Brunel University

History

• Brunel College of Advanced Technology was awarded its Royal Charter in 1966, becoming Brunel University.
• Named after I. K. Brunel, the university has sought to emulate the great engineer's energy, entrepreneurship, creativity and practicality.
• A long succession of developments and mergers, particularly those which transformed Acton Technical College into Brunel University and which later saw Brunel merge with Shoreditch College and the West London Institute, have brought the University from modest beginnings to become a major force both within the UK higher education sector and on the international stage.

Location and transport

• Located on a self-contained campus at Uxbridge in West London, just inside the M25 with easy access to the M4, M40 and central London and the Home Counties.
• 15-minute walk from Uxbridge tube station (Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines), 10-minute bus journey to West Drayton train station (Paddington to Bristol) and a 20-minute drive to Heathrow Airport.

Entry standards

• Levels of attainment vary from course to course: learn more about individual course requirements on the website.

Student mix

• Male to female 53:47.
• Home to overseas 89:11.
• Undergraduate to postgraduate 70:30.
• Applications to places 7.6:1.

Course flexibility

• All courses comprise self-contained modules, most offering optional topics (occasionally including modules from other courses).
• Brunel pioneered the sandwich course, and still offers many programmes in thin or thick sandwich formats that include extensive work-related placements.
• The university offers programmes with an integrated foundation year in Engineering or IT to prepare non-specialists in those areas or those who do not meet the standard entry criteria, for level 1 of relevant degree courses.

Teaching standards

• Many programmes have external validation from professional bodies, such as Industrial and Product Design, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Computer Science and IS, Psychology and Mechanical Engineering.

Research standards

• The latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), carried out in all UK universities in 2008, judged 82% of our research to be of international standing.
• As a result of this success, the university secured a 54.5% increase in the level of its research funding from the Higher Education Funding Council, rising to £12.9 million for 2009/10. The higher education sector averaged an increase of just 7.8%.
• Brunel University Institute for the Environment’s research, revealing the link between chemicals in rivers and reproductive health, won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2011.

Academic strengths

• All students are encouraged to undertake practical placements and projects as an integral part of their courses (a founding principle of the sandwich degree structure) and have access to specialist laboratories in, for example, electronic imaging, bioprocessing and experimental techniques, as well as academic archives in cult film and contemporary writing.
• Academic facilities, also accessible to students, include flight and driving simulators, 3-D body scanner, motion-capture equipment and MRI scanner, occupational therapy suite, and extensive sports and performing arts facilities.
• Courses draw on much of Brunel's internationally-renowned research in, for example, Cancer Genetics, Environmental Science, Human-Centred Design, Materials Processing, Contemporary Music and Digital Performance, Able Children's Education and Sports Medicine.

Student facilities, including library and computing

The Library, located at the centre of the campus, provides you with many of the study resources you will need during your time at Brunel, including:

• an extensive collection of books, journals and audiovisual materials,
• online databases, over 150,000 eBooks and over 36,000 eJournals available via the Library website,
• 1,200 study spaces and nearly 500 PCs, in a range of environments, including group study rooms and silent study areas,
• WiFi capability throughout the building,
• induction sessions, information skills training and one-to-one support to help you find and use resources, as well as support in the use of statistics and related packages such as SPSS,
• subject Liaison Librarians linked to academic Schools to support staff and students in accessing and using relevant resources
• 24-hour opening Monday to Friday during term-time.

Academic Skills Service (ASK)

• ASK specialises in teaching you the skills you need to learn independently and thrive academically throughout your time at Brunel.  Whether it’s advice on researching, planning and writing assignments, giving presentations, time management or maths, numeracy and statistics, ASK offers workshops, individual advice and resources to support your learning.

Computing Services

• PC workstations are situated round campus, many available 24 hours a day
• Support with getting started, problems, printing etc. 
• Computer store for computers and supplies

Disability services

• Please telephone 01895 265213; fax 01895 269767; email disability@brunel.ac.uk; or visit the website for information about the Disability and Dyslexia Service at Brunel University.

Students' union

• A wide range of welfare and social amenities and services. Also organises clubs and societies covering areas as diverse as sports, special interests and religious groups.
• The Advice and Representation Centre, run by the union, offers free independent advice.

Sport

• One of the UK's top institutions in sport. Many students, graduates and staff have represented their countries at the Olympic Games and World Championships as competitors and coaches.
• Top quality facilities include £14-million indoor athletics centre and netball hall, outdoor athletics arena and numerous sports pitches, gym and fitness suite, squash courts and climbing wall, and two full-sized floodlit playing fields, one with competition standard synthetic surface.
• The university awards scholarships annually to students of outstanding sporting ability.

Recent/prospective new builds

• Brunel’s investment in building and infrastructure over the past decade is now in excess of £400 million, with many new and refurbished social, teaching and sporting facilities, halls of residence, and green spaces to enjoy.
• This investment has transformed the campus, which retains its original 1960s architecture but with the addition of striking new buildings and landscaping. 
• Our latest acquisition is the £30-million flagship Eastern Gateway Building that opened in July 2012 providing teaching and research facilities, a new home for Brunel Business School, a large auditorium, a café and an art gallery. 
• The Schools of Health Sciences and Social Care and Engineering and Design have also benefited from the addition of new, multi-million pound buildings.  
• In addition, the Lecture Centre has undergone an extensive renovation.
• The refurbishes Antonin Artaud building contains drama and performance studios, a music room, a public performance venue and radio and video-editing suites.

Availability of part-time work

• Job Shop organises part-time and vacation work for Brunel students, much of it for departments within the University.
• The Placement and Careers Centre organises careers education, work placement and recruitment services.
• Student Ambassador Scheme gives students the opportunity to represent the university to the outside world and earn money at the same time.

Notable alumni

• Jo Brand – comedian.
• James Cracknell – Olympic gold medallist.
• Audley Harrison – Olympic gold medallist.
• Lee Mack – comedian and actor.
• Archie Panjabi – actress.Ross Ramgobin – bass/baritone, opera.
• Peter Ward – founder of WAYN.

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