University of Essex facts for kids
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| Motto | Thought the harder, heart the keener | ||||||||||
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| Type | Public research university | ||||||||||
| Established | 1964 – the first academic year 1965 – received university status by royal charter |
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Academic affiliations
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AMBA Eastern ARC Young European Research Universities Network Universities UK |
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| Endowment | £9.1 million (2023) | ||||||||||
| Budget | £317.8 million (2022/23) | ||||||||||
| Chancellor | Dr Sarah Perry | ||||||||||
| Vice-Chancellor | Anthony Forster | ||||||||||
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Administrative staff
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2,562 full-time equivalent (2019–20) | ||||||||||
| Students | 17,000 (2022) | ||||||||||
| Undergraduates | 15,348 (2019–20) | ||||||||||
| Postgraduates | 2,577 (2019–20) | ||||||||||
| Location | , | ||||||||||
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| Colours |
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| Nickname | The Essex Blades | ||||||||||
| Mascot | Pebbles the Cat | ||||||||||
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The University of Essex is a public university in Essex, England. It was officially started in 1965. It is known as one of the original "plate glass universities." This means it was built with a modern style using lots of concrete and glass.
The university's symbol includes the old shield from the Kingdom of Essex. Its motto, "Thought the harder, heart the keener," comes from an old English poem. The university has three main locations: its biggest campus is in Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, and there are also campuses in Southend-on-Sea and Loughton.
Essex is highly rated for its teaching. In 2018, it was named "University of the Year." Its Department of Government received a special honor from The Queen in 2013. The university also won the Queen's Anniversary Prize twice. This was for its work in human rights (2009) and social and economic research (2017).
Many famous people have studied at Essex. These include Nobel Prize winners, a head of state, important politicians, scientists, and artists.
Contents
History of the University
How Essex University Started
The University of Essex is one of seven "plate glass universities." These were all built between 1961 and 1965.
In 1959, the local council in Essex decided to create a university. A special committee helped make this happen. At first, they thought about a different location. But in 1961, it was decided that Wivenhoe Park would be the main site.
In 1962, important leaders were chosen for the new university. These included R. A. Butler as the first chancellor. Albert Sloman became the first vice-chancellor.
The first professors joined in 1963. They taught subjects like Physics, Mathematics, and Economics. Money was raised to build the university, and many people helped. In 1964, the university's colors (red) and official robes were designed. Its coat of arms and motto were also made public.
Growing the University
In October 1964, the first 122 students arrived. There were 28 teachers. They studied in three main areas: Comparative Studies, Physical Sciences, and Social Studies. Departments like Chemistry, Physics, and Government opened. The first student leader was also chosen.
In 1965, more students joined, bringing the total to 399. The number of teachers also grew. The first master's degrees were given out. Construction began on the library, and the Physics building opened. The first student living tower, Rayleigh, was ready. Dorothy E. Smith became the first female lecturer.
By October 1966, there were 750 students. New places like the Hexagon Restaurant opened. In 1967, Lord Butler officially became the Chancellor. The first honorary degrees were given. New departments like Computer Science opened. The library and other buildings were also completed.
Student Voices in 1968
In the 1960s, many students around the world spoke up about important issues. The University of Essex was part of this. In March 1968, students protested a visit from a politician. Seven students faced punishment, but other students sat in to support them.
Later, in May 1968, a scientist from Porton Down visited to give a talk. Students protested his visit because of his work. Many students gathered, and they managed to prevent any arrests.
After this, three students were suspended from the university. They were not told why or given a chance to explain themselves.
The university's magazine, Wyvern, reported what happened next. On May 13, students protested by blocking entrances. They called a big meeting, and almost everyone at the university voted to stop normal activities. They declared a "Free University" instead. After one week, the three suspended students were allowed back.
Many Essex students also joined protests in Paris that summer. Student actions continued on campus into 1969.
The 1970s and 80s
During the 1970s and 1980s, the university continued to grow. It added a health center, a nursery, and new student homes. New departments like Law and Philosophy were created.
The university also started to focus on larger departments. It worked with local companies to get important research projects. Because of its growing reputation, many international students began to come to Essex.
In 1987, Martin Harris became the new Vice-Chancellor. This was after Albert Sloman, the first Vice-Chancellor. In the same year, an Essex graduate, Oscar Arias, won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The 1990s: More Growth
In the 1990s, the university built more student housing. This was because the number of students grew a lot between 1991 and 1992. The Rab Butler Building opened in 1991.
By 1993, the university was 30 years old. It had 17 main departments. It offered learning and research to 5,500 students and had 1,300 staff. It also had the UK Data Archive. More expansion happened after 1993. A £5.5 million project added 234 new apartments for 1,200 students.
The 2000s: New Buildings and Partnerships
Between 2003 and 2004, the university kept expanding. University Quays, a student housing complex for 770 students, opened in 2003. The Network Centre building opened in 2004. It housed departments that later merged to form the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering.
The Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall opened in 2006. It is one of the largest lecture halls in the country, seating 1,000 people. The building's design received mixed reactions. Prince Charles called it "like a dustbin." However, it won a Civic Trust award in 2008. It was named after Sir Ivor Crewe in 2007.
The Gateway Building at the Southend Campus opened in 2007. It provided facilities for the Essex Business School and East 15 Acting School. The university also turned an old church into Clifftown Studios. This gave East 15 students a theatre and workshop spaces. Now, the university has a theatre at each of its three campuses.
The Social Science Research Centre was finished in 2007. It houses the Institute for Social and Economic Research and the UK Data Archive. Essex also helped create the University of Suffolk in 2007. A new building for health sciences opened in 2008. The Centre for Brain Science opened in 2009.
2010 to Present Day
The Essex Business School opened in 2015. It was the UK's first "zero-carbon" business school. This means it was designed to have no carbon footprint. It has a special winter garden and recycles rainwater. It also has a trading floor with Bloomberg terminals. The building won an award for its design.
Extensions to the Silberrad Student Centre and Albert Sloman Library were made in 2015. These also won awards for their design.
The Forum Southend-on-Sea opened in 2013. This was a joint project with the local council and South Essex College. It was a runner-up for an award in 2015.
In 2018, a STEM Centre opened. This brought together the university's science departments. New student housing called The Copse also opened. In 2019, the Innovation Centre opened. It provides space for over 50 new technology businesses.
In 2013, Queen Elizabeth II gave the university a special honor. This was for "50 years of excellence" in political science.
In 2019, Essex joined seven other European universities. They formed the Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) Alliance. This group aims to create "European Universities." They will work together across countries to promote European values.
Campus and Buildings
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The main campus is in Wivenhoe Park. This park was painted by the famous artist John Constable in 1816. The park has the main buildings from the 1960s. It also has Wivenhoe House, an old mansion from the 1700s. Wivenhoe House is now a hotel and a hotel school. It helps students learn how to work in the hotel and hospitality industry.
The university's buildings are typical of 1960s universities in England. They use a style called Brutalist architecture. This style uses a lot of concrete and glass. The architect, Kenneth Capon, was inspired by the Italian town of San Gimignano. This town has many towers and squares. The university has six student living towers, but the original plan was to build 29!
Important buildings include the student towers, The Hexagon, and the Albert Sloman Library. The library was chosen as an "icon of British design" in 2012. It also has one of the few working paternoster lifts in the country. This is a special type of elevator that never stops.
An exhibition called "Something Fierce" celebrated the university's 50th birthday in 2014. It showed how the university's buildings relate to its history. The original buildings were also shown in an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in 2017.
The Silberrad Student Centre and the library extension were finished in 2015. They were designed to match the original Brutalist style. The Essex Business School, opened in 2015, also won an award for its design.
How the University is Organized
The university has three main areas of study. These include 21 schools and departments. They cover subjects like Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science and Health.
University Departments
- Department of Economics
- Department of Government
- Department of History
- Department of Language and Linguistics
- Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
- Department of Sociology
- Edge Hotel School
- Essex Business School
- Essex Pathways
- Institute for Social and Economic Research
- School of Biological Sciences
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
- School of Health and Social Care
- School of Law
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science
- School of Philosophy and Art History
- School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Science
- East 15 Acting School
- UK Data Archive
Special Research Centers
Essex has three special research centers. They bring together experts from different subjects to do research. These are the Human Rights Centre, the Institute for Analytics and Data Science, and the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
Human Rights Centre
The Human Rights Centre at Essex started in 1982. It was one of the first of its kind in the world. Its work helped the university win a Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2010. This was for its efforts to promote human rights around the world.
Institute for Analytics and Data Science
This institute works with businesses and governments. They focus on managing and using large amounts of data. They also study how data can be used in different areas, from finance to health. They also look at the ethical and legal sides of using data.
Institute for Social and Economic Research
This center studies how society and the economy change over time. It started in 1989. It now runs a big project called "Understanding Society." This project follows 100,000 people in 40,000 British homes. Their work helped Essex win another Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2017.
Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing
This institute works with national and international groups. They research public health issues. Their goal is to improve health and wellbeing through new ideas.
Key Departments at Essex
Essex Law School
The Essex School of Law is highly ranked in the UK and worldwide. It is known for its strong research.
Essex Business School
The Essex Business School (EBS) was the UK's first "carbon-zero" business school. Its MBA program is highly respected. This makes EBS one of the top business schools globally.
Department of Government
The Department of Government at Essex is consistently ranked as a top place for political science research in the UK. Many experts agree it is a leading department in the country.
This department has several research centers. It also runs the Essex Summer School. This school teaches about social science data analysis. The department is home to the British Journal of Political Science.
Famous academics have worked in this department. These include Ernesto Laclau and Kristian Skrede Gleditsch.
Department of Sociology
The Department of Sociology was one of the first departments at the university. It started in 1964. Its first professor was Peter Townsend. Dorothy E. Smith was the first female lecturer in this department.
East 15 Acting School
The East 15 Acting School became part of the university in 2000. It has locations in Loughton and Southend-on-Sea. East 15 is highly ranked for drama studies. In 2018, it was named the UK's most diverse drama school.
Edge Hotel School
The Edge Hotel School is unique. It is the first hotel school in the UK with a working four-star hotel on campus. This allows students to gain real-world experience while they study. The school also offers events management courses. It works with places like the O2 Arena and the BRIT Awards.
School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
This school started in 2007. It was formed by combining two older departments from 1966.
The UK's research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) began in the 1950s and 1960s. Essex was one of the four major AI research centers at that time.
UK Data Archive
The UK Data Archive is a national center for data in the UK. It holds the largest collection of digital data in social sciences and humanities. It started in 1967 at the Colchester Campus.
Working with Others
The university wants to create new partnerships. It also wants to strengthen existing ones. This includes working with groups both in the UK and around the world.
Essex is part of the Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) alliance. This group of eight young European universities works together. They aim to create "European universities" that share common goals. Essex is also a member of the Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN). This network helps universities work together on research. It also helps students and staff study or work in other countries.
Essex has many international partnerships. It offers special degree programs with universities in China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and Singapore. It also has agreements with over 100 other higher education institutions worldwide.
For example, Essex's School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering works with Northwest University in China. They have a double degree program. Students study in China for three years, then finish their last year in the UK. They earn degrees from both universities.
Essex also works with Kaplan Singapore. They offer degree courses through this partnership. These include programs in Business, Hotel Management, and Psychology.
Other partnerships include programs with Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore. Essex also works with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London. They help accredit postgraduate courses.
The University of Essex Online offers degrees through a partnership with Kaplan Open Learning. This partnership won an award in 2017.
The University of Essex International College helps international students prepare for their degrees. It is a partnership with Kaplan International Pathways.
Essex is also part of the Eastern Arc research group. This group works with the University of East Anglia and the University of Kent. They focus on research related to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.
University Reputation
The University of Essex was named "University of the Year" in 2018. It also won an award in 2019 for its international work. This was for a project with Amnesty International to investigate human rights issues.
Essex has won the Queen's Anniversary Prize twice. In 2009, it was for its work in human rights. In 2017, it was for its research that helps governments make better policies.
For many years, Essex was a smaller university. But it planned to grow by about 50% to 15,000 students.
Essex is a member of the Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN) and the YUFE alliance.
The university is known worldwide for its teaching and research. Its annual Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis has been running for over 50 years. More than 15,000 students and teachers from around the world have attended.
In 2014, Essex was ranked in the top 20 in the UK for research. It has also been in the top 15 for student satisfaction for six years in a row.
Essex has two Nobel Prize winners among its graduates. This makes it one of only three non-Russell Group universities with Nobel laureate alumni. Óscar Arias, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987, studied political science at Essex. Christopher Pissarides, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2010, studied economics at Essex. Former Essex academic Oliver Hart also won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2016. Derek Walcott, a Nobel Prize winner in Literature, was a professor at the university.
University Rankings
| National rankings | |
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| Complete (2021) | 31 |
| Guardian (2021) | 30 |
| Times / Sunday Times (2021) | 56 |
| Global rankings | |
| ARWU (2020) | 401–500 |
| CWTS Leiden (2020) | 272 |
| QS (2021) |
472= |
| THE (2021) | 301–350 |
| British Government assessment | |
| Teaching Excellence Framework | Gold |
In 2017, Essex received a "Gold" rating for its teaching quality. This means students from all backgrounds achieve great results. They are happy with the teaching and support they receive. In 2023, this rating was updated to "Silver."
Essex is consistently ranked first for politics research. In 2014, it was again top for politics and international studies. Nine Essex subjects were ranked in the top 25 in the UK for research. These included sociology, economics, and law.
Nationally, Essex was ranked 39th among UK universities in 2023. It was also shortlisted for "University of the Year" in 2018. The university is ranked highly in global rankings for its international outlook.
Essex is in the top 50 for social sciences and 51st for law in world rankings. It is also highly ranked for Business and Economics, Arts and Humanities, and Computer Science. For specific subjects, Essex is ranked 33rd for politics and international relations, and 47th for sociology.
Students are very satisfied with their experience at Essex. It has been in the top 15 for overall student satisfaction for six years in a row.
Student Life at Essex
Who are the Students?
New students joining in 2021 had an average of 126 points. This is like getting good grades in high school. Most UK students (95%) come from state schools.
Essex has many international students. In 2017–18, over 4,300 students were from outside the UK. Students from 132 different countries study at Essex. This makes the university very diverse. Over 44% of students come from other countries.
Students' Union and Activities
Many famous music bands have played at the Essex Students' Union. These include AC/DC, Blur, Pink Floyd, and Radiohead.
In 2017, Essex students voted to leave the National Union of Students. In 2018, students voted to change how their Students' Union works. They created a Student Parliament to represent them.
The Students' Union has its own media channels called Rebel. Rebel Radio won an award in 2019 for its training program.
Sports at Essex
Sports are a big part of life at Essex for students and staff. There are many ways to get involved in sports and physical activity. These activities help with health and wellbeing.
The university's sports teams are called the Essex Blades. They compete in national competitions. There are over 40 clubs. These include popular sports like football and rugby. They also have less common sports like korfball and cheerleading.
Essex focuses on "high-performance" sports. These include volleyball, basketball, and rugby. The university offers scholarships for talented students in these sports.
Essex teams have won many national awards. The men's volleyball team won the National Student Cup three times in a row. The women's basketball team won the National Cup in 2016. In 2019, the men's volleyball team won the British University and Colleges (BUCS) championship.
In 2018, the university opened the new Essex Sport Arena. This is a top-level sports venue. It can seat 1,650 people. It has facilities for basketball, volleyball, and more. It also hosts the Max Whitlock Gymnastics School. The arena is home to the Essex Rebels Women's Basketball team. This is the first women's sports team in the eastern region.
Many national sports organizations work with the university. These include the Football Association and England Rugby. Great Britain teams use the university's facilities for training. The university also hosts many sports competitions.
The Colchester Campus also has one of the oldest disc golf courses in the UK. It has hosted international championships.
Once a year, Essex competes against the University of East Anglia in a sports event called 'Derby Day'.
Working with Businesses
Knowledge Gateway Research Park
Essex has created the Knowledge Gateway research and technology park. It is at the Colchester Campus. The goal is to create jobs for over 2,000 people. The Essex Business School and new office buildings were the first to be completed. A new Innovation Centre opened in 2019. It provides space for over 50 new businesses. The university received funding to help businesses work with the university.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Essex helps businesses connect with university experts. It also offers business support. In 2019, Essex was a top university in its region for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. These are projects that help businesses use university research.
Famous People from Essex
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Óscar Arias, former president of Costa Rica, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987
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Christopher A. Pissarides, the joint Nobel Prize in Economics recipient in 2010
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John Bercow, former Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom) (2009-2019)
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Architect Daniel Libeskind
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Hoshyar Zebari, former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Iraq
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Rodolfo Neri Vela, a Mexican scientist and astronaut who flew aboard a NASA Space Shuttle mission in 1985
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Many notable people have studied at the University of Essex.
In politics and government, these include Óscar Arias, a former President of Costa Rica. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987. Kevin Casas Zamora, a former Vice President of Costa Rica, also studied at Essex. In 2010, Christopher A. Pissarides won the Nobel Prize in Economics.
Other political figures include John Bercow, a former Speaker of the House of Commons. Priti Patel, a former government minister, also studied here.
In arts and media, famous alumni include directors Stephen Daldry and Mike Leigh. Filmmaker David Yates and writer Ben Okri also attended Essex. Musicians like jazz guitarist John Etheridge are also graduates.
In architecture, Daniel Libeskind is a famous architect. He helped rebuild the World Trade Center site in New York City.
Many Essex graduates have become university professors around the world. It is thought that half of the sociology professors in UK universities have studied at Essex.
See also
- Armorial of UK universities
- List of universities in the United Kingdom
- Plate glass university
