30.11.07
Cornwall home to University of the Year
The University of Exeter, which has a growing campus near Penryn, has been named 2007 University of the Year by the Times Higher Educational Supplement.
The award was made in recognition of the University’s efforts to create new educational opportunities in the South West in partnership with a range of other organisations. The success of the Tremough Campus was highlighted as a key factor in the University winning this prestigious award.
The award was presented to the Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Smith and the President of the Guild of Students Jess Dow at a glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. The ceremony was attended by 1,200 leading figures from the world of higher education. It caps an excellent year for the University which has firmly established itself as a top 20 UK higher education institution.
Professor Matthew Evans, Provost of the University of Exeter’s Cornwall Campus, said: “This is an important statement by our peers who have recognised the excellent work carried out by our staff and students in Exeter and Cornwall. It caps a fantastic year for the University. Applications and research earnings have increased dramatically and we have risen to 17th place in the UK university league tables. We had our first Tremough Campus graduation and have launched several new degree courses. This is a University which combines world class research with a high quality student experience.”
The University of the Year Award highlights three major educational initiatives which came to fruition in 2007. The success of these ventures has substantially raised the University’s profile, demonstrated its ability to work with different partners, added significant new academic assets and fuelled growth. The three ventures are:
| 1. |
The completion of their studies by students at the Tremough Campus near Falmouth. Opening a campus 100 miles away from its base in Exeter was a significant challenge for the University. The University shares the campus, including academic and social facilities and student accommodation, with University College Falmouth. The two institutions have developed a shared vision for future development. The creation of the campus has been made possible through European Objective One investment as part of the wider Combined Universities in Cornwall. Not only has the campus proved extremely popular with students but it has also been possible to attract exceptional staff to Cornwall. The Biology group, for example, has attracted a world class group of academics specialising in conservation and evolutionary biology. |
| 2. |
The completion of their studies by the first cohort of students from the Peninsula Medical School. This is another joint venture, this time with Plymouth University. Since the Medical School was established in 2002 it has grown in size from an initial intake of 127 students to 214 now and has established bases in Exeter, Plymouth and Truro. It recently received investment for a new dental school – the first in the UK for 40 years - which will open its doors for students in the autumn. Research has quickly developed with Medical School researchers recently making national and international news with their discovery of genes for obesity. Diabetes research is a particular specialism within the Medical School and researchers have identified and developed treatments for forms of ‘monogenic’ diabetes. |
| 3. |
The £14 million Great Western Research project. This is a project involving all of the South West HEIs, but is led by Exeter. The project has provided a significant boost to postgraduate development in the South West with students working on projects in collaboration with local businesses. |
The £100 million Tremough Campus is a Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative, of which the University of Exeter and University College Falmouth are two of the founding partners. It is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council. Set in 70 acres of countryside, but close to the waterside towns of Penryn and Falmouth, the campus offers a lively student community. The University of Exeter now offers degrees in Biology, Cornish Studies, English, Geology, Geography, History, Law, Mining Engineering, Politics and Renewable Energy on its Tremough Campus, which has expanded rapidly as part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative.
For further information contact Sarah Hoyle, Press Officer, University of Exeter on 01392 262062, or email s.hoyle@exeter.ac.uk.
Editor's notes:
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
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