13680.html
The building will bring a range of services under one roof:
, was installed as the founding chancellor of the university in a ceremony at Worcester Cathedral
. The duke officiates at degree ceremonies, attends major events (including the Duke of Gloucester Lecture Series) and promotes the University overseas.
The College of Fellows
was established in 2008 to bring together high-profile "ambassadors" for the University. New Fellows are appointed at the annual Graduation Ceremonies in Worcester Cathedral
.
The Board of Governors meets regularly and is composed of appointed governors, staff governors, student governors and co-opted governors from a wide range of business and community areas.
An Executive Management Board meets weekly, and this is the primary decision making body of the institution.
There are 6 Academic Institutes, including:
Each Academic Institute hosts an Academic Support Unit which assists both lecturers and students with administration issues directly relevant to the department.
Applications have risen 100 percent over the last 5 years, and the student population will be allowed to grow a further 1,500 places in 2010, despite national trends.
As of April 2011, the University of Worcester has proposed to set its undergraduate Tuition Fees at £8,100 under the new regime announced by the Coalition Government.
An Ofsted
report for the overall standard of the Institute of Education's teaching programme rated the University as "Excellent". The training of teachers was rated ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED in June 2010.
Results in the first four National Student Surveys have placed Worcester in the top 40 universities for student satisfaction in 2008, the most satisfied being in English, History and Teacher Training.
In the National Student Survey students from the University rated their overall satisfaction at 80% in 2008/09. A number of subject areas received excellent levels of satisfaction, with an overall student satisfaction of 92% in Sports Science and 89% in Initial Teacher Training.
In March 2010, the University was ranked 54th of the top public sector places to work.
. Before this the University of Coventry assisted in the academic awarding of these degrees. The university includes eight national research centres:
. It is based in a building on the St Johns Campus. It provides a number of services and facilities.
Worcester Students' Union is led by a team of elected officers the President, a Vice-President (Education), a Vice-President (Student Experience), and 7 non-sabbatical officers with varying portfolio responsibilities.
basketball team, the league winning Worcester Allstars Football team and the Worcester Royals, an American Football team.
The University has England Blind Footballers as some of its students.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
university, based in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, Worcestershire, England. It was granted university status in September 2005.
History
In 1946 an Emergency Teacher Training College for the University of Birmingham was established in Worcester on the site of one of the former RAF bases used during the Second World War. In the 1970s the Council for National Academic AwardsCouncil for National Academic Awards
The Council for National Academic Awards was a degree awarding authority in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1992. The CNAA awarded academic degrees at polytechnics, Central Institutions and other non-university institutions such as Colleges of Higher Education until they were awarded university...
validated the degrees for the Worcester College of Higher Education. The Herefordshire and Worcestershire College of Nursing and Midwifery was absorbed in 1995. In 1997 the Privy Council affirmed the institution's degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
-awarding powers and it subsequently became known as University College Worcester. In 2005 the Privy Council granted university status. The institution was renamed "University of Worcester" in September of that year.
Locations
Since 2005, the University has expanded greatly and acquired many new sites across the city of Worcester. Its long term strategy includes building joint community and University facilities, and expanding to a 3rd campus.St John's Campus
The university's main campus is known as St John's and is the main base for all courses, support departments and academic institutes, except those related to business, computing, marketing or management. The site contains Halls of Residence with over 800 rooms, a sports centre, sports pitches, facilities for training nurses and midwives, a commercial standard digital arts centre, motion performance centre and a university library, known as the "Pierson Library".City Campus
The university's second campus is known as City Campus, and is the home of the Worcester Business School. The campus opened in September 2010 on the site of the former Worcester Royal Infirmary in Infirmary Walk. Work began in January 2007, and cost approx £120 million. Phase 1 was completed in time for the 2010 academic year. As part of this, new Halls of Residence with accommodation for 250 students were completed on the site as well as the restoration of the main buildings. All Worcester Business School courses are run here including Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses.The Jenny Lind
Jenny Lind
Johanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she is known for her performances in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and for an extraordinarily...
Chapel has been refurbished to its original state as has the Boardroom in which the British Medical Association
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
was founded in 1832.
Phase 2 has had to be reviewed due to deep cuts in Government funding and caps on student numbers, but is still planned to be completed.
Grove Farm
The University plans to develop a third campus on the disused Grove Farm, a 47 acres (190,202.4 m²) piece of land 1 miles (1.6 km) from St John's campus. This third site is expected to take fifteen years to complete and will form part of a Business and Enterprise Park alongside expanded science, business and sport institutes.Riverside and Worcester Arena
In addition, the University occupies a large site adjacent to the River Severn, now known as "Riverside". This includes an Art Space & Exhibition building, and will soon have a 2000-seat Sports Arena built as a new facility for sports, events, a base for the Worcester WolvesWorcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester which plays in the British Basketball League. The Wolves currently play at in the 800-seat capacity Sports Hall of the University of Worcester, although they are to use the new Worcester Arena as their home venue once completed in...
basketball team, and as a further teaching and office space. The facility, to be called Worcester Arena, will be accessible to the local community. http://www.worc.ac.uk/about/news/13680.html
Worcester Library & History Centre
The university is working with Worcestershire County Council to create a new multi-million pound Library & History Centre called "The Hive", which will open to the public in 2012. The Library is adjacent to the City Campus site in the centre of Worcester.The building will bring a range of services under one roof:
- A fully integrated public and university library, the first in Europe, with adult, children's and academic sections
- Worcestershire Record Office
- Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service
- Worcestershire Hub Customer Service Centre
Other locations
The university also owns or operates various other halls and sports facilities across the city of Worcester, but these are not major university sites or campuses.2012 Sports venue
The university is one of the official venues to be included in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide.http://www.london2012.com/documents/training-camps/west-midlands-selected-facilities.pdf The guide features facilities and venues across the UK suitable for use by international sporting teams as a training base in the run up to and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.Environmental standing
The institution has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard. and it was the first university in England to receive a Gold EcoCampus Award for the whole organisation, just shortly after being awarded the Silver Eco-Campus status in 2008. The Green League awarded the university 16th position out of 18, for the First Class award among a total number of 126 contenders for the First Class, Upper Second Class, Lower Second Class, and Third Class awards.Organisation and structure
On Thursday 10 April 2008, HRH The Duke of GloucesterPrince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession...
, was installed as the founding chancellor of the university in a ceremony at Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
. The duke officiates at degree ceremonies, attends major events (including the Duke of Gloucester Lecture Series) and promotes the University overseas.
The College of Fellows
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
was established in 2008 to bring together high-profile "ambassadors" for the University. New Fellows are appointed at the annual Graduation Ceremonies in Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
.
The Board of Governors meets regularly and is composed of appointed governors, staff governors, student governors and co-opted governors from a wide range of business and community areas.
An Executive Management Board meets weekly, and this is the primary decision making body of the institution.
There are 6 Academic Institutes, including:
- Institute of Education
- Institute of Health and Society
- Institute of Humanities and Creative Arts
- Institute of Science and the Environment
- Institute of Sport and Exercise Science
- Worcester Business School
Each Academic Institute hosts an Academic Support Unit which assists both lecturers and students with administration issues directly relevant to the department.
Academic profile
The University of Worcester is the UK's fastest growing University. Applications increased by 10.6% in 2009 and by 100% since 2004. The University has consistently recorded the largest increases in applications of any UK University for 7 years in a row.Funding
In March 2010 the University of Worcester was awarded the biggest increase in funding of any institution in the UK (13%), despite national trends of cuts. This was accompanied by an approved rise in student numbers of 410, more than any other UK University.Applications have risen 100 percent over the last 5 years, and the student population will be allowed to grow a further 1,500 places in 2010, despite national trends.
As of April 2011, the University of Worcester has proposed to set its undergraduate Tuition Fees at £8,100 under the new regime announced by the Coalition Government.
Reputation and rankings
The university guide of the Times newspaper rates the university at place 81 (shared with Teesside University) out of 114 institutions.An Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report for the overall standard of the Institute of Education's teaching programme rated the University as "Excellent". The training of teachers was rated ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED in June 2010.
Results in the first four National Student Surveys have placed Worcester in the top 40 universities for student satisfaction in 2008, the most satisfied being in English, History and Teacher Training.
In the National Student Survey students from the University rated their overall satisfaction at 80% in 2008/09. A number of subject areas received excellent levels of satisfaction, with an overall student satisfaction of 92% in Sports Science and 89% in Initial Teacher Training.
In March 2010, the University was ranked 54th of the top public sector places to work.
Research
In August 2010 the University was granted Research Degree awarding powers, enabling it to confer the awards of MPhil and PhDPHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
. Before this the University of Coventry assisted in the academic awarding of these degrees. The university includes eight national research centres:
- The National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit from where all UK national pollen forecasts originate, and testing of new hayfever and anti-allergen devices is conducted.
- The Centre for Rural Research, which examined the psychological effects of the mass flooding in the UK in recent years.
- The International Centre for Children's Literature, Literacy and Creativity is, with University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and Roehampton UniversityRoehampton UniversityThe University of Roehampton is a campus university in the United Kingdom, situated on three major sites in Roehampton, south-west London.-History:...
, one of the three UK university centres to employ full time Children's Literature Professors. - The Motion Performance Centre which looks at sports injuries, and rehabilitation techniques using motion capture technology. The Human Performance Laboratories work alongside to provide data on exercise and how it affects the body.
- The Centre for People @ Work
- The Centre for Applied Health Research
- The Association for Dementia Studies was launched at the University in February 2010. It will work with sufferers of dementia, their families, health professionals, care providers, commissioners, and government agencies to provide high quality research, training and education.
- The Centre for Ethical Leadership, which will be officially launched in November 2010. The Centre will work with leaders at different levels and sectors to help them think about decision making within an ethical framework. This will enable them to reflect on decisions that acknowledge and respect contested values in areas such as the environment, social justice and governance. It provides sessions to enable leaders to develop their skills in this area, develops and supports networks of individuals to discuss ethical dilemmas and provide forums for discussion, engages with others debating this area, stimulates and conducts research in the area of ethical leadership, and draws together and makes available existing research.
Student life
Worcester Students' Union is the representative body for students studying at the University of Worcester, and a member of the National Union of StudentsNational Union of Students
-British Isles:*National Union of Students**National Union of Students-Union of Students in Ireland**National Union of Students Scotland**National Union of Students Wales-Scandinavia:*Danish National Union of Students*National Union of Students in Finland...
. It is based in a building on the St Johns Campus. It provides a number of services and facilities.
Worcester Students' Union is led by a team of elected officers the President, a Vice-President (Education), a Vice-President (Student Experience), and 7 non-sabbatical officers with varying portfolio responsibilities.
Sports activities
The University is home to the Worcester WolvesWorcester Wolves
Worcester Wolves is a basketball team from the city of Worcester which plays in the British Basketball League. The Wolves currently play at in the 800-seat capacity Sports Hall of the University of Worcester, although they are to use the new Worcester Arena as their home venue once completed in...
basketball team, the league winning Worcester Allstars Football team and the Worcester Royals, an American Football team.
The University has England Blind Footballers as some of its students.
Notable alumni
- Jacqui SmithJacqui SmithJacqueline Jill "Jacqui" Smith is a member of the British Labour Party. She served as the Member of Parliament for Redditch from 1997 until 2010 and was the first ever female Home Secretary, thus making her the third woman to hold one of the Great Offices of State — after Margaret Thatcher and...
(politician & Britains first female Home Secretary) - Swaroop SampatSwaroop SampatSwaroop Sampat is a Bollywood actress who has acted in several Hindi language films such as Naram Garam. She won the Miss India contest in 1979 and represented her country at Miss Universe 1979.-Early life:...
(Bollywood actress) - Alan Dickens (rugby union)
- John ShimminJohn ShimminJohn Shimmin BEd MHK is currently the Minister of Economic Development of the Isle of Man Government.John Shimmin was born in Douglas in 1960 and educated at St Ninian's High School and the Worcester College of Higher Education. He was then a teacher from 1982 until entering politics in 1996...
(Manx politician) - Rob Taylor (footballer)Rob Taylor (footballer)Robert James "Rob" Taylor is an English footballer who plays for League Two side Port Vale. He plays on the left flank and is known for his pace and dribbling ability....
- Adam Willis (footballer)Adam Willis (footballer)Adam Willis is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender who made over 100 appearances in the Football League. He is now a P.E teacher at Trinity Catholic School, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.-Career:...
External links
- University of Worcester (official website)
- Worcester Students' Union (official website)
- Worcester Wolves (official website)
- Guardian Newspaper Official University Guide
- British Council website
- What Uni review site