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and surgery - directions to Aston University Day... astonacademy.co.uk |
Aston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated on a 40-acre (0.16 km²) campus at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.[3] Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School,[4] Aston achieved university status on 22 April 1966. Following from its background in Technology, Business, Sciences, Engineering and applied subjects, Aston continues to have a focus on industry and commerce[3]. The University also has a thriving School of Languages and Social Sciences. A majority of undergraduate students are registered on courses leading to a BSc[5] and 70 per cent of eligible undergraduate students at Aston are enrolled on four-year "sandwich" courses, spending a year abroad or on industry placements.[3][6] The university emphasises its focus on industry placements and graduate employment record:[7] in 2007-8, 83 per cent of first degree graduates found "graduate level" employment within six months of graduation, compared to the UK national average of less than 70 per cent. [8] This was the 8th highest proportion of all UK Universities and Colleges. Aston also performed well in the 2008 National Student Survey, with the 10th highest average satisfaction score of all UK mainstream Universities at 80.6% and the 13th highest percentage of all UK Universities [8]. In the same survey 89% of Aston students were satisfied with the quality of their course (UK average 82%). Research: In the 2008 RAE 86% of Research submitted was of "International Significance" and 45% "World Leading" or "Internationally Excellent". Aston also submitted a high proportion of staff (88% - higher than many Russell Group Universities) including over 25% of academic staff described as early career researchers. Under the old 5 point system (used up until 2001) Aston would have achieved Grade 5* or 5 in all submitted Units of Assessment. Further details and information on specific Research Groups is available on the Aston University website. Aston is a relatively small university in terms of student numbers, serving just over 7,000 full-time undergraduates,[2] compared with the 18,840[2] of its near neighbour institution, the University of Birmingham. Aston also has 2,530 postgraduate students (1,315 full time) on MSc, PhD, PGDip and MBA programmes. Aston's smaller size in part contributes its reputation as a friendly University with a lively programme of student activities. Aston Business School (part of the University) celebrated its 60 year anniversary in 2007, one of the most established in the UK. [9]
[edit] History Separated from the Birmingham and Midland Institute in 1895 as The Birmingham Municipal Technical School[10], it changed its name in 1927 to the Birmingham Central Technical College[10], to reflect its changing approach to teaching technology. In 1951 The Technical College was re-named the College of Technology, Birmingham[10] and work began on the Main Building at Gosta Green[10]. In 1956, it became the first designated College of Advanced Technology and underwent a major expansion[10]. The first step took place when it moved to an area north of Jennens Road in 1955. It moved into buildings that were constructed between 1949 and 1955 to a design by Ashley & Newman. The college expanded again to a design by the City Architect of Birmingham Alwyn Sheppard Fidler between 1957 and 1965.[11] It officially became the University of Aston in Birmingham on receipt of its Royal Charter on 22 April 1966. Sir Michael Bett took over the position of Chancellor on 21 October 2004 from Sir Adrian Cadbury, whose younger brother Sir Dominic Cadbury is Chancellor of the University of Birmingham. Part of Birmingham City University's Institute of Art and Design is also located on the edge of the Aston University campus - called its Gosta Green site. In 1983, Aston University, in partnership with Birmingham City Council and Lloyds Bank, established Birmingham Technology Ltd., which manages the Aston Science Park adjacent to the university site. [edit] Coat of arms The University's arms were granted on 18 March 1955 by Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms to the Birmingham Corporation, for use by the former College of Technology. They were designed to show the College's connection with the City and with the teaching of technology. The arms consist of a shield and crest. The shield has two sections – the field (the main background) which is coloured blue and a chief (the broad band across the top of the shield) of silver. On the field is a diagonal line of five gold diamonds joined one to the other, similar to the first quarter of the Arms of the City of Birmingham and incorporated in the Arms of the College to show its connection with the City. This was adopted by the family of Birmingham which derived its name from the then hamlet of Birmingham, and provided the Lords of the Manor from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries. On the chief is depicted an open book bound in red placed between two black hammers, showing the connection of the University with technology, the book representing learning and the hammers engineering and allied trades. The crest is also designed to stress the pursuit of knowledge. It consists of a red torch held erect by a forearm between two branches of gold laurel. Having been originally worn on the helmet of a fully-armed person, the crest is always placed on the top of the helm. The method of joining the crest to the helm was usually concealed by decoration and, in the University’s arms, this is effected by the use of a wreath and a crown. The wreath is silver, red and black, these colours being taken from the shield. It is surmounted by a mural crown (resembling a wall) which is reserved in modern grants for persons and organisations connected with public corporations. The cloth mantling which hangs down from the top of the helm is the survival of the cloak which was originally worn to protect the armour coloured in the two principal colours of the shield, blue and gold. The motto of the University is the same as that of the City of Birmingham: "Forward". [edit] University league tables
[edit] Students' GuildMain article: Aston Students' Guild Aston Students' Guild is a non-profit organisation set up with the aim of involving and representing the student body of Aston. The Guild provides sports clubs, societies and Welfare Services, partially funded by the money accrued from the Guild's commercial services.[citation needed] The Guild is run by a team of permanent staff and by an elected team called the executive who follow the rules set out in the Guild Constitution. On 29 November 2006, the students voted to disaffiliate the Guild from the National Union of Students. [edit] Accommodation Aston University has both standard and en-suite accommodation on campus - 2,117 rooms in total. All campus accommodation is less than five minutes' walk from the main building, and approximately five minutes' walk from Birmingham city centre. In the 1970s, three towers containing student accommodation were constructed on the Aston University campus; Dalton, Lawrence and Stafford Towers. Each tower has 21 floors, although Dalton Tower is 61 metres (200 ft) tall, two metres taller than Lawrence Tower and Stafford Tower which are 59 metres (194 ft) tall. Dalton Tower has three flats on each floor, each with seven single study bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. Stafford Tower has two flats per floor, each with nine single study bedrooms sharing a kitchen and bathroom. Lawrence Tower has a mixture of flats with six single study bedrooms and twelve single study bedrooms.[33]. Aston University has an accommodation guarantee in place for first year students - details in the Aston University prospectus. A more recent addition to the Aston University student dwelling stock is the Lakeside complex which was constructed 1998-9 to a design by Feilden Clegg. Completed in August 1999, it cost £14,240,000 and has flats for approximately 650 students. The building won the Best Public Building award at the 2001 Brick Development Association Awards.[34] On April 5, 2007, Aston University submitted a planning application for demolition of the three 1970s towers and to replace them with new student accommodation blocks as well as apartments for tutors, retail units and administrative offices. On July 5, 2007, the application was approved and work commenced in January 2008 on phase 1. This is due for completion in 2010 and will consist of two blocks of student accommodation and a car park to the rear. There will also be a new artificial sports pitch with another car park beneath. The demolition of the existing towers will take place for phases 2 and 3.[35] The entire scheme is due for completion in 2014. Upon completion there will be 2,345 beds in the development alone, with more beds provided at other halls such as Lakeside. All the new accommodation is to be en-suite but rooms/flats will be differentiated in terms of size and facilities in-order to provide students with a range of different priced rooms. The Aston Student Village project will cost an estimated £215 million.[36] Phase 1 is costing £57 million. The Village has been designed by Lewis & Hickey Ltd and main contractor is Carillion Plc. Start on site date was 30/10/2008 and is due to run for 24 months. Phase 1 buildings will consist of two units at a max height of 18 storeys. [edit] School Of Engineering & Applied Science[edit] Formula StudentAston University is now in its ninth year of competing at Formula Student [37]and each year has seen improvements in both the technology used and the results achieved by the team made up of keen and enthusiastic Final Year Engineering students. Formula Student is the biggest and best of its kind in Europe. Run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), it promotes careers and excellence in engineering, by challenging university students to design, build, develop, market and compete as a team with a small single seater racing car. The Aston Motorsports team is made up of Final Year Engineering and Applied Science students led by a Postgraduate Team, supported by University Staff Members and Workshop Technicians.[38] At Formula Student UK 2009 in July, Aston Motorsports AM09 finished a best 27th Overall in Class 1. A Brake Disc Failure prevented AM09 entering the Acceleration and Skidpad events as the team had to go back to Birmingham for spare parts in order to make the Sprint and Endurance events. Lord Drayson, a former student of Aston and now a vaccine manufacturer and Minister of State for Science visited the Team while at the event
[edit] People[edit] List of Chancellors
[edit] Notable alumni
[edit] References
[edit] External links[edit] Video clips
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