Articles

Uncategorised
Article Count: 480

eluceo2

Article Count: 5

Universities
Article Count: 1
- British Education
  Article Count: 4
- University Guides
  Article Count: 0
  
  choosing your university
  - University Affiliations
    Article Count: 0
    
    National Affiliations
    
    Russell Group
    
    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, UoL
    
    Queen Mary, UoL
    
    University College London, UoL
    
    University of Leeds
    
    University of Liverpool
    
    LSE, UoL
    
    University of Manchester
    
    Newcastle University
    
    University of Nottingham
    
    University of Oxford
    
    Queen's University Belfast
    
    University of Sheffield
    
    University of Southampton
    
    University of Warwick
    
    University of York
    
    1994 Group
    
    University of Bath
    
    Birkbeck, UoL (part-time evening degrees)
    
    University of East Anglia
    
    University of Essex
    
    Goldsmiths, UoL
    
    University of Lancaster
    
    University of Leicester
    
    Institute of Education, UoL (postgraduate only)
    
    Loughborough University
    
    University of Reading
    
    Royal Holloway, UoL
    
    School of Oriental and African Studies, UoL
    
    University of St Andrews
    
    University of Surrey
    
    University of Sussex
    
    University Alliance
    
    Bournemouth University
    
    University of Bradford
    
    Cardiff Metropolitan University
    
    De Montfort University
    
    University of Glamorgan
    
    Glasgow Caledonian University
    
    University of Hertfordshire
    
    University of Huddersfield
    
    Kingston University
    
    University of Lincoln
    
    Liverpool John Moores University
    
    Manchester Metropolitan University
    
    Northumbria University
    
    Nottingham Trent University
    
    The Open University (distance learning)
    
    Oxford Brookes University
    
    Plymouth University
    
    University of Portsmouth
    
    University of Salford
    
    Sheffield Hallam University
    
    Teeside University
    
    University of Wales, Newport
    
    University of West of England
    
    Million+
    
    University of Abertay Dundee
    
    Anglia Ruskin University
    
    Bath Spa University
    
    University of Bedfordshire
    
    Birmingham City University
    
    University of Bolton
    
    Buckinghamshire New University
    
    Canterbury Christ Church University
    
    University of Central Lancashire
    
    Coventry University
    
    University of Cumbira
    
    University of Derby
    
    University of East London
    
    Edinburgh Napier University
    
    University of Gloucestershire
    
    University of Greenwich
    
    Kingston University
    
    Leeds Metropolitan University
    
    London Metropolitan University
    
    Middlesex University
    
    University of Nottingham
    
    Staffordshire University
    
    University of Sunderland
    
    University of West London
    
    University of The West of Scotland
    
    University of Wolverhampton
    
    Guild HE
    
    Royal Agricultural College
    
    St. Mary's University College Belfast
    
    St. MAry's University College, Twickenham
    
    The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
    
    University College Birmingham
    
    University College Falmouth
    
    University College Plymouth St Mark & St John
    
    University for the Creative Arts
    
    University of Chichester
    
    University of Winchester
    
    University of Worcester
    
    Writtel College
    
    York St John University
    
    University of London
    
    The Central School of Speech and Drama
    
    Courtauld Institute of Art
    
    Goldsmiths, UoL
    
    Heythrop College
    
    King's College London
    
    The London School of Political Science and Economics
    
    Queen Mary, UoL
    
    Royal Academy of Music
    
    Royal Holloway, UoL
    
    Royal Veterinary College
    
    School of Oriental and African Studies
    
    St George's, UoL
    
    University College London
    
    University of London Institute in Paris
    
    N8
    
    Durham University
    
    Lancaster University
    
    University of Leeds
    
    University of Liverpool
    
    University of Manchester
    
    Newcastle University
    
    University of Sheffield
    
    University of York
    
    International Affiliations:
    
    Worldwide Universities Network (WUN)
    
    University of Sheffield
    
    University of Bristol
    
    University of Leeds
    
    University of Southampton
    
    University of York
    
    Coimbra Group
    
    University of Bristol
    
    University of Cambridge
    
    University of Edinburgh
    
    University of Oxford
    
    League of European Research Universities (LERU)
    
    Imperial College London
    
    University College London
    
    University of Cambridge
    
    University of Edinburgh
    
    University of Oxford
    
    Universitas 21
    
    University of Birmingham
    
    University of Edinburgh
    
    University of Glasgow
    
    University of Nottingham
    
    IDEA League
    
    Imperial College London
    
    Specialist Institutions
    
    Art and Architecture:
    
    Courtauld Institute
    
    Glasgow School of Art
    
    Edinburgh College of Art
    
    Edinburgh School of Architecture
    
    Manchester School of Architecture
    
    University of the Arts, London
    
    Norwich University College of the Arts
    
    University for the Creative Arts
    
    Dance, Drame and Music:
    
    Royal Academy of Music
    
    Guildhall School of Music and Drama
    
    Conservatoire for Dance and Drama
    
    Central School of Speech and Drama
    
    Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
    
    Trinity Laban Conservatoire
    
    Royal College of Music
    
    Royal Northern College of Music
    
    Rose Bruford College
    
    The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
    
    Leeds College of Music
    
    Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Agriculture:
    
    Peninsula Medical School
    
    Royal Agricultural College
    
    Royal Veterinary College
    
    Hull York Medical School
    
    St George's Medical School
    
    Brighton Sussex Medical School
    
    School of Pharmacy
  - University Setting
    Article Count: 0
    
    Universities in the UK have developed out of a number of different factors and criteria which can make it hard for students to choose appropriately. However, as much as this variety also means that there is an institution to suit your needs.
    
    There were originally six universities within the British Isles, but by the time of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, further institutions were built to supplement the education of the general population. These institutions focused on "real-world" skills for men, embracing science, technology and engineering, without reference to religion or background. Built in the heart of industrial cities, the education benefited the individuals, the activities of the city, and the British Empire at large.
    
    The 1963 Robbins Report (the report of the Committee on Higher Education), altered this model by advancing the idea that universities should be available to all who qualified through ability and attainment, and institutions should be elitism. This report led to an expansion in the British university education, with institutions built overnight. These new institutions, referred to as plate glass universities, were often situated out of town, in newly developed campuses.
    
    At the same time, Britain also invested in polytechnics; further education designed to better local students, teaching both academic and professional vocational subjects. Polytechnics focused on education, rather than the universities which focused on both education and research, and lacked degree awarding power. Because they were developed to support local communities, they are often found in towns and cities.
    
    The 1992 Further and Higher Education Act gave polytechnics university status and degree awarding power, and this is the scene we see today. In general, polytechnics tend to offer more vocational courses, often focusing on their original fortes, and universities tend to offer a more traditional, academic curriculum.
  - League Tables
    Article Count: 0
    National rankings
    
    The Guardian
    
    The Guardian uses eight different ranking criteria, each weighted between 5 and 17%. Unlike other annual rankings of British universities, the criteria do not include a measure of research output. Furthermore, a "value-added" factor is included which compares students' degree results with their entry qualifications so qualifications upon entry are compared to the award they receive at the end of studying. The eight criteria are:
    - Entry score (17%)
    - Feedback - as rated by graduates of the course (5%)
    - Job prospects (17%) (data source: Destination of Leavers from Higher Education)
    - Overall quality - final-year students opinions about the overall quality of their course (data source: the National Student Survey)
    - Spending per student (17%)
    - Staff/student ratio (17%)
    - Teaching quality - as rated by graduates of the course (10%) (data source: the National Student Survey)
    - Value added (17%)
    The Complete University Guide
    
    As an independently produced system, The Complete University Guide uses nine ranking criteria. The nine scores are rated (by 1.5 for student satisfaction and research assessment, and 1.0 for the rest) and summed to give a total score for each university. These total scores are then transformed to a scale where the top score is set at 1,000, with the remainder being a proportion of the top score. The nine criteria are:
    - Academic services spend - the expenditure per student on all academic services (data source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA))
    - Completion - a measure of the completion rate of students (data source: HESA)
    - Entry standards - the average UCAS tariff score of new students under the age of 21 (data source: HESA)
    - Facilities spend - the expenditure per student on staff and student facilities (data source: HESA)
    - Good honours - the proportion of firsts and upper seconds (data source: HESA)
    - Graduate prospects - a measure of the employability of graduates (data source: HESA)
    - Research assessment/quality - a measure of the average quality of research (data source: 2008 Research Assessment Exercise)
    - Student satisfaction - a measure of the view of students on the teaching quality (data source: the National Student Survey)
    - Student:staff ratio - a measure of the average staffing level (data source: HESA)
    Criticisms of Ranking systems
    
    Disparity with global rankings
    
    You may notice that universities that do well nationally, such as the LSE or St Andrews University do not do so well internationally, while others have the opposite problem, such as the University of Manchester. This is mainly do to the variation between ranking criteria and methodology, as well as the purpose of global international rankings. International ranking systems tend to use criteria such as academic and employer survey, the number of citations per faculty, the proportion of international staff, students and faculty, and alumni prize winners, while national rankings take into account the undergraduate student experience of teaching and learning resources, the academic quality of a university's intake, graduate employment, research quality and dropout rates.
    
    Accuracy and Neutrality
    
    In the UK, league tables are important for universities and they, therefore, do what is in their best interest to increase their league table standings. However, this means that they perhaps chase the rankings, rather than focus on doing what is important for students. A university's ranking can often fluctuate, even if they only perform poorly in one aspect, while at the same time their ranking can increase greatly from just one aspect. Also ranking systems deem different factors to be important, hence universities may not fare similarly across guides.
    
    International Rankings
    
    QS World Rankings
    
    The QS world rankings use 5 criteria:
    - Academic peer review (40%) - asks active academics across the world about the top universities in fields they know about.
    - Recruiter review (10%) - asks sample recruiters who hire graduates on a global or significant national scale.
    - Faculty student ratio (20%)
    - Citations per faculty (20%) - the total number of citations for a five-year period is divided by the number of academic staff in the university.
    - International orientation (10%) - staff and students
    There are a number of problems with this system - it places too much emphasis on the peer review process, which is not systematic but based on other academics perceptions of universities. Almost as though reputation takes up 50% of the ranking (peer review and recruiter review). Undervalues institutions who excel in social sciences, arts and humanities.
    
    Academic Ranking of World Universities
    
    The Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Shanghai ranking uses the criteria which are largely academic and research orientated, including:
    - alumni winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (10%)
    - staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (20%)
    - highly-cited researchers in 21 broad subject categories (20%)
    - articles published in Nature and Science (20%)
    - the Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index (20%)
    - per capita academic performance of an institution (10%)
    One problem is that it often takes into account natural sciences over the social sciences and humanities, and to many students applying to university, their criteria are not relevant.
    
    The Times Higher Education World University Rankings
    
    The Times Higher Education World University Rankings under five categories:
    - Teaching (30%)
    - Research (30%)
    - Citations/Research Impact (32.5%)
    - International Mix (5%)
    - Industry Income (2.5%)
    As you can see, the rankings are not just based on academic performance, however this also means that the reputation of the institution counts for less (which may, in fact, be an important factor for employers). However, because there is still a weight on research and citations, more science-based institutions with relatively few undergraduates will be favoured over more comprehensive programmes and undergraduates.
- Universities in general
  Article Count: 1
- Further Study Options
  Article Count: 2
- MBAs
  Article Count: 1
Applications
Article Count: 2
- Applications
  Article Count: 2
- Scholarships
  Article Count: 2
  - Your Country Scholarships
    Article Count: 1

Living

Article Count: 0

Accommodation

Article Count: 2

Region	University	Private
East Midlands (England)	108.35	89.04
East of England	92.62	110.00
London	129.65	167.91
Northern Ireland	67.62	-
North East England	97.21	99.52
North West England	80.38	105.03
Scotland	101.13	135.33
South East England	108.98	84.50
South West England	107.48	117.50
Wales	81.53	-
West Midlands (England)	93.65	103.71

Other Options
Article Count: 1

Living Costs
Article Count: 1
Life in the UK
Article Count: 1
- Useful Information
  Article Count: 1
- Culture
  Article Count: 1
- Weather
  Article Count: 1
Arrivals
Article Count: 1
Living
Article Count: 1

Immigration
Article Count: 0
- Your Country
  Article Count: 1
  - Your Country
    Article Count: 2
About Eluceo
Article Count: 2
- FAQs
  Article Count: 1
  
  What are UCAS points?
  
  The UCAS Tariff is the system for allocating points to qualifications used for entry to higher education. It allows students to use a range of different qualifications to help secure a place on an undergraduate course. Universities and colleges use the UCAS Tariff to make comparisons between applicants with different qualifications. Tariff points are often used in entry requirements, although other factors are often taken into account. To convert A Levels and the IB into UCAS points see UCAS Tariff Tables.
  - Sources
    Article Count: 1
- About Eluceo
  Article Count: 1
- Further Information
  Article Count: 1
Blog
Article Count: 484

The latest thoughts on education from the blog
News
Article Count: 24

The latest on educational news
Course Guide
Article Count: 3
Online Education
Article Count: 3
UK University Agents
Article Count: 2

Agents

Here are the details of the agents available in your country, and the universities and schools they work with. Please bear with us while we update the list and add more countries. If you are an agent in one of these countries and don't see your company listed, please let us know via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will add your details to the database.
Events
Article Count: 1

The latest on Euceo events

Articles

The latest thoughts on education from the blog

The latest on educational news

Agents

UK Universities

Subject guides

Subject guides

Students

International

Lifelong

Teachers

Parents

Employers