In this issue: • Is university right for me? •The different types of universities • The Russel Group universities Is university the right choice for me? The University of South Wales, our partner university has put together a series of videos to help you answer this question. https://southwales.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=d7f60e55-e50a-456d-a1ff -ac3d00e7ed13 What are the different types of universities? Ancient Universities These include Oxford (founded 1096) and Cambridge (founded 1209) are known as the Ox- bridge group and are the highest ranking universities in the UK St David’s College (1822-28) and Durham University (1832) follow the Oxford structure of col- leges and are considered the highest ranking universities after Oxford and Cambridge. Red Brick Red Brick Universities were formed mainly in the 19th century as a product of the industrial revolution and specialise in highly specialised skills in such are- as as engineering and medicine. University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Leeds University of Liverpool University of Manchester The New Universities The New universities were created in the 1950s and 60s Some of these were former polytechnics or colleges which were granted university charter from 1990. These univer- sities focussed on STEM subjects such as engineering. Anglia Ruskin University, formerly Anglia Polytechnic (located in Cambridge and Chelmsford) Birmingham City University, formerly Birmingham Polytechnic University of Brighton, formerly Brighton Polytechnic Bournemouth University, formerly Bournemouth Polytechnic University of Central Lancashire, formerly Lancashire Polytechnic and before that Pres- ton Polytechnic (until 1984) Coventry University, formerly Coventry Polytechnic and Lanchester Polytechnic (until 1987) De Montfort University Leicester, formerly Leicester Polytechnic University of East London, formerly North East London Polytechnic and Polytechnic of East London University of Greenwich, formerly Woolwich Polytechnic (later Thames Polytechnic) University of Hertfordshire, formerly Hatfield Polytechnic University of Huddersfield, formerly Huddersfield Polytechnic Kingston University, formerly Kingston Polytechnic Leeds Beckett University, formerly Leeds Polytechnic and as Leeds Metropolitan Univer- sity from 1998 to 2013 Lincoln University was formed in part from Humberside Polytechnic which was briefly Humberside University Liverpool John Moores University, formerly Liverpool Polytechnic London Metropolitan University, formerly City of London Polytechnic and Polytechnic of North London Manchester Metropolitan University, formerly Manchester Polytechnic Middlesex University, formerly Middlesex Polytechnic University of Northumbria at Newcastle, formerly Newcastle Polytechnic Nottingham Trent University, formerly Trent Polytechnic (later Nottingham Polytechnic) Oxford Brookes University, formerly Oxford Polytechnic University of Plymouth, Plymouth Polytechnic (until 1989), then Polytechnic South West University of Portsmouth, formerly Portsmouth Polytechnic Sheffield Hallam University, formerly Sheffield Polytechnic South Bank University, formerly South Bank Polytechnic (in London) Staffordshire University, formerly Staffordshire Polytechnic University of Sunderland, formerly Sunderland Polytechnic Teesside University, formerly Teesside Polytechnic University of the West of England, formerly Bristol Polytechnic University of West London, formerly Polytechnic of West London University of Westminster, formerly Polytechnic of Central London and the Royal Poly- technic Institution – Regent Street University of Wolverhampton, formerly Wolverhampton Polytechnic The Russel Group Universities 24 universities which are leaders in research. University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge Cardiff University Durham University University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of Glasgow Imperial College London King's College London University of Leeds University of Liverpool LSE (London School of Economics & Political Science) University of Manchester Newcastle University University of Nottingham University of Oxford Queen Mary University of London Queen's University Belfast University of Sheffield University of Southampton UCL (University College London) University of Warwick University of York What is a Russel Group University? What is a Russel Group University The Russell Group’s 24 members are world-class, research-intensive universities. They are unique institutions, each with their own history and ethos, but they share some distinguishing characteristics. Russel Group universities believe people and ideas are the key to meeting global challenges. Through world-class research and education they are helping to create a dynamic economy, stronger communities and a better future for the UK. They maintain the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience and unrivalled links with local and national business and the public sec- tor. Russell Group universities have huge social, economic and cultural impacts locally, across the UK and around the globe: They produce more than two-thirds of the world-leading research produced in UK universities and support more than 300,000 jobs across the country. Their economic output is more than £32 billion every year. In 2015-16, 417,000 undergraduates and 192,500 postgraduates were studying at a Russell Group university. Its members attract students and staff from around the world and work with major multinational businesses and international organisations: Thirty-nine percent of academic staff and 34% of students are of non-UK nationali- ty, attracted to its universities by the quality, relevance and reputation of the re- search groups and departments they join. Russell Group members also have a strong role and influence within their regional and local communities, collaborate with businesses on joint research projects and supply highly-qualified and highly-motivated graduates to the local workforce. .