University of Exeter, UK

A member of the 1994 group of 19 internationally benchmarked research-intensive universities of the UK, UoE has a strong India connection developed over several decades

Granted a royal charter in 1955, over the past half century the University of Exeter (UoE) has acquired a global reputation for excellence in teaching and research. A member of the 1994 group of 19 internationally benchmarked research-intensive univer-sities of the UK, UoE is ranked No.10 of 116 UK universities in the Times Good University Guide 2011, and among the Top 200 worldwide in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011. Moreover, Britain’s Research Assessment Exercise 2008 rates 16 UoE faculties among the Top 10 and 27 among the Top 20.

Spread across three campuses — Streatham and St. Luke’s (in Exeter) and Cornwall (in Falmouth) in south-west England — the university’s six colleges comprising 31 academic departments and institutes of learning offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgrad and doctoral programmes to 17,950 students including 4,000 from 130 countries around the world. Contemporary curriculums and pedagogies apart, all undergraduates have the chance to spend part of their three-year study programme abroad — UoE has academic links with over 100 foreign universities, including summer schools in Beijing and Hong Kong.

“UoE is one of the leading research-led universities of the UK and a continuously growing institution. Work is nearing completion on a £275 million (Rs.2,255 crore) capital expenditure programme. This will result in the creation of new state-of-the-art facilities including a £48 million (Rs.394 crore) redevelopment of the heart of the Exeter campus called the Forum Project. In Cornwall, we are building a new £30 million (Rs.246 crore) Environment and Sustainability Institute which will expand the campus and generate world-class research into the causes of environ-mental change and how to manage its effects,” says UoE vice chancellor Sir Steve Smith.

UoE has a strong India connection developed over several decades. On November 16, it inaug-urated a representation office in Bangalore, becoming the first British university to establish an office in the city.

Exeter. Sited in the county of Devon, Exeter (pop. 118,000) is a historic city consistently rated among the best places to live in the UK. Exeter Cathedral, built in the early 12th century, and other historical buildings blend seamlessly with modern shops, bars, cafes, cinemas and restaurants of the city centre. The city’s art centre and Exeter Phoenix offer top-quality theatre, live music and exhibitions of art and crafts while Northcott Theatre regularly hosts stage productions.

Exeter offers excellent bus and train links including an international airport. It’s two and half hours from London and one hour to Bristol by rail. The weather is cold and wet in winter with warm summers. Temperatures don’t vary much through the year with the hottest month being July (21oC), and the coldest January with an average 8oC.

Campus facilities. UoE has two campuses — Streatham and St. Luke’s — sited in the eponymous city. The main campus in Streatham hosts the majority of the university’s 18,000 students. The centrepiece of the Streatham campus is the Forum, a new £48 million facility offering a Student Services Centre, refurbished library, new technology learning spaces, a 400-seats lecture theatre, a new university reception and retail and catering outlets.

Boasting lakes, parks, woodland and gardens, the Streatham campus is a registered botanic garden and has been described by The Times as the ‘best-gardened campus in Britain’. The on-campus Sports Park offers excellent facilities including a 90-station fitness studio, eight badminton courts, sports hall, two exercise studios, four squash and tennis courts, the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Devon Cricket Centre with four indoor nets, bowling machines and indoor games, water-based hockey pitch, sand-based astro-pitch and a heated swimming pool. Other facilities include shops, restaurants and cafes.

The St. Luke’s campus, a 15-minute walk from the city centre, hosts students of the graduate schools of education, sport and health sciences and the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry. Academic facilities include a library, which has recently undergone a £1 million (Rs.8.2 crore) refurbishment, IT facilities, modern seminar rooms and lecture theatres. Sports facilities comprise a sports hall, an air-conditioned health and fitness studio and heated indoor swimming pool.

The university’s third campus in Cornwall, inaugurated in 2004, houses 4,000 students. Sited near the town of Falmouth (pop.21,635), the Cornwall campus offers excellent teaching facilities including the £30 million Environment and Sustainability Institute and £10 million Exchange building.

Moreover the university’s Students’ Guild organises a host of social and cultural events through the year, and supports over 150 societies and clubs.

Admission. Applications for all full-time undergraduate degrees have to be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (www. ucas.ac.uk). Exeter’s UCAS code is E84 EXETR.  The minimum eligibility requirement for admission into Exeter’s undergrad programmes is completion of Plus Two with a minimum average of 80 percent for arts and 85 percent for admission into the science stream. Moreover all foreign students are required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language — IELTS/TOEFL and Pearson test scores are accepted. University spokespersons recommend sending of admission applications by January 15, 2012, for entry into the academic term beginning September 2012, “as the course may be full after this point”.

Applications for admission into postgraduate programmes have to be made directly to the university through www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/admissions/applying/online/. The general admission requirement is successful completion of a bachelor’s degree though some faculties may stipulate specific eligibility criteria.

For further information contact Admissions Office, 8th Floor, Laver Building, North Park Road, Exeter, UK, EX4 4QE. Phone: +44 (0) 1392 723044; Fax: + 44 (0) 1392 722479; e-mail: ug-ad@exeter.ac.uk or intoff@exeter.ac.uk; website: www.exeter.ac.uk.

Accommodation. The university offers a wide selection of residential accommodation on and off campus with housing guaranteed to all new under-graduates and postgrads. Undergrad-uate students may apply for catered or self-catering accommodation while postgrads qualify for self-catered housing. Apart from studios, rooms are arranged in cluster flats or town houses, which can accommodate three to 12 people. All rooms have broadband connectivity. Students can also rent private accommodation with the help of the university’s housing office.

Degree programmes. The university offers a wide range of undergrad, postgrad and doctoral programmes across six faculties (see box).

Summiya Yasmeen