University of Reading Information & University of Reading Links at HealthHaven.com
advertise
add site
services
publishers
database
health videos
Bookmark and Share

search wiki for    ?
web dir firms image gallery news pdf wiki shop video 
about
toolbar
stats
live show
health store
more stuff
JOIN/LOGIN
Featured Results:
CUC - School of Pharmacy - University of Reading
CUC - School of Pharmacy - University of Reading
cuconsortium.org.uk
  Reading Aids, Book Stands, Reading Lights, Reading Machine, Reading ...
Reading Aids, Book Stands, Reading Lights, Reading Machine, Reading...
independentliving.com
 "esophoria, reading problems, slow reader, reading difficulties,...
"esophoria, reading problems, slow reader, reading difficulties,...
childrenspecialneeds.org
 
University of Reading
Established 1926 - gained University status
1892 - University College, Reading
Type Public
Chancellor Sir John Madejski
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Gordon Marshall
Visitor The Lord President of the Council ex officio
Staff 4,024
Students 22,805[1]
Undergraduates 12,683[1]
Postgraduates 10,122[1]
Location Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
Campus Whiteknights: 1.3 square kilometres (321 acres)[2]
Colours Royal Purple and White
   
Affiliations 1994 Group
Website www.reading.ac.uk

The University of Reading is a red-brick university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. Established in 1892, receiving its Royal Charter in 1926, the University has a long tradition of research, education and training at a local, national and international level. It was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 1998, and again in 2005. It is one of the ten most research-intensive universities in the UK [3], as well as being considered one of the top 200 universities in the world in the Times Higher Education 2009 World University Rankings[4]

In recent years the university has been beset by controversy, with closing departments and job losses among staff.[5][6][7]

Contents

[edit] History

The University War Memorial clock tower, on the London Road Campus

The University owes its origins to the Schools of Art and Science established in Reading in 1860 and 1870. These became part of an extension college of Christ Church of the University of Oxford in 1892, which became known as University College, Reading.[8]

The new college received its first treasury grant in 1901. Three years later it was given a site, in London Road, by the Palmer family of Huntley & Palmers fame. The same family's continued support enabled the opening of Wantage Hall in 1908 and the Research Institute in Dairying in 1912.[8]

The college first applied for a Royal Charter in 1920 but was unsuccessful at that time. However a second petition, in 1925, was successful, and the charter was officially granted on March 17, 1926. With the charter, the University College became the University of Reading, the only new university to be created in England between the two world wars.[8]

In 1947 the University purchased Whiteknights Park, which was to become its principal campus. In 1984 the University started a merger with Bulmershe College of Higher Education, which was completed in 1989.[8][9][10]

In October 2006, the Senior Management Board proposed[11] the closure of its Physics Department to future undergraduate application. This was ascribed to financial reasons and lack of alternative ideas and caused considerable controversy, not least a debate in Parliament[12] over the closure which prompted heated discussion of higher education issues in general.[13] On October 10 the Senate voted to close the Department of Physics, a move confirmed by the Council on November 20.[5] Other departments closed in recent years include Music, Sociology, Geology, and Mechanical Engineering. The university council decided in March 2009 to close the School of Health and Social Care, a school whose courses have consistently been oversubscribed.[6][7]

In January 2008, the University announced its merger with the Henley Management College to create the university's new Henley Business School, bringing together Henley College's expertise in MBAs with the University's existing Business School and ICMA Centre. The merger took formal effect on the 1st August 2008, with the new business school split across the university's existing Whiteknights Campus and its new Greenlands Campus that formerly housed Henley Management College.[14][15] A further restructuring announced in September 2009 portends the loss of additional jobs, in the film department.[16]

[edit] Campuses

Whiteknights Lake
The University Great Hall, on the London Road Campus
Greenlands Campus, used by the Business School

The University maintains over 1.6 square kilometres (395 acres) of grounds, in four distinct campuses:

  • Whiteknights Campus, at 1.23 square kilometres (304 acres), is the largest and includes Whiteknights Lake, conservation meadows and woodlands as well as most of the University's departments. The campus takes its name from the nickname of the 13th century knight, John De Erleigh IV or the 'White Knight', and was landscaped in the 18th century by Marquis of Blandford. The main University library, in the middle of the campus, holds nearly a million books and subscribes to around 4,000 periodicals.
  • The smaller London Road Campus is the original University site and is closer to the town centre of Reading. The London Road site forms the base for the majority of the university's extramural and distance learning activities, and is home to the Centre for Continuing Education and the Professional Management Programmes as well as the Museum of English Rural Life. Moreover, it plays host to the University graduation ceremonies twice a year, in the Great Hall. London Road is currently undergoing extensive renovation to allow a number of departments to move from Bulmershe from 2011.
  • The Bulmershe Court Campus in Woodley is the second biggest campus belonging to the University.[citation needed] Formerly Bulmershe Teaching College, in 1989 the College of Higher Education merged with The University of Reading and the campus is now the home of The Institute of Education and the Department of Film, Theatre and Television, alongside the Bulmershe site of Students’ Union, Breeze Bar, and Bulmershe Hall of Residences. It also has the largest hall of residence of the University. Furthermore, the campus hosts a range of the University's home sporting fixtures, including football, basketball and the Reading Knights American Football team. Bulmershe is currently due for closure in 2011 with departments moving to either London Road or Whiteknights Campuses.
  • The Greenlands Campus, on the banks of the River Thames in Buckinghamshire. Once the home of William Henry Smith, founder of WH Smith, and latterly the site of the Henley Management College, this campus became part of the university on the 1st August 2008, with the merger of that college with the university's Business School to form the Henley Business School. The school's MBA and corporate learning offerings will be based at Greenlands, with undergraduate and other postgraduate courses being based at Whiteknights.[15]

The University also owns 8.5 square kilometres (2,100 acres) of farmland in the nearby villages of Arborfield, Sonning and Shinfield. These support a mixed farming system including dairy cows, ewes and beef animals, and host research centres of which the flagship is the Centre for Dairy Research.

As part of the proposed Whiteknights Development Plan in Autumn 2007, the University proposed spending up to £250 million on its estates over 30 years, principally to focus academic activities onto the Whiteknights site.[17] The University also intends to site some functions on the London Road site, with a complete withdrawal from Bulmershe Court proposed by 2012.

[edit] Research

In the Research Assessment Exercise in 2001, five departments were awarded the top rate of 5* – Archaeology, English, Italian, Meteorology and Psychology, and fifteen departments were awarded the rating of 5. In the wake of the 2008 RAE, the university saw a cut of £4m (19%) in its recurrent research funding, the largest cut among the 1994 Group of British universities.[18]

The Department of Meteorology was awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2005. Reading was the first university to win a Queen's Award for Export Achievement, in 1989.

UK University Rankings
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
Times Good University Guide 31st=[19] 25th[19] 31st[20] 39th 30th[21] 29th 30th 27th[22] 31st 31st 24th= 28th 21st 24th= 19th= 23rd= 32nd=
Guardian University Guide 39th[23] 42nd[23] 44th[24] 27th[25] 21st[26] 29th[22][27]
Sunday Times University Guide 32nd[19] 31st[28] 34th[29] 35th[29] 37th[28] 36th[28] 31st[28] 28th[28] 29th[28] 28th[28] 32nd=[28]
Independent / Complete 38th[30] 29th[30]
Daily Telegraph 29th[31] 40th
FT 24th[32] 27th[33] 34th[34] 30th[35]

[edit] Community

In the 2004–05 academic year, the university had 4,024 staff and 15,326 students.

Reading University Students' Union is the affiliated student organisation which represents the students' interests. The Students' Union publishes Spark, a bi-weekly newspaper aimed at the student population of the University, which was weekly until October 2006 (it is now published fortnightly during term-time) and runs the student radio station Junction11.[36] The university also has a number of Junior Common Rooms that are nominally independent from the Students' Union and the University.

The Students' Union building on Whiteknights Campus contains an 1800 capacity venue called 3sixty, two bars, a number of retail outlets, and The Hub. The Hub is the Union's new volunteer, advice, student activity centre, cost around £1.8m and was officially opened in March 2007 by Bill Rammell MP, Minister for Higher Education.

[edit] University Halls and accommodation

Student accommodation is provided in a number of halls of residence offering a mix of partially catered (19 meals per week) and self-catering accommodation, along with other self-catering accommodation. Following a major review the University is now preceding with the integrated Halls and Catering Strategy, that will see several halls replaced as well as new ones created with social, catering & welfare facilities provided in hub areas[37]. Most of the halls of residence lie close to the northern campus periphery and in residential areas close by.

Bulmershe Hall is on the Bulmershe Campus. Bridges, Childs (closing October 2010), Greenow, MacCombie, Mackinder (opening October 2010)[37], Stenton (opening October 2011)[37], Wessex, Whiteknights (now demolished except for Whiteknights Crescent), and Windsor Halls are on the Whiteknights Campus. Hillside Court, Martindale Court, Mansfield (closed to students but parts in use), Reading Student Village, St. David's (closed to students but home to a number of staff), St. George’s, St. Patrick’s, Sherfield, Sibly, Wantage and Wells (currently mothballed) Halls are in the residential areas surrounding Whiteknights[38]. In addition to the halls 35 Upper Redlands Road provides accommodation for visiting Academics to Reading.

Halls are managed in groups which are Lakeside (Bridges, Bulmershe & Wessex), Northcourt (Sibly, Sherfield, Student Village (managed by UPP) and St. Patrick's), Park (Childs, Greenow, McCombie, MacKinder, Stenton, Windsor and Whiteknights), Redlands (Hillside, Martindale, St. George's, Wells and Wantage) and Estates Management (35 Upper Redlands Road, Mansfield and St. David's).

The former St. Andrews Hall closed in 2001, and is now the home of the Museum of English Rural Life.

St. George's Hall and The Reading Student Village are leased back to the University from UJC. The cost of leasing back the Student Village to the University, according to the University accounts, was £1.5 million for 2003–04 and £1.3 million in 2002–03.

[edit] Societies

The University of Reading has 60 societies open to and run by its students.

The University also has its very own Scottish Highland Bagpipe & Drum Band, Reading University Pipe Band, who teach the Great Highland Bagpipes and also serve students and staff as the University of Reading's Scottish Society.

[edit] Student Media

Students run a full compliment of student media, which includes;

[edit] Museums, libraries and botanical gardens

The Main Library on the Whiteknights Campus

Reading University maintains four museums, two campus libraries and a range of inter-departmental libraries, and a botanical garden. The largest and best known of these museum is the Museum of English Rural Life, which has recently relocated from a location on Whiteknights Campus to a site nearer the town centre on the London Road Campus. The Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, the Cole Museum of Zoology, the University of Reading Herbarium and the Harris Garden are all on the Whiteknights Campus.

The Whiteknights Main Library holds catalogue of over 1.2 million books, as well as a range of electronic resources, videos and archives. All in 14,000 square metres of public space on five floors of resources, a maintenance floor, entrance plaza and the Knowledge Exchange. The secondary library on the University's Bulmershe Campus supports teaching courses and provides resources in education, health & social care, music and film & drama. There is also a library in the University's Meteorology department.

[edit] Working with business

The Science & Technology Centre viewed from the car park
The Science & Technology Centre viewed from the campus

Reading hosts a number of private sector businesses on its campuses, either occupying dedicated buildings or in managed space at the Science & Technology Centre. A new Reading Enterprise Centre is planned adjacent to the Science & Technology Centre, replacing the now demolished Reading Enterprise Hub, a joint venture between the university and SEEDA.

[edit] Science & Technology Centre

The University of Reading Science & Technology Centre is situated on the eastern side of Whiteknights Campus. The Science & Technology Centre supports and accommodates technology companies from start-up through to larger SMEs.[39][40][41]

The following companies are based at, or have been based at, the Science & Technology Centre:[42][43]

[edit] Dedicated buildings

Besides its use of the Science & Technology Centre, Reading Scientific Services also occupies the Reading Science Centre, situated on the western side of Whiteknights campus.[44]

[edit] Associated institutions

Formerly associated with Reading University was Gyosei International College, a Japanese/British bi-cultural institution established on part of the University's original London Road Campus. Subsequently the college's links with the Japan-based Gyosei organisation were broken, and it became a charitably funded institution called Witan Hall. This was purchased by the University of Reading, ceased student recruitment and finally closed in March 2008.

The University of Reading Law faculty is also associated with Taylors College in Malaysia. Taylors College conducts a 'twinning' program whereby students complete half of their degree in Malaysia and the other half at the University of Reading. Malaysian Law students in Reading generally achieve a second class upper average, and have set a high standard for Malaysian Law students.

Located on Reading University's Whiteknights campus is The College of Estate Management (CEM). The College was founded in 1919 and granted its Royal Charter in 1922. It was originally based in London but moved to Reading in 1969, leading to the foundation of the Faculty of Urban and Regional Studies (URS) at the University. The College provides education and training for students and members of the property and construction professions worldwide through distance learning. Courses are delivered by the provision of printed material sent to students by post and through web-based learning.

The Walker Institute, a pioneering centre for climate research, is based at the University of Reading. The Institute aims to exploit and integrate the climate expertise within the University and to address fundamental questions in understanding and forecasting climate variability and its impacts.

[edit] Governance

[edit] Governing bodies and roles

The university is nominally led by a Chancellor, who is the titular head of the university, and is normally a well-known public figure. The day to day chief executive role is the responsibility of the Vice-Chancellor, a full time academic post. The senior management board of the university is headed by the Vice-Chancellor, assisted by a Deputy-Vice-Chancellor, three Pro-Vice-Chancellors, four Deans and five Heads of Directorate. It is responsible for the day-to-day management of the University and meets fortnightly throughout most of the year.[45]

The senior management board reports to the university's Senate, the main academic administrative body. The senate has around 100 members and meets at least four times a year and advises on areas such as student entry, assessment and awards. Membership includes Deans, Heads and elected representatives of Schools, as well as professional staff and students. The Senate in turn reports to the Council, which is the supreme governing body of the university, setting strategic direction, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and approving constitutional changes. The Council meets four times a year, and comprises a broad representation of lay members drawn from commercial, community and professional organisations.[45]

[edit] Officers of the University

Chancellors

Vice-Chancellors

[edit] Notable Academics

[edit] Notable alumni

Academics

Politics

Mathematics & Science

Music

Sport

Broadcasting

Writing & Artistry

Others

Business

  • Nick Candy - Co-Founder and partner of high end property development company, Candy & Candy, London
  • Kevin Goldstein-Jackson - founder of Television South West
  • Nicky Kinnaird - founder and president of British cosmetic retailer Space NK

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c RUSU Official Media Pack 2008-2009
  2. ^ "Campus for students". University of Reading. http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/about-campusstudents.asp. Retrieved 2007-08-21. 
  3. ^ "The Complete University Guide". http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=6563. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 
  4. ^ http://www.topuniversities.com/university/518/university-of-reading
  5. ^ a b BBC News article concerning the confirmed closure of the Physics department
  6. ^ a b Melanie Newman, "Institutions draw up plans for closures and job losses", Times Higher Education, 19 February 2009
  7. ^ a b Melanie Newman, "Alarm grows as jobs to go at four more institutions", Times Higher Education, 26 March 2009
  8. ^ a b c d "The University's History". University of Reading. http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/about-history.asp. Retrieved 2009-04-30. 
  9. ^ "Campus Architecture". University of Reading. http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/about-architecture.asp. Retrieved 2007-07-24. 
  10. ^ Statutory Instrument 1989 no. 408
  11. ^ Official statement about the Physics Department on the University website
  12. ^ Information page of Labour MP for Reading West, Martin Salter
  13. ^ Official Statement about University Senate vote from University website
  14. ^ "World-class business school to be created as University of Reading merges with Henley Management College". University of Reading. 2008-01-09. http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/newsandevents/releases/PR11148.asp. 
  15. ^ a b "Briefing News Update - Henley Business School". University of Reading. Summer 2008. 
  16. ^ Hannah Fearn, "Reading plans restructuring", Times Higher Education, 11 September 2009
  17. ^ "Whiteknights development plan" (PDF). University of Reading. http://www.reading.ac.uk/whiteknights/consultation.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-09. 
  18. ^ Zoë Corbyn, "Reversal of Fortunes", Times Higher Education, 6 March 2009
  19. ^ a b c "[www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/good_university_guide/ Times University Guide]". The Times. www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/good_university_guide/. 
  20. ^ "The Times Good University Guide 2007 - Top Universities 2007 League Table". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/displayPopup/0,,102571,00.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
  21. ^ "The Times Top Universities". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/displayPopup/0,,32607,00.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
  22. ^ a b "The Table Of Tables". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=/education/2003/06/27/tefuni.xml. 
  23. ^ a b "The Guardian University Guide". The Guardian. http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide. 
  24. ^ "University ranking by institution". The Guardian. http://browse.guardian.co.uk/education/2006?SearchBySubject=&FirstRow=20&SortOrderDirection=&SortOrderColumn=GuardianTeachingScore&Subject=Institution-wide&Institution=. Retrieved 2007-10-29. 
  25. ^ "University ranking by institution". The Guardian. http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide2005/table/0,,-5163901,00.html?start=40&index=3&index=3. Retrieved 2007-10-29. 
  26. ^ "University ranking by institution 2004". The Guardian. http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide2004/table/0,,1222167,00.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19. 
  27. ^ "University ranking by institution". The Guardian 2003 (University Guide 2004). http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/unitable/0,,-4668575,00.html. 
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h "University ranking based on performance over 10 years" (PDF). Times Online. 2007. http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/pdfs/univ07ten.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-28. 
  29. ^ a b "The Sunday Times University League Table" (PDF). The Sunday Times. http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/stug2006/stug2006.pdf. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
  30. ^ a b "The Independent University League Table". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/the-main-league-table-2009-813839.html. 
  31. ^ "University league table". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=HXFCSGXMNVABTQFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2007/07/30/ncambs430.xml. Retrieved 2007-10-29. 
  32. ^ "The FT 2003 University ranking". Financial Times 2003. http://www.grb.uk.com/448.0.html?cHash=5015838e9d&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=9&tx_ttnews%5Buid%5D=9. 
  33. ^ "FT league table 2001". FT league tables 2001. http://specials.ft.com/universities2001/FT3HLLAN6LC.html. 
  34. ^ "FT league table 1999-2000". FT league tables 1999-2000. http://specials.ft.com/ln/ftsurveys/industry/pdf/top100table.pdf. 
  35. ^ "FT league table 2000". FT league tables 2000. http://specials.ft.com/ln/ftsurveys/industry/scbbbe.htm. 
  36. ^ http://www.1287am.com/
  37. ^ a b c "Halls Redevelopment Information" (web). University of Reading. pp. 1. http://www.rdg.ac.uk/about/about-localHallsRDPapp.asp. Retrieved February 21, 2009. 
  38. ^ a b "Halls Booklet" (PDF). University of Reading. pp. 12. http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/hallsbooklet.pdf. Retrieved July 24, 2007. 
  39. ^ "Science & Technology Centre - Business Zone". University of Reading. http://www.rdg.ac.uk/STC/businesszone/businesszone.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  40. ^ "University of Reading Science and Technology Centre and Enterprise Hub". UKSPA. http://www.ukspa.org.uk/science_parks/content/1090/university_of_reading_science_and_technology_centre_and_enterprise_hub. Retrieved 2009-10-29. 
  41. ^ "Science Parks in Europe". UNESCO. http://www.unesco.org/science/psd/thm_innov/unispar/sc_parks/europe.html. Retrieved 2009-10-29. 
  42. ^ "Science & Technology Centre - Companies". University of Reading. http://www.rdg.ac.uk/STC/businesszone/companies.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  43. ^ "Science & Technology Centre - Companies". University of Reading. http://www.rdg.ac.uk/STC/businesszone/companies.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-23. 
  44. ^ "Main Site Map". Reading Scientific Services Ltd. http://www.rssl.com/clientsupport/Documents/COLMAP.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 
  45. ^ a b "Governance of the University of Reading". University of Reading. http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/about-governance.asp. Retrieved July 24, 2007. 
  46. ^ a b c d e f g "Reading welcomes its new chancellor". Bulletin (University of Reading): pp. 6-7. 2008-01-17. 
  47. ^ a b "Football boss made uni chancellor". BBC. 2007-07-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/6292592.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-24. 
  48. ^ "University of Reading Bulletin (16 March 2006)" (PDF). University of Reading. pp. 4. http://www.reading.ac.uk/bulletin/pdfs/447.pdf. Retrieved 2007-07-24. 
  49. ^ "University of Reading Bulletin (20 November 2008)" (PDF). University of Reading. pp. 3. http://www.reading.ac.uk/bulletin/pdfs/489.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
  50. ^ "Papers of Lord Wolfenden". University of Reading. http://www.reading.ac.uk/special-collections/collections/sc-wolfenden.asp. Retrieved 2008-11-21. 
  51. ^ Sewell, Michael (2006-02-02). "Tribute to Sir Harry Raymond Pitt, F.R.S." (PDF). http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~pes20/MJSewell/harry_pitt.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-12. 
  52. ^ "Professor Sir Roger Williams". University of Glamorgan. http://www.glam.ac.uk/awards/1834. Retrieved 2009-01-06. 
  53. ^ "Professor Gordon Marshall". University of Reading. http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/people/about-marshall.asp. Retrieved July 24, 2007. 
  54. ^ HKMD Daily News, February 25, 2009

[edit] External links





Product Results (view all...)

search wiki for    ?
web dir firms image gallery news pdf wiki shop video 



↑ top of page ↑about thumbshots