Guildford Comes Together to Celebrate Wonder
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Autumn 2017 News from the University of Surrey for Guildford residents SURREY.AC.UK UNIVERSITYOFSURREY UNIOFSURREY What’s inside Highlights from this edition of Your University. Page 4 A local hero Meet the University of Surrey member of staff who was hailed a ‘special local hero’ by Eagle Radio for his immense contributions to his community in the face of overwhelming personal adversity. A moment of wonder Children discover science at the Festival of Wonder. Guildford comes together to celebrate Wonder Pages 9 & 10 Life-changing research The University of Surrey celebrated 50 years in Guildford by welcoming Discover the ground-breaking thousands of local people to campus for the Festival of Wonder. research taking place right here This summer, 6,000 local residents, many people from our Guildford in Guildford, on topics such as the University of Surrey students community. I want to extend a treatment of kidney cancer through to the development of technology and graduates came together to heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone who that will allow you to be your enjoy a day of festivities on the took the time to visit us. own battery. University’s campus, featuring science demonstrations, student arts “There are so many ways in which performances and live music. everyone in Guildford can get more involved with the University on A host of celebrities took part in their doorstep, including sport, arts, the festival, including BBC Radio innovation and learning. I hope 4’s science presenter and University this festival has brought us closer of Surrey Professor Jim Al-Khalili, to our neighbours, and I encourage national treasures Brian Blessed everyone in our community to visit Page 13 OBE and Dame Penelope Keith OBE, us again soon.” former Rugby Union player Sir Ian A chat with your local GP McGeechan OBE, and TV veterinary The Festival of Wonder was part of the Read an interview with Dr Simon surgeons Mark Evans and Channel 4’s University’s year-long celebrations to de Lusignan, University of Surrey ‘Supervet’ Professor Noel Fitzpatrick. mark 50 years since it was established Professor and long-standing Younger guests benefited from on Stag Hill in Guildford. Other Guildford GP, as he reflects on his professional coaching at Surrey highlights included an anniversary career, shares his research and Sports Park, the £36m public sporting procession in the high street and a offers his top tips for looking after facility opened by the University in Guildford School of Acting production, your health. 2010, and took part in workshops at Fabulous 50, which brought 11 the University’s School of Veterinary performances of popular musicals Medicine, opened by Her Majesty The from the last 50 years to the Yvonne Queen and His Royal Highness The Arnaud Theatre. Duke of Edinburgh in 2015. The last five decades have seen the From trying out virtual reality headsets University of Surrey welcomed as to extracting DNA from strawberries part of Guildford. Staff and students and touring the solar system, guests are involved throughout the local Page 15 were invited to experience a taste of community, from volunteering for 50 years of musicals University life and explore science, good causes, supporting business Re-live the tremendous success technology and arts. start-ups and growing a thriving sci- of Guildford School of Acting’s Professor Max Lu, President and Vice- tech community at Surrey Research Fabulous 50 event, a very special Chancellor of the University, said: “We Park, through to outreach in local celebration of musical theatre were thrilled to welcome 6,000 guests schools and contributing to the town’s showcasing the incredible talent of to the Festival of Wonder, including sports and arts scene. the School’s students and alumni. 2 YOUR UNIVERSITY Welcome The University in numbers 17,900 95.6% JOBS SUPPORTED GRADUATE ACROSS THE EMPLOYABILITY UK BY THE (HESA 2015) UNIVERSITY AND SURREY RESEARCH PARK (2015/16) 120+ COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN OUR STUDENT Settling into Surrey life £1.7bn Professor Max Lu and his wife Lian POPULATION enjoy the Surrey countryside. GROSS VALUE ADDED GENERATED ACROSS THE UK BY Letter from the Guest Editor THE UNIVERSITY Professor Max Lu AO DL, President and Vice-Chancellor of the AND SURREY University, introduces this issue of Your University. RESEARCH PARK (2015/16) 5th Welcome to this new issue of Your and colleges, discussed on page University, as a new academic year 14. But we’re also focused on IN THE TIMES begins up here on Stag Hill. culture, sport and innovation. Our HIGHER We’re delighted to report on 5G Innovation Centre is leading EDUCATION the world in the development just a few of the events and STUDENT of the next generation of mobile achievements that made last year EXPERIENCE communications. Together with 4,000 so memorable. These include SURVEY 2017 the Festival of Wonder in May, local businesses, we’re building when we celebrated our 50th a ‘digital Guildford’, which you EMPLOYEES Anniversary by opening our can read about on page 7. WORKING campus to 6,000 guests, and our As Guildford grows, so does FOR OVER 100 Gold award in the new Teaching the University. We’re working COMPANIES Excellence Framework (TEF), with local authorities to ensure ON SURREY which confirmed our top position that this growth is sustainable, RESEARCH PARK, among the UK’s universities. proportional and beneficial to the GUILDFORD This issue also offers insights into whole community. We’re investing £200m the great research we do here, in new student accommodation, on and off campus, as well as new with some recent highlights across INVESTED transport links that will benefit the areas of nutrition, urban IN STUDENT both the town and the University. living and space exploration. Not ACCOMMODATION only does our research expand On page 6, you can learn about (2004 - 2022) the frontiers of knowledge, it also our community engagement work looks for ways in which we can – it’s important to us that we listen 100,000+ improve our health and happiness to you. much closer to home. I hope you enjoy this issue of DEGREES Because we want the University Your University. If you have any AWARDED BY THE of Surrey to play its part in the ideas or suggestions about how UNIVERSITY AND 1m community, we work closely the University can further involve ITS ASSOCIATED with local businesses, the council itself in your local community, INSTITUTIONS VISITORS TO and residents in and around please feel free to contact our OVER THE LAST SURREY SPORTS Guildford. As specialists in public engagement team: 50 YEARS PARK EVERY YEAR education, we take particular [email protected] pride in our work with schools or +44 (0)1483 686 848. SURREY.AC.UK 3 University news Surrey named as ‘outstanding’ with Gold award The University has received a prestigious Gold award in the Government’s first ever Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). A national TEF panel that students from all commended the University backgrounds achieve of Surrey as outstanding consistently outstanding for stretching and results, with significant supporting students with numbers progressing to its rigorous course design highly skilled employment and assessment, and for or further study. providing teaching that is innovative, personalised and A Gold award in the well-resourced. Teaching Excellence Framework tops off a strong The award particularly year for the University of highlighted the emphasis Surrey. In February, a new the University gives to £12.5m Innovation for embedding professional Health building was opened, training in students’ equipped with state-of-the- education, and the ways art research and teaching that research helps shape facilities, showcasing the teaching and developing University’s vision for students’ critical and integrating healthcare and analytical skills. Celebrating a milestone technology to transform Councillor Nigel Manning, the Mayor of Guildford. The panel recognised healthcare in the UK. Construction for thousands more campus beds ‘topped out’ by Mayor The University celebrated an important construction milestone during the ‘topping out’ ceremony of its new student residences, which brought the £75m development on its Manor Park campus closer to completion. The ‘topping out’ ceremony Professor Max Lu, Vice- is believed to originate Chancellor of the University, Did you know? from ancient Scandinavian thanked the Mayor for A home away from home religious ritual, where performing the ceremony Members of the Students’ Union The University of welcome new students to campus. new buildings would and also the many people Surrey provides need to appease the tree proportionately involved in bringing the spirits displaced during more student project to fruition. Professor New faces in Guildford as construction. Today, these accommodation on Lu said: “These new ceremonies are held to mark campus than almost residences demonstrate the University welcomes new students any other university the structural completion University’s commitment to The University welcomed new students last month for the in the UK. of a building and to thank those involved in the work. high quality accommodation 2017/18 academic year. The University was delighted for our students, and will Autumn brings new colour Mark Barlow, Director of to welcome the Mayor of help our community by to our trees and new faces to Student Recruitment and Guildford, Councillor Nigel reducing housing pressure our town. The University’s Admissions, said: “We’re Manning, to lay the final in Guildford.” most recent students lucky to be part of a very stone in the accommodation Construction of these high received a warm welcome, special town that appeals block and officially mark its with special events to settle quality student residences to prospective students. external construction work them into their new home. Students often work as finished.