City University, London

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City University London is a British university based at Northampton Square in Finsbury, London (Template:Coor d). Its official name is The City University.[1] The University is famous for its excellent graduate employment records. [2]

History

City University London was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute (named for the donor of its campus, the Marquess of Northampton), and admitted its first students two years later. It was constituted under the City of London Parochial Charities Act (1883). The Institute held classes in the evening. Funding to support the Institute's establishment came from charities, taxes and local rates. Charter departments were those of Mechanical Engineering and Metal Trades, Artistic Crafts, Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering, Horology, Electro-Chemistry, and Domestic Economy and Women's Trades.

In 1900 the Institute began offering day classes in engineering. Nine years later students began to qualify for bachelor's degrees in the University of London and its faculty were made Recognised Teachers of that institution. Thereafter the Northampton Institute came to be known as the Northampton Engineering College.

There was a name change in 1957 to the Northampton College of Advanced Technology and the addition to its programmes in technical and vocational education of courses in mathematics, computer science, and the liberal arts. In 1966 the college received a Royal Charter and became known as The City University. The change in status was brought about following recommendations in the Robbins Report of 1963. This saw a number of Colleges of Advanced Technology gain full university status, becoming known as so-called "plate glass universities" because of their architectural design. St Bartholomew's College of Nursing and Midwifery and Charterhouse College of Radiography were incorporated into the university in 1995, and in 2001, the Inns of Court School of Law (founded 1852) merged with the University's Department of Law to form the Institute of Law, which changed its name in 2005 to the City Law School. The Inns of Court School of Law name will not be used from July 2008.[citation needed]

City University London today

The University offers traditional Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees as well as certificates and diplomas at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

The University's mission, as outlined in its Strategy, is to "provide rigorous research and education for the world of work".[3]

File:Northampton squ.jpg
The Northampton Square in front of the main building

The current Vice-Chancellor is Professor Malcolm Gillies.[4] The Chancellor of the University is the Lord Mayor of London ex officio. For a number of years, students have taken part in the annual Lord Mayor's Show, representing the University in one of the country’s largest and liveliest parades.[citation needed]

Birth place of City Technology plc (a LSE listed spin-out of City University, London), the world’s leading manufacturer of fuel-cell gas sensors used in worker safety, automotive, medical and emissions monitoring applications. Part of Honeywell (USA) since March 2006.[citation needed]

Teaching and research ratings

City University gained 22nd place overall out of 122 Higher Education Institutions in the UK in The Guardian University Rankings 2006, a drop of 2 places on the 2005 standings.[citation needed] City was ranked fourth in the UK for its employment record by The Times Good University Guide in 2005.[5]

In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, the Higher Education Funding Council for England rated 13 of City's research areas as being of "international" or "national excellence". These areas are applied mathematics, arts policy, business, computer science, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, information science, law, music, nursing, optometry, psychology and sociology.[citation needed]

Students and courses

The University has a strong focus on postgraduate education with just under half of students on postgraduate programmes. Nearly one third of undergraduates are aged 21 or older when they start their programme. There is a wide range of taught courses offered; some are quite specialised, designed to help students prepare for professional careers. More than two thirds of City’s programmes are recognised by the appropriate professional bodies such as the BCS, BPS, CILIP, Institute of Electrical Engineers etc. in recognition of the high standards of relevance to the professions. The University also has a specialist Online Careers Network where over 4,000 former students offer practical help to current students.

The City Law School offers courses for undergraduates, postgraduates and professional courses leading to qualification as a solicitor or barrister, as well as continuing professional development. Its Legal Practice Course is the only one in London to be rated 'Excellent' by the Law Society.

City is home to one of the world's leading centres for the education of journalists,[citation needed] its Department of Journalism. The department has been teaching journalism since 1976 and has nearly 4,000 alumni in over 80 countries. It has the UK's first chair in reporting,[citation needed] the Anthony Sampson professorship. It now runs MA courses in Creative Writing and Publishing.

The School of Informatics at City is at the forefront of international excellence and leadership in education and research for the information and computing professions,[citation needed] offering undergraduate programmes such as Computer Science with Games Technology or Artificial Intelligence. Within the School is the Department of Information Science, which is established internationally as a pioneer and leader in the field of information science education,[citation needed] offering Postgraduate courses in Information Science and Management, and Information Systems and Technology. A growing area of interest in the Department is GeoInformatics. The giCentre coordinates this research and masters degrees in Geographic Information Systems and Geographic Information Management.

The University offers some programmes via flexible study where modules are studied mainly by distance learning. Such programmes are supported by an integrated e-learning system, which is available to everyone not just distance learners. E-learning at City has become part of mainstream teaching and learning, with 3,000 students across the University enrolled on e-supported modules. City has invested in a campus-wide infrastructure and established an E-Learning Unit.

Partnerships and links

The University has excellent links with businesses in the City of London.[citation needed] In September 2006, City joined the Willis Research Network (WRN), a major, long-term partnership between leading international scientific institutions (including the universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Durham and Imperial College London) and the global insurance broker, Willis Group Holdings. The purpose of the network is to evaluate the frequency, severity and impact of catastrophes such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and terrorism.
City University has also joined forces with other universities such as Queen Mary and the Institute of Education (both part of the University of London) with which it jointly delivers several leading degree programmes.

Schools and academic departments

Campus

File:CityUniversity.jpg
The main City University building in Northampton Square.

The University has sites throughout London, with the main campus located at Northampton Square. Other academic sites are:

Apart from academic activities, the University's supporting departments are also contributing to the development of the institution's reputation as a provider of excellent courses and facilities. As such, the Property and Facilities department embarked on a major overhaul of university buildings across all sites:

File:CollegeBuilding.jpg
The Grade II listed College Building.

2000–2002

  • Following a donation from the Sir John Cass's Foundation, a multi-million pound building, Bunhill Row, was built for the Cass Business School.
  • A new Research Centre for Energy and the Environment was completed in 2001/02. One of the very few of its type worldwide, the Centre boasts some of the most advanced engine research facilities in Europe.
  • Construction of the Fight for Sight Optometry Clinic - a new £5m facility dedicated to optometry teaching, clinical practice and research.

2004–2006

  • A £23m landmark building to house the School of Social Sciences and the Department of Language and Communication Science opened in 2004. The building uses the latest construction ideas for low-energy design and includes computing and experimental laboratories.
  • Accommodation at One Canada Square was acquired in 2006 for Cass Business School's Executive Education programme.
  • The reconstruction and redevelopment of the University's Grade II listed College Building (following a fire in 2001) was completed in July 2006. It houses a new high-tech Human Computer Interaction Design lab, supported by The Vodafone UK Foundation.
  • In 2006, the Department of Radiography gained a brand-new purpose-built clinical skills suite. The suite is equipped with some of the most up-to-date imaging and radiotherapy equipment available; the Department claims this to be the best-equipped radiography clinical skills suite in England

Notable academics and alumni

Academics

Alumni

Arts, science and academia

Government, politics and society

Business and finance

Media and entertainment

Trivia

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  • The Department of Civil Engineering is home to one of only a few geotechnical centrifuges operating in England. It is a centre for world class research in geotechnics.
  • In 1908 the University's swimming pool was used for the Olympic Games.
  • The University's Cass Business School is considered to be an institution of international repute and standing for their undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
  • Each letter of City's logotype tells a story:
    • the classical letter C is carved in granite on the cornerstone of a venerable City-based financial institution
    • the neon letter I denotes a lively Clerkenwell restaurant
    • the cast metal letter T graces the shop front of a traditional, high street business
    • the stainless steel letter Y represents the headquarters of a London-based multinational corporation.

References

  1. ↑ "Charter and Statutes" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  2. ↑ "Another top five ranking for City in The Times Good University Guide 2008". City University London. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
  3. ↑ "University Strategy". City University London. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ "City ranked 4th in the UK for employability". City University London. 2005-05-24. Retrieved 2007-08-10. Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Template:Universities in the United Kingdom

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