Brunel University of London: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|University in Uxbridge, London}} |
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{{Redirect-distinguish|University of Brunel|University of Brunei}} |
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|name = Brunel University |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}{{Use British English|date=October 2017}} |
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|latin_name = |
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{{Infobox university |
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|image_name = Brunel_logo.jpg |
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| name = Brunel University of London (BUL) |
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|image_size = 150px |
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| image_name = Brunel Univ CoA.svg |
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| image_size = 180px |
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| caption = [[#Coat of arms|Coat of arms]] |
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| latin_name = |
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|endowment = [[Pound sterling|£]]1.8 million <ref name="endow">{{cite web |url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/397/Finance/financialstatements20052006.pdf |title=Financial Statements 2005-2006 |publisher=Brunel University |accessdate=2007-04-26}}</ref> |
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| motto = |
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| established = 1966 – gained [[Universities in the United Kingdom|university status]] by [[royal charter]] |
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|chancellor = [[John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham|Lord Wakeham PC]] |
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| free_label = Precursor institutions |
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|vice_chancellor = Professor Chris Jenks |
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| free = Borough Road College (est 1798) |
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|students = 15,150<ref name="HESA">{{cite web |url=http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0506.htm |title=Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2005/06 |work=[[Higher Education Statistics Agency]] online statistics |accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> |
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|undergrad = 10,150<ref name="HESA"/> |
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Maria Grey College (1878) |
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|postgrad = 5,000<ref name="HESA"/> |
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|doctoral = |
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Shoreditch College of Education (1902) |
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|other = |
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|city = [[London]] |
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Acton Technical College (1928) |
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|state = |
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|country = [[England]] |
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Brunel College of Advanced Technology (1962) |
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|campus = [[Suburban]] |
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| type = [[Public university|Public]] |
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|free_label = |
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| endowment = [[Pound sterling|£]]1.57 million (2022)<ref name=accounts>{{cite web |url = https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/information/pdf/Brunel-University-Financial-Statements-2021-22-Signed-by-Council-23rd-November-2022-KPMG-signed-nosigs.pdf| title = Financial Statements for the Year to 31 July 2022 | access-date = 21 February 2023| publisher = Brunel University| page=46}}</ref> |
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|free = |
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| budget = [[Pound sterling|£]]271.3 million (2021–22)<ref name=accounts/> |
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|colours = |
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| chancellor = [[Richard Sykes (biochemist)|Richard Sykes]] |
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|mascot = |
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| vice_chancellor = Andrew Jones |
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|affiliations = [[Association of Commonwealth Universities]]<br/> [[European University Association]] |
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| students = {{HESA student population|INSTID=10000961}} ({{HESA year}})<ref name="HESA citation">{{HESA citation}}</ref> |
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|website = http://www.brunel.ac.uk/ |
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| undergrad = {{HESA undergraduate population|INSTID=10000961}} ({{HESA year}})<ref name="HESA citation"/> |
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|logo = |
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| postgrad = {{HESA postgraduate population|INSTID=10000961}} ({{HESA year}})<ref name="HESA citation"/> |
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| doctoral = 974 |
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| other = |
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| address = Kingston Lane, [[Uxbridge]] UB8 3PH |
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| city = |
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| country = England, United Kingdom |
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| coor = {{Coord|51|31|58|N|0|28|22|W|display=inline,title}} |
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| campus = Suburban |
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| colours = Blue and gold |
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<br />{{color box|#333399}} {{color box|#DAA520}} |
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| mascot = |
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| website = {{official URL}} |
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| logo = Brunel-logo.png |
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| logo_alt = |
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| logo_size = 200px |
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| administrative_staff = |
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| parent = [[University of London]] (Joined the federation in 2024) |
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| affiliations = [[Association of Commonwealth Universities]]<br/> [[European University Association]] |
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}} |
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'''Brunel University of London''' ('''BUL''') is a [[Public university|public]] [[Research universities|research university]] located in the [[Uxbridge]] area of [[London]], England. It is named after [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]], a [[Victorian era|Victorian]] engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution. It became a university in June 1966, when Brunel College of Advanced Technology was awarded a [[royal charter]] and became '''Brunel University'''; in 2014 the university formally adopted the name Brunel University London. The university is sometimes considered a British [[plate glass university]]. Brunel became the [[University of London]]'s 17th member on 1 October 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Brunel University to join University of London |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/brunel-university-join-university-london |access-date=25 July 2024 |work=Times Higher Education |date=25 July 2024}}</ref> |
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[[Image:Brunel.JPG|thumb|right|180px|Statue of Brunel at the University]] |
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'''Brunel University''' is a [[university]] situated in [[West London]], [[England]]. |
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Since 2014 the university has been organised into three colleges: the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences; the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences; and the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences. |
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Brunel has over 16,000 students and 2,200 staff,<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Facts and Figures: Brunel University London (2023-24) |url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/information/pdf/BUL-facts-figures-2023-24.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=13 September 2024 |website=www.brunel.ac.uk |publisher=Brunel University London}}</ref> and an annual income of £271.3 million (2021–22), of which £22.4 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £311.9 million.<ref name=accounts/> The university won the [[Queen's Anniversary Prize]] in 2011. BUL is a member of the [[Association of Commonwealth Universities]], the [[European University Association]], and [[Universities UK]]. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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===Origins=== |
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Brunel is one of a number of UK [[university|universities]] created in the [[1960s]] following the [[Robbins Report]] on [[higher education]] (often called the [[plate glass universities]]). |
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Brunel University of London is one of a number of British universities which were established in the 1960s following the [[Robbins Report]] on higher education. It is sometimes described as a "[[plate glass university]]". The university's origins lie in '''Acton Technical College''', which was split into two in 1957: Acton Technical College continued to cater for technicians and craftsmen, and the new '''Brunel College of Technology''' (named after [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]], the British engineer) was dedicated to the education of [[Chartered Engineer (UK)|chartered engineer]]s. |
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The campus buildings, including [[Brunel University lecture centre|the lecture centre]], were designed in the [[Brutalist architecture|Brutalist]] style of architecture by [[Sheppard Robson|Richard Sheppard, Robson & Partners, Architects]]. |
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Originally Acton Technical College, based in [[Acton, London|Acton]] on the outskirts of [[London]], it was decided in 1957 that the college should split into two sections – Acton Technical College continued to cater to technicians and craftsmen, whereas Brunel College of Technology (named after [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]], the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[engineer]]) was dedicated to the education of [[technologist]]s. |
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In |
In 1960 Brunel College of Technology was awarded the status of [[College of Advanced Technology (United Kingdom)|College of Advanced Technology]], and it was decided that it should expand at another site in order to accommodate the extra buildings that would be needed. [[Uxbridge]] was chosen to house the new buildings. Before construction work began the college was officially renamed '''Brunel College of Advanced Technology''' in 1962 – the tenth Advanced Technology College in the country, and the last to be awarded this title. |
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The [[Uxbridge (Vine Street) branch line|Uxbridge (Vine Street) railway branch line]] was closed in 1964, and the college purchased the land adjacent to its site where the railway had run for £65,000 from the local council.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/26547/Annual_Report_2005.pdf |title=Annual Report 2005 |year=2005 |publisher=Brunel University |access-date=5 May 2011 |archive-date=20 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920005340/https://www.brunel.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/26547/Annual_Report_2005.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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The first buildings were due to be finished in 1967. However, in 1963 it was decided that the College should become a technological university, and the [[Royal Charter]] was awarded on the [[June 9]] [[1966]] giving university status. Uxbridge was now a [[campus]] of Brunel University. |
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===1966 to present=== |
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[[Image:Brunel university01.jpg|thumb|left|A view of Brunel University, [[Uxbridge]].]] |
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{{more citations needed section|date=October 2017}} |
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The University continued to use both campuses until 1971, when it left the Acton site, and for the next nine years used only the Uxbridge campus. |
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[[File:Statue of Brunel at Brunel University.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Statue of [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] at the university, erected in 2006]] |
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A [[royal charter]] granting university status and the power to award degrees was awarded on 9 June 1966, and the institution became Brunel University.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 February 2017 |title=Amendments to the Charter of Brunel University London |url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/information/pdf/charter.pdf |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Brunel University}}</ref><ref name="Siran2010">{{cite book|author=Mukerji, Siran|title=Cases on Transnational Learning and Technologically Enabled Environments|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vB24k7LvYPUC&pg=PA360|date=31 March 2010|publisher=IGI Global|isbn=978-1-61520-750-3|page=360}}</ref> |
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The university continued to use both campuses until 1971, when it left the Acton site. In 1980, the university merged with Shoreditch College of Education (Shoreditch Training College),<ref>{{cite web |title=A brief history of Coopers Hill |url=https://eghammuseum.org/a-brief-history-of-coopers-hill/ |website=Egham Museum |access-date=6 December 2021 |quote=The Egham Museum tells the story of Egham, Egham Hythe, Englefield Green, Thorpe and Virginia Water from pre-history to the present day.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Foweraker |first1=Ann |title=The Way We Were … |url=https://annfoweraker.com/2016/the-way-we-were/ |website=Ann Foweraker |date=15 October 2016 |access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shoreditch Training College, Egham |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F197273 |website=The Discovery Service |publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)]] |access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shoreditch College Archives |url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/Archives/Shoreditch-College-Archives |website=Brunel University London |access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref> located at [[Royal Indian Engineering College|Cooper's Hill]], [[Runnymede (borough)|Runnymede]], which became Brunel's second campus. |
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In 1980 the University merged with Shoreditch College of Education, located at Cooper's Hill, [[Runnymede]] since 1951. This became Brunel's second campus, although in later years it contained only halls of residence. In 1995 the University expanded again, integrating the [[West London Institute of Higher Education]], and adding campuses in [[Osterley]] and [[Twickenham]]. This increased the number of courses that Brunel University was able to offer – traditionally its strengths had been [[engineering]], [[science]], [[technology]] and [[social sciences]]. With the addition of the West London Institute, departments such as [[arts]], [[humanities]], [[geography]] & [[earth science]], [[health]] and [[sports science]] were added, and the size of the student body increased to over 12,000. |
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In 1995, the university expanded again, integrating the [[West London Institute of Higher Education]], and adding campuses in [[Osterley]] and [[Twickenham]], and increasing the number of courses that the university was able to offer. Traditionally the university's strengths were in engineering, science, and technology, but with the addition of the West London Institute, new departments such as arts, humanities, geography and earth science, health and sports science were added, and the size of the student body increased to over 12,000. |
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Then Brunel put together a £250 million Masterplan,<ref>http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/facts/masterplan</ref> to sell of the sites at Runnymede, Osterley and Twickenham, using the revenue to renovate and update the buildings and facilities at Uxbridge. Works already carried out include the library extension, a state-of-the-art sports complex, renovated students' union facilities, a new Heath Sciences teaching centre, and many more halls of residence. Still to be completed are a new teaching block and exhibition space for the School of Engineering and Design and Business School, a halls of residence 'village' to replace the Isambard flats, and the chancellory building. |
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Brunel has been the subject of controversy as its approach to higher education has been both market-driven and politically conservative.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} The decision to award an honorary degree to [[Margaret Thatcher]] in 1996, following the [[University of Oxford]]'s refusal to do so, provoked an outcry by staff and students and, as a result, the ceremony had to be held in the [[House of Lords]] instead of on campus. In the late 1990s, the departments of physics, chemistry and materials engineering were all closed and, in 2004, the then vice-chancellor, [[Steven Schwartz (vice-chancellor)|Steven Schwartz]], initiated the reorganisation of the university's faculties and departments into schools, and closed the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences. The succeeding vice-chancellor, the sociologist [[Christopher Jenks]], took office in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/news-items/press/news-24811 |title=Brunel University Appoints Professor Chris Jenks Vice-Chancellor |date=15 February 2006 |publisher=Brunel University |access-date=5 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716054756/http://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/news-items/press/news-24811 |archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> He was followed by [[Julia Buckingham]], previously at [[Imperial College London]], who took up the position of vice-chancellor at Brunel in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/julia-buckingham-be-next-universities-uk-president|title=Julia Buckingham to be next Universities UK president|date=2019-03-15|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en|access-date=2020-03-02}}</ref> |
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In 2014, the university underwent an internal reorganisation and its name was changed to Brunel University London (BUL) by a supplemental charter dated 16 July 2014. In 2016 Brunel celebrated its 50th anniversary since being awarded its [[royal charter]], and staged a 14-month programme of more than 40 celebratory events.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Celebrate|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/our-history/Celebrate|access-date=2022-01-13|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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==Halls of residence== |
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[[Image:Kilmorey hall.jpg|thumb|Kilmorey Hall at Uxbridge.]] |
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Many of the [[dormitory|halls of residence]] around the Uxbridge campus are named after bridges that [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] either built or helped to design; other halls are named either directly after him, or after other notable engineers or scientists. For example: |
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*Clifton Halls (named for the [[Clifton Suspension Bridge]]) |
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*Chepstow Halls (named for the bridge across the [[River Wye]] at [[Chepstow]]) |
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*Fleming Halls (named for [[Sir Alexander Fleming]]) |
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*Faraday Halls (named for [[Michael Faraday|Sir Michael Faraday]]) |
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*Galbraith Hall (named for W R Galbraith, who designed the [[Kew Railway Bridge]]) |
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*Isambard Close Flats |
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*Mill Hall (named for [[John Stuart Mill]]) |
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*Saltash Halls (named for the [[Royal Albert Bridge]] that crosses the [[River Tamar]] at [[Saltash]] |
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In December 2020, the university's chancellor, Sir [[Richard Sykes (microbiologist)|Richard Sykes]], lead an independent review of the UK's [[Vaccine Taskforce (UK)|Vaccine Taskforce]] strategy and goals, and in June 2021 he was subsequently appointed as the taskforce's new chair, leading work to find, procure and deliver vaccines and oversee preparations for vaccine booster programmes as part of [[COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom|UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sir Richard Sykes appointed chair of Vaccine Taskforce|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-richard-sykes-appointed-chair-of-vaccine-taskforce|access-date=2022-01-14|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref> |
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==League tables== |
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Brunel's league table rankings have taken a hit in recent years. In the past Brunel has performed well in both The Guardian and The Times tables at least in part due to the university's good performance in the Teaching Quality Assessment (TQA). However, the compilers of both league tables have moved away from using the TQA and now use National Student Survey (NSS) results to calculate the rankings. Brunel has performed poorly in the NSS, which measures student satisfaction, and this has had a knock-on effect on its placing in the league tables. The poor student satisfaction ratings in the NSS can be attributed to a combination of factors including: the recent closure of some academic Departments, a shift in emphasis from teaching quality to research, and to the campus's four-year long status as a building site. |
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In April 2021, it was announced that [[Julia Buckingham]] would be stepping down as vice-chancellor and president after nearly 10 years in the role. She was succeeded by Andrew Jones, who took up the position in January 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Professor Andrew Jones appointed as Brunel's next Vice-Chancellor and President|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/Professor-Andrew-Jones-appointed-as-Brunels-next-Vice-Chancellor-and-President|access-date=2022-01-13|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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'''The Guardian Good University Guide 2007/8''' |
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ranks Brunel 50th overall out of 122 institutions in the UK - a drop of 18 places from the 2006/7 rankings. |
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Brunel became part of the [[University of London]] in October 2024, and began using the name Brunel University of London (BUL) as a [[trading name]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/information|title=Facts, figures and key university information|website=Brunel|access-date=1 October 2024}}</ref> |
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'''The Times Higher 2007/8''' |
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also places Brunel 51st overall in The Times league table. |
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==Campus== |
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According to the '''Sunday Times''' league table, Brunel graduates are ranked 13th nationally in terms of highest average graduate starting salaries.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8405-1246744,00.html</ref> |
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[[File:HSBC at Brunel University - geograph.org.uk - 1518865.jpg|thumb|right|Part of the main Brunel campus]] |
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In the late 1990s Brunel devised a 10-year, £250 million masterplan for the campus. This involved selling off campus sites at [[Englefield Green#Runnymede Halls of Residence|Runnymede]], Osterley and Twickenham and using the revenue from the sales to renovate and update the buildings and facilities on the Uxbridge campus. Works carried out included a library extension, a state-of-the-art sports complex, renovated students' union facilities, a new Health Sciences teaching centre, and the construction of more halls of residence. |
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The original Brunel campus was designed by [[Richard Sheppard (architect)|Richard Sheppard]], Robson and Partners, with many buildings retaining the 1960s '[[Brutalist architecture|Brutalist]]' architectural style. It has appeared in several films, most famously in [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'', large parts of which were filmed on campus, particularly in the John Crank Building (demolished July 2019) and the Grade II listed Lecture Centre.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Lecture Centre |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1400162 |website=Historic England |access-date=15 February 2021}}</ref> It has also featured in several UK television series including ''[[Spooks (TV series)|Spooks]]'', ''[[Silent Witness]]'', ''[[The Sweeney]]'' and ''[[Inspector Morse (TV series)|Inspector Morse]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://londonist.com/2012/05/londons-top-brutalist-buildings|title=London's Top Brutalist Buildings|date=24 May 2012}}</ref> |
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Brunel University has received good TQA scores, with every subject scored receiving a score of 20/24 or better.<ref>http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/facts/teaching/</ref> It was the 40th placed British institution. |
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[[File:19 luglio (113), 20.31.jpg|thumb|View on one of the main paths of the university.]] |
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In the most recent RAE (2001) the university achieved scores typically clustered at 3a-4 (on a scale of 1-5*) for Arts and Social science subjects; and 5 for physical and applied sciences.<ref>http://www.hero.ac.uk/rae/rae_dynamic.cfm?myURL=http://195.194.167.103/Results/openInst.asp</ref> |
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==Organisation and governance== |
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The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) world university rankings 2007 placed Brunel University at 292 in the world, the first time the university had entered the listings. <ref>http://www.topuniversities.com/worlduniversityrankings/results/2007/overall_rankings/top_400_universities/</ref> |
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===Colleges=== |
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Brunel has three constituent Academic Colleges: |
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Brunel was one of the first UK universities to enter the Formula Student<ref>http://www.imeche.org.uk/formulastudent/</ref> engineering competition. It is an annual event in which universities from around the world compete in static and dynamic events using formula style racing cars designed and manufactured by students. |
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;College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences <ref>{{cite web |title=College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences {{!}} Brunel University London |url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/cedps |website=www.brunel.ac.uk}}</ref> |
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The Brunel Racing<ref>http://www.brunelracing.co.uk/</ref> team is composed of undergraduate and postgraduate students, each being allocated an area of the car to develop. The students on MEng Mechanical Engineering courses act as team leaders and manage BEng students throughout the year to ensure a successful completion of a new car each year. |
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{{columns-list|colwidth=18em| |
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*Brunel Design School |
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*Chemical Engineering |
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*Civil and Environmental Engineering |
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*Computer Science |
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*Electronic and Electrical Engineering |
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*Mathematics |
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*Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
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}} |
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;College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences <ref>{{cite web |title=College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences {{!}} Brunel University London |url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/cbass |website=www.brunel.ac.uk}}</ref> |
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Brunel Racing were UK Class 1 Formula Student Champions in 2002, and were the leading UK team at Formula ATA 2005, the Italian Formula Student event. In 2006 Formula Student Event, Brunel Racing were also the highest finishing UK competitor using E85 (fuel comprising of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol.) |
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{{columns-list|colwidth=18em| |
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* Arts and Humanities |
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* Brunel Business School |
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* Brunel Law School |
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* Economics and Finance |
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* Education |
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* Social and Political Sciences |
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}} |
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;College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences <ref>{{cite web |title=College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences {{!}} Brunel University London |url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/chmls |website=www.brunel.ac.uk}}</ref> |
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The university also runs a second racing team, comprising exclusively of post-graduate students from the MSc Automotive and Motorsports Engineering course, called Brunel Masters Motorsports.<ref>http://www.bm2racing.com/</ref> The 20 students on this course are from 10 different countries, with various cultural backgrounds and a with a wide range of industry experience. |
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{{columns-list|colwidth=18em| |
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* Brunel Medical School |
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* Health Sciences |
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* Life Sciences |
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}} |
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===Research institutes=== |
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The BMM team were the UK Class 2 Formula Student Champions in their first year, 2005. |
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Research at Brunel has been organised into five institutes <ref>{{Cite web|title=Research Institutes, Centres and Groups|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-directory|access-date=2022-01-13|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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*Institute of Communities and Society |
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*Institute of Digital Futures |
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*Institute of Energy Futures |
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*Institute of Health, Medicine and Environments |
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*Institute of Materials and Manufacturing |
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===Governance=== |
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Brunel's Formula Student teams have won prizes at the annual competition every year since they first entered in 1999. |
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Brunel exists by virtue of a [[royal charter]] first granted in 1966 and it has the status of an [[exempt charity]] as defined by the [[Charities Act 2011]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/information|title=Brunel University: A Registered Charity|access-date=23 January 2012|publisher=Brunel University}}</ref> |
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The governing body of Brunel is the council, which comprises university staff and students and independent members. The Council appoints the Vice-Chancellor and other senior officers. The council has established a number of Committees which support its work. |
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==Notable alumni== |
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===Politics=== |
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The current Chancellor of the university is [[Richard Sykes (biochemist)|Sir Richard Sykes]], a biochemist and former Rector of [[Imperial College London]]. The Vice-Chancellor since 2022 is Professor [[Andrew Jones (academic)|Andrew Jones]], formerly Deputy President at [[City, University of London]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Professor Andrew Jones|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/people/Professor-Andrew-Jones|access-date=2022-01-14|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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* [[David Crutcher]] (''Mechanical Engineering 1962''), Canadian politician |
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* [[Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg]] |
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* [[John Leech]] (''History and Politics)'', politician, MP for [[Manchester Withington (UK Parliament constituency)|Manchester Withington]] |
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* [[John McDonnell (politician)|John McDonnell]], politician, MP for [[Hayes and Harlington (UK Parliament constituency)|Hayes and Harlington]] |
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* [[Ralph Miliband]], political theorist |
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* [[Reza Moridi]], Canadian politician |
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* [[Anastasios Papaligouras]] (''Masters in Comparative European Law''), Greek politician |
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* [[Pekka Sauri]] (''PhD 1990''), Finnish psychologist and politician, writer and cartoonist |
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* [[John Tomlinson, Baron Tomlinson|John Tomlinson]] (''Health Services Management''), Labour politician and life peer |
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* [[Shailesh Vara]] (''Law''), politician, MP for [[North West Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North West Cambridgeshire]] |
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Brunel's academic governing body is the Senate, which is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. The Senate's powers, duties and functions are set out in its Ordinances, and it has a number of Committees which support its work.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Governance & University Committees|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/governance-and-university-committees/home|access-date=2022-01-14|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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===Sports=== |
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===Finances=== |
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* [[Tony Adams (footballer)|Tony Adams]] (''Sports Science''), former Arsenal and England footballer |
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In the financial year ended 31 July 2020, Brunel had a total income (including share of joint ventures) of £237.1 million (2018–19 – £229.8 million) and total expenditure of £235.7 million (2018–19 – £224.7 million).<ref name=":0" /> |
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* [[Allyn Condon]], Athlete |
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* [[Mike Coughlan]] (''Mechanical Engineering 1981''), Chief Designer for the [[McLaren]] [[Formula One]] team |
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Total income for 2019–20 was £237.1 million, £7.3 million (3.2%) higher than in 2018–19. Tuition fees overall increased by £10.1 million, reflecting the increase in the number of students enrolled, while funding body grants were flat at £30.6 million. Research grant income for 2019/ 20 was £3.1 million higher than in 2018–19 on a recognised income basis. Research income reflects the timing of work undertaken on research grants, as income is recognised in the financial statements over a period typically averaging three years. Other income reduced by £6.0 million, or 12.4%. This consists of student residences income, conference, hotel, retail and also income from summer school activity for foreign language students on the campus. All categories were significantly impacted by the pandemic, including the decision by the university not to charge rent for accommodation for the final term.<ref name="Financial statements">{{Cite web|title=Financial statements|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/information/financial-statements|access-date=2022-01-14|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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* [[James Cracknell]] (''MSc 1999''), rowing champion and Olympic gold medallist |
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* [[Ben Gollings]], rugby player |
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Excluding the [[Universities Superannuation Scheme]] (USS) pension revaluation, expenditure was £9.8 million (4.3%) higher than in 2018–19. Excluding pension adjustments, staff costs of £135.0 million were £15.5 million (13.0%) higher than in 2018–19. The university invested resources in its academic provision as its tuition fee income and student numbers have increased and has also targeted staff cost investment in its information technology provision and other support services. Other operating expenses of £76.9 million were £5.6 million lower than in 2018–19.<ref name="Financial statements"/> |
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* [[Roger Hammond (cyclist)|Roger Hammond]] (''Materials Science''), Cyclist |
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* [[Audley Harrison]] (''Sport Sciences 1999''), boxer, Olympic gold medallist |
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* [[Richard Hill (flanker)|Richard Hill]] (''Geography and Sports Science''), rugby player |
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===Coat of arms=== |
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* [[Catherine Murphy (athletics)|Catherine Murphy]], athlete |
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[[File:Shield_of_Brunel_University.svg|centre|200px]] |
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* [[Abi Oyepitan]] (''Politics and Sociology''), athlete |
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The Brunel [[Coat of Arms|coat of arms]] was granted to the university in 1966, and incorporates various images representative of the university's heritage and principles. The masonry arch symbolises [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]], after whom the university is named; the compass and cogwheel symbolise technology, on which the university initially focussed on and the institution's former status as a [[College of advanced technology (United Kingdom)|College of Advanced Technology]]; the [[Ermine (heraldry)|ermine lozenge]] is an allusion to the arms of [[Tony Giffard, 3rd Earl of Halsbury|Lord Halsbury]], the first Chancellor of the university; and the swan symbolises [[Uxbridge]], where the main campus is located.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/services/publications/house-style/coat-of-arms |title=Coat of Arms |date=6 April 2011 |publisher=Brunel University |access-date=5 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410052225/http://www.brunel.ac.uk/services/publications/house-style/coat-of-arms |archive-date=10 April 2011}}</ref> |
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* [[Kelly Sotherton]], athlete |
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* [[Iwan Thomas]], (''Geography and Sports Science''), athlete |
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==Academic profile== |
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* [[Danny Holmes]], (''Sports Science''), Sports Psychologist and Football Coach |
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[[File:Brunel university01.jpg|thumb|right|A view of the Brunel University campus in [[Uxbridge]]]] |
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* [[Thomas Arnold]], (''Sports Science''), Biomechanical Analysist and nutritional consultant |
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* [[Tom Clark]], ('' Sports Science''), Olympic Weightlifter and Marathon Walker |
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Brunel students have access to specialist laboratories for electronic imaging, [[bioprocessing]] and experimental techniques; flight, driving and train simulators; a 3-D body scanner; an [[MRI scanner]]; motion-capture equipment; an occupational therapy suite; sports and performing arts facilities; and academic archives in cult film and contemporary writing.<ref name=thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk /> |
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Depending on the degree course followed, many undergraduate students may choose to undertake practical placements and projects as an integral part of their courses (a founding principle of the [[sandwich degree]] structure). |
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===Research=== |
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In the 2008 [[Research Assessment Exercise]] (RAE), 90% of Brunel research submitted was rated as being of international quality.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/law/news-and-events/news/2008-09/rae |title=Research Assessment Exercise 2008 |date=15 March 2011 |publisher=Brunel University |access-date=4 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716054817/http://www.brunel.ac.uk/law/news-and-events/news/2008-09/rae |archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> In the [[Research Excellence Framework]] (REF) in 2014 Brunel was ranked 33rd for Research Power.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/ref-2014 |title=Research Excellence Framework 2014 | Brunel University London |publisher=Brunel.ac.uk |date=2015-09-17 |access-date=2015-10-16}}</ref> |
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A comparison of the data submitted to REF2021 compared to the submission for REF2014 demonstrates a 9.6% increase of staff [[Full-time equivalent]] (FTE) submitted, a 5.9% increase in Early Career Researchers, 22% increase in PhD graduation per staff (FTE) per year and a 55% increase in spend per staff (FTE) per year. |
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Courses at Brunel draw on staff's research in areas including Law, Cancer Genetics, Environmental Science, Human-Centred Design, Materials Processing, Contemporary Music and [[Digital Performance]], Children's Education and Sports Medicine.<ref name="thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=6497|title=Brunel University London|access-date=16 July 2015}}</ref> |
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==='Made in Brunel' (annual design exhibition)=== |
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Brunel's Design School holds an annual design exhibition called Made In Brunel, to promote and showcase the work of final year students to the design industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://madeinbrunel.com/history/ |title=History |publisher=Made in Brunel |access-date=5 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820110139/http://madeinbrunel.com/history/ |archive-date=20 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://madeinbrunel.com/about/ |title=Shows and Events |publisher=Made in Brunel |access-date=5 May 2011}}</ref> In past years it has been held at the [[Business Design Centre]] in Islington, and the [[Oxo Tower]] Wharf.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} From 2011 onwards the exhibition has been held at the Bargehouse, on the [[South Bank|Southbank]], London.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} |
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===Reputation and rankings=== |
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{{Infobox UK university rankings |
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| ARWU_W = 701–800 |
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| QS_W = 342= |
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| THE_W = 351–400 |
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| LINE_1 = 0 |
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| Complete = 79= |
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| The_Guardian = 120 |
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| Times/Sunday_Times = 107= |
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| LINE_2 = 0 |
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| TEF = Silver |
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}} |
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The university won the [[Queen's Anniversary Prize]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk/news/winners-announced|title=Winners of the Queen's Anniversary Prizes announced|access-date=16 July 2015}}</ref> |
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BUL was ranked as one of the top 400 universities in the world by the ''[[QS World University Rankings]] 2025''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/brunel-university-london#p2-rankings|title=About Brunel University of London|website=Top Universities|access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref> and by the ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]] 2025''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/brunel-university-london|title=Brunel University London|work=Times Higher Education|access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref> In the ''Complete University Guide 2025'' it features among the 50 best UK universities in subjects like civil engineering,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/civil-engineering|title=Civil Engineering Subject League Table 2025|website=www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk}}</ref> computer science<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/computer-science|title=Computer Science Subject League Table 2025|website=www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk}}</ref> and law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/law|title=Law Subject League Table 2025|website=www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk}}</ref> |
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==Student life== |
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===Student recreational and general facilities=== |
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Brunel has a gym, spa, and running track with professional training and medical facilities. On campus there is also a pharmacy, a shop, one bar called Locos, a nightclub called Venue, and a café named "1966" after the year of the university's founding. Historically Brunel Student Hall and The Sports Barn were key venues for band tours in the 1970-90's with some of the biggest names in rock music including, [[Fairport Convention]], [[Fleetwood Mac]], [[The Who]], [[Deep Purple]], [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]], [[Electric Light Orchestra|ELO]], [[The Kinks]], [[Thin Lizzy]], [[Joy Division]], [[The Pretenders]], [[The Specials]], [[The Stone Roses]]. The [[Sex Pistols]] played the first gig of their 'Never Mind the Bans Tour'<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sex Pistols – Live Brunel University 16.12.77|url=https://www.discogs.com/Sex-Pistols-Live-Brunel-University-161277-/master/1606955|access-date=3 October 2018|website=discogs}}</ref> at Brunel on 16 December 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MORE MEMORIES OF THE SEX PISTOLS AT BRUNEL UNIVERSITY|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/letters/more-memories-of-the-sex-pistols-at-brunel-university|access-date=18 December 2018|website=record collector}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} |
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The Bannerman Centre at the heart of the campus contains a 4 floor library (opened in 1973 by [[Heinrich Böll]]) with c.400,000 books and 1,500 study spaces, usually open 24/7 during term-time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/life/library|title=Brunel University Library|publisher=Brunel University London|access-date=18 May 2021}}</ref> The Bannerman Annexe contains the Professional Development (Careers) Centre, PC labs, large teaching rooms with collaborative technology and various student service functions such as the Assistive Technology Centre. |
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===Union of Brunel Students=== |
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The Union of Brunel Students is the [[students' union]] of Brunel University.<ref name=aboutubs>{{cite web |url=http://brunelstudents.com/about |title=About the Union |access-date=21 January 2012 |publisher=Union of Brunel Students}}</ref> The Union is based within the Hamilton Centre on the Uxbridge campus. |
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Among other services, the Union runs two venues on the Brunel campus: the Venue nightclub, Loco's bar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brunelstudents.com/social/|title=Social|publisher=Union of Brunel Students|access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref> |
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The Union is led by fourteen democratically elected staff from the student body – six Student Officers, four Standing Committee Chairs and six Working Group Chairs – supported by over thirty professional staff.<ref name=aboutubs/> |
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===''The Brunel Times & Hillingdon Herald''=== |
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''The Brunel Times'' is Brunel University's official [[UK school paper|student newspaper]]. Before 2019, it was called ''Le Nurb'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Brunel University student to launch newspaper in memory of uncle and journalist David May {{!}} Media news |url=https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/brunel-university-student-launch-newspaper-memory-of-journalist-family-relative-david-may/s2/a748672/ |website=www.journalism.co.uk |date=13 December 2019}}</ref> which has ''Brunel'' spelt backwards. Before that, it was a magazine called Route 66, named after the different campus locations Runneymede, Osterley, Uxbridge and Twickenham, not after a bus route which supposedly ran through Brunel's campus along Cleveland Road. The newspaper editorial team is made up of volunteer students and is funded by the Union of Brunel Students. Traditionally, the newspaper has held a left-wing bias and has published interviews with prominent political figures including Shadow Chancellor [[John McDonnell]], a Brunel alum and MP for Hayes and Harlington. |
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''Hillingdon Herald'' is a monthly newspaper, written and produced by students from Brunel University London, with a focus on the London Borough of Hillingdon and wider London. Launched in October 2021, the first issue included columns from Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]], MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip; former Shadow Chancellor [[John McDonnell]]; and [[David Simmonds]], MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hillingdon Herald launches with columns from Prime Minister and former Shadow Chancellor|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/Hillingdon-Herald-launches-with-columns-from-Prime-Minister-and-former-Shadow-Chancellor|access-date=2022-01-17|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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===Formula Student=== |
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Brunel was one of the first UK universities to enter the [[Formula Student]] engineering competition, an annual event in which universities from around the world compete in static and dynamic events using formula style racing cars designed and manufactured by students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.formulastudent.com/ |title=Formula Student |publisher=Institute of Mechanical Engineers |access-date=5 May 2011}}</ref> Brunel's Formula Student teams have won prizes in the annual competition every year since they first entered in 1999.{{Citation needed|date=October 2017}} |
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The Brunel Racing team is composed of undergraduate and postgraduate students, each being allocated an area of the car to develop.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brunelracing.co.uk/ |title=Brunel Racing |publisher=Brunel Racing |access-date=5 May 2011}}</ref> Students on MEng Mechanical Engineering courses act as team leaders and manage BEng students throughout the year to ensure a successful completion of a new car each year. Brunel Racing were UK Class 1 Formula Student Champions in 2002, and were the leading UK team at Formula ATA 2005, the Italian Formula Student event. In 2006 Formula Student Event, Brunel Racing were also the highest finishing UK competitor using E85 (fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol.)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/1088/Link2007.pdf|title=Brunnel Link Newsletter 2007|year=2007|editor-last=Bevis|editor-first=Marianne|website=www.brunel.ac.uk|access-date=23 November 2017|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034007/https://www.brunel.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/1088/Link2007.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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===Student housing=== |
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Brunel's £250 million campus redevelopment programme, completed in 2008, refurbished existing halls and the built the new Isambard Complex. There are 34 self-catering halls of residence on-campus, with a total of 4,549 rooms, including studio flats for co-habiting couples. Rooms are available for undergraduates, postgraduates, students with disabilities and co habiting couples. All rooms have network access. |
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Many of the [[dormitory|halls of residence]] around the Uxbridge campus are named after bridges that [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] either built or helped to design; other halls are named after him or other notable engineers or scientists. For example: |
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*Clifton Hall (after the [[Clifton Suspension Bridge]]) |
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*Saltash Hall (after the [[Royal Albert Bridge]] that crosses the [[River Tamar]] at [[Saltash]]) |
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*Chepstow Hall (after the bridge across the [[River Wye]] at [[Chepstow]]) |
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*Fleming Hall (after [[Alexander Fleming|Sir Alexander Fleming]]) |
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*Faraday Hall (after [[Michael Faraday|Sir Michael Faraday]]) |
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*Galbraith Hall (after W R Galbraith, who designed the [[Kew Railway Bridge]]) |
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*Mill Hall (after [[John Stuart Mill]]) |
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There are also three accommodation complexes: the Bishop Complex (Bishop, Kilmorey, Lacy and St Margaret's Halls); the Lancaster Complex (Lancaster, Stockwell, Southwark, Borough Road, Maria Grey and Gordon Halls); and the Isambard Complex (North, Meadow, Michael Bevis, Concourse, Stephen Bragg, West, Maurice Kogan, David Neave, Central, East, Runnymede, George Shipp, Trevor Slater, Shoreditch, Syd Urry, South and Brian Winstanley Halls). |
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==Notable academics== |
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*[[Bernardine Evaristo]]: Professor of Creative Writing, joint winner of the Booker Prize 2019<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bevaristo.com/ |website=bevaristo.com |access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref> |
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*[[Will Self]]: Professor of Modern Thought |
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*[[Heinz Wolff]]: former Emeritus professor at Brunel University London founded the Brunel Institute for Bioengineering in 1983 |
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*[[Fiona Templeton]]: Senior Lecturer in Drama |
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*[[Benjamin Zephaniah]]: former Professor of Creative Writing |
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*[[Hannah Lowe]]: Professor of Creative Writing, poet and winner of the Costa Book Award 2021<ref>{{cite news |last1=Flood |first1=Alison |title=‘Uplifting’ book of sonnets by Hannah Lowe wins Costa book of the year |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/feb/01/uplifting-book-of-sonnets-by-hannah-lowe-wins-costa-book-of-the-year |access-date=19 December 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=1 February 2022}}</ref> |
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*[[Daljit Nagra]]: Professor of Creative Writing, poet and presenter of BBC Radio 4 Extra's 'Poetry Extra'<ref>{{cite web |title=Poetry Extra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001trhx |website=BBC Radio 4 Extra |access-date=19 December 2024}}</ref> |
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*[[Fay Weldon]]: former Professor of Creative Writing |
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*[[Martin J Buxton]]: Emeritus Professor, pioneer in the field of Health Economics and founder of HERG, Health Economics Research Group, recipient (2010) of the Avedis Donabedian Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Society for Pharmaco-economics and Outcomes Research |
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*[[Celia Brackenridge]]: former Professor and Director for Youth Sport and Athlete Welfare, and campaigner against abuse and harassment in sport<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hencke |first1=David |title=Celia Brackenridge obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/24/celia-brackenridge-obituary |access-date=19 December 2024 |date=24 May 2018}}</ref> |
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*[[Javaid Rehman]]: Professor of International Law, former UN Rapporteur on Iran <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-iran|title=Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran | OHCHR}}</ref> |
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*[[Alexandra Xanthaki]]: Professor of International Law, UN Rapporteur on Cultural Rights <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/fr/alexandra-xanthaki|title=Alexandra Xanthaki | OHCHR}}</ref> |
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*[[Brian Cantor]]: Professor of Materials and BCAST Strategic Advisor, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford and the University of York |
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*Lefteris Kretsos ({{ill|Λευτέρης Κρέτσος|el}}): Senior Lecturer in Business and Management, Greece's Cabinet Minister and General Secretary responsible for Digital and Media Policy (2015–2019) |
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*Solon Solomon, Associate Professor of International Law, former Member of the Knesset Legal Department & Presenter of the popular BUL Emerging Law Voices interview series on YouTube and on Spotify <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/people/solon-solomon | title=Dr Solon Solomon | Brunel University London }}</ref> |
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[[File:The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of Brunel stand ready with some graduates (7637454146) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Chancellor ([[John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham]]) and Vice-Chancellor ([[Christopher Jenks]]) of Brunel in 2012 ]] |
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{{expand list|date=May 2020}} |
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===Vice-Chancellors=== |
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* 1966 to 1971: James Topping |
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* 1971 to 1981: [[Stephen Bragg]] |
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* 1981 to 1989: [[Richard Evelyn Donohue Bishop]] |
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* 1990 to 2001: [[Michael Sterling]] |
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* 2002 to 2006: [[Steven Schwartz (psychologist)|Steven Schwartz]] |
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* 2006 to 2012: [[Christopher Jenks]] |
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* 2012 to 2021: [[Julia Buckingham]] |
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* 2021 to present: [[Andrew Jones (academic)|Andrew Jones]] |
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===Chancellors === |
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* 1966 to 1997: [[Tony Giffard, 3rd Earl of Halsbury]] |
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* 1998 to 2012: [[John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham]] |
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* 2013 to present: [[Richard Sykes (biochemist)|Sir Richard Sykes]] |
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==Notable alumni== |
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{{See also|Category:Alumni of Brunel University London}} |
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===Media=== |
===Media, entertainment and the arts=== |
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[[File:Carl Barât.jpg|upright|thumb|right|[[Carl Barât]]]] |
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* [[Ray BLK]], stage name for Rita Ekwere, (''English''), singer-songwriter |
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* [[Nick Abbot]] (''Psychology''), radio presenter |
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* [[Laurence Rickard]], actor, screenwriter and comedian |
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* [[Shohreh Aghdashloo]], (''International Relations''), actress |
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* [[Mike Collins (comics)| Mike Collins]], Comic book artist, Writer (''Politics, Modern History and Government'') |
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* [[Nick Abbot]], (''Psychology''), radio presenter |
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* [[DJ Xclusive|Rotimi Alakija]], DJ, record producer and recording artist |
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* [[Hajaz Akram]], actor |
* [[Hajaz Akram]], actor |
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* [[Mark Bagley]], comic book artist |
* [[Mark Bagley]], comic book artist |
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* [[Carl |
* [[Carl Barât]], (''Drama'', did not graduate), musician, [[The Libertines]] and [[Dirty Pretty Things (band)|Dirty Pretty Things]] |
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* [[Adam Benzine]], (''Multimedia Technology & Design''), Oscar-nominated filmmaker and journalist |
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* [[Jo Brand]] (''Social Sciences and Nursing''), comedian |
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* [[Jo Brand]], (''Social Sciences and Nursing''), comedian |
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* [[Neil Clark (writer)|Neil Clark]], journalist |
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* [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]], photographer, graphic designer ''[[The Mighty Boosh]]'' |
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* [[Big Brother UK series 5#Victor Ebuwa|Victor Ebuwa]] Big Brother contestant |
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* [[ |
* [[Hopewell Chin'ono]], filmmaker and journalist |
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* [[Marko Ciciliani]], composer and audiovisual artist |
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* [[Michael Dapaah]] (''Drama''), actor, writer and comedian |
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* [[Greg Davies]], (''English and Drama''), actor and comedian |
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* [[Francis French (author)|Francis French]], space historian |
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* [[Alizeh Imtiaz]], (''English and Film and TV Studies BA 2008''), director and actor |
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* [[Tony James (musician)|Tony James]], (''Mathematics & Computer Science'' 1974), musician |
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* [[Bryony Kimmings]], performance artist |
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* [[Fischer-Z|John Watts]], musician, [[Fischer-Z]] |
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* [[Lee Mack]], comedian |
* [[Lee Mack]], comedian |
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* [[ |
* [[Sophie McShera]], (''Drama''), actress |
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* [[Oreke Mosheshe]] (''Management and Law''), actor, |
* [[Oreke Mosheshe]], (''Management and Law''), actor, television presenter and model |
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* [[Archie Panjabi]] (''Management Studies 1996''), actor |
* [[Archie Panjabi]], (''Management Studies 1996''), actor |
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* [[Nathaniel Peat]], (''Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing Systems''), social entrepreneur, winner of the reality TV show ''[[The Last Millionaire]]'' |
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* [[Bindya Solanki]] (''Drama''), actor |
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* [[Claire Phillips (artist)|Claire Phillips]], (''Mechanical Engineering 1986''), portrait artist |
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* [[John Watts]], musician with the band [[Fischer-Z]] |
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* [[Amber Rose Revah]] (''Contemporary Performance''), actress, ''[[House of Saddam]]'' and ''[[The Punisher (TV series)|The Punisher]]'' |
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* [[Ally Harris]], singer |
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* [[Bindya Solanki]], (''Drama''), actor |
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* [[Beverly Naya]], [[Nigerian]] actress, stars in ''[[Tinsel (TV series)|Tinsel]]'' |
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* [[Lucy Verasamy]], (''Geography''), weather forecaster |
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* [[Kaan Yıldırım]], (''Marketing''), Turkish Actor |
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* [[Damson Idris]], (''Actor''), British Actor |
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[[File:Johnmcdonnellmp.jpg|thumb|upright|[[John McDonnell (politician)|John McDonnell]]]] |
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===Politics, nobility, and royalty=== |
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===Other=== |
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[[File:Guillaume de Luxembourg.jpg|upright|thumb|right|[[Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg]]]] |
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* [[Joyce Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St John's|Joyce Anne Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St John's]], politician, Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office |
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* [[Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg]], member of the Luxembourg royal family |
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* [[Prince Abdul Fattaah of Brunei]], member of the Brunei royal family |
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* [[Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah]], current Crown Prince of [[Kedah]] |
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* [[Meyyan bint Shihab Al Said|Sayyida Meyyan bin Shihab Al Said]] (''MA in Design Strategy and Innovation''),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kothaneth |first1=Lakshmi |title=A building is not just a structure, but a space that fulfills a purpose |url=https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1132815/features/arts/a-building-is-not-just-a-structure-but-a-space-that-fulfills-a-purpose |website=Oman Daily Observer |access-date=11 April 2024 |date=15 February 2023}}</ref> member of the Omani royal family |
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* [[John Leech (politician)|John Leech]] (''History and Politics''), politician, MP for [[Manchester Withington (UK Parliament constituency)|Manchester Withington]] |
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* [[John McDonnell (politician)|John McDonnell]], politician, former [[Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer]] |
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* [[Ralph Miliband]], political theorist |
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* [[James Colthurst]], radiologist, son of the [[Colthurst baronets|10th Colthurst baronet]], friend of [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] |
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* [[Ville Skinnari]], (''LLM''), Finnish politician, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade |
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* [[Reza Moridi]], (''MTech and PhD in physics''), Canadian politician |
|||
* [[Hamdullah Mohib]], (''PhD Computer Systems Engineering''), Afghan politician and diplomat, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States |
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* [[Anastasios Papaligouras]] (''Master's in Comparative European Law''), Greek politician, former Minister of Justice |
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* [[Pekka Sauri]] (''PhD 1990''), Finnish psychologist, politician, writer and cartoonist |
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* Majid Al Suwaidi (''BA in Geology in 2001''), UAE Ambassador to Spain, Andorra, and Vatican City. Director-General of COP28 |
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* [[Seng Han Thong]] (''MBA 1993''), Singaporean politician<ref name="CV">{{cite web|publisher=Parliament of Singapore |title=Seng Han Thong |year=2011 |url=http://www.parliament.gov.sg/mp/seng-han-thong?viewcv=Seng%20Han%20Thong |url-status=dead |access-date=14 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713170857/http://www.parliament.gov.sg/mp/seng-han-thong?viewcv=Seng%20Han%20Thong |archive-date=13 July 2012}}</ref> |
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* [[Sarah Dines]] (''Law''), Conservative Party politician, MP For [[Derbyshire Dales (UK Parliament constituency)|Derbyshire Dales]] |
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* [[Rosena Allin-Khan]] (''Medical Biochemistry ''), Labour Party politician, MP For [[Tooting (UK Parliament constituency)|Tooting]] |
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* [[Diana Johnson]] (''Law''), Labour Party politician, MP For [[Kingston upon Hull North (UK Parliament constituency)|Kingston upon Hull North]] |
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* [[Jenny Chapman]] (''Psychology''), Labour Party politician, MP For [[Darlington (UK Parliament constituency)|Darlington]] |
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* [[Rudi Vis]] (''PhD Economics''), Labour Party politician, MP For [[Finchley and Golders Green (UK Parliament constituency)|Finchley and Golders Green]] |
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* [[Alec Shelbrooke]] (''Mechanical Engineering''), Conservative Party politician, MP For [[Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)|Elmet and Rothwell]] |
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* [[John Tomlinson, Baron Tomlinson|John Tomlinson]] (''Health Services Management''), Labour politician and life peer |
|||
* [[Shailesh Vara]] (''Law''), Conservative Party politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, MP for [[North West Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North West Cambridgeshire]] |
|||
* [[Claire Ward]] (''MA Britain and the European Union''), Labour politician, former MP for [[Watford (UK Parliament constituency)|Watford]] |
|||
* [[Marina Yannakoudakis]] (''BSc Government, Politics and Modern History''), Conservative Party politician, [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] for [[London (European Parliament constituency)|London]] |
|||
* [[Abang Johari Openg]], 6th Chief Minister of the State of [[Sarawak]], [[Malaysia]] |
|||
* [[Gagan Sikand]], Member of Parliament for [[Mississauga—Streetsville (federal electoral district)|Mississauga—Streetsville]] Constituency in Canada |
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* [[Chen Jining]], (''Biochemistry''), [[Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary|Communist Party Secretary]] of [[Shanghai]] |
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===Sports=== |
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* [[Philip Koomen]], furniture maker |
|||
[[File:Ross Brawn.jpg|upright|thumb|right|[[Ross Brawn]]]] |
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* [[Ranulph Glanville]], researcher and theoretician in both architecture and cybernetics |
|||
* [[Martin Mobberley]] (''Electronic Engineering 1980''), astronomer |
|||
* [[Cleopatra Mukula]] (''Master in Documentary Film''), charity founder |
|||
* [[C. Kyle Ranson]] (''Design Engineering and Computer Science 1985''), President of [[InFocus]] |
|||
* [[John Bentley]], senior business executive in the natural resources sector for 35 years |
|||
* [[Tony Adams (footballer)|Tony Adams]] (''Sports Science''), footballer, former Arsenal and England captain and [[Portsmouth F.C.]] manager |
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==Trivia== |
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* [[Eniola Aluko]] (''Law''), England Ladies footballer |
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{{Trivia|date=June 2007}} |
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* [[Ross Brawn]], team principal for [[Mercedes-Benz in Formula One|Mercedes]] [[Formula One]] team |
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*The Uxbridge campus has been used as a filming location for several feature films and television programmes: |
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* [[Mike Coughlan]] (''Mechanical Engineering 1981''), former Chief Designer for [[McLaren]] Formula One team |
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* [[James Cracknell]] (''MSc Sport Science 1999''), rower, Olympic gold medallist |
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* [[Abi Ekoku]], former GB Lions rugby league manager, British discus champion and Bradford Bulls, London Broncos and Halifax winger |
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* [[Ben Gollings]], rugby player, Captain of England Sevens, IRB Sevens Series all-time top scorer |
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* [[Elizabeth Hall (athlete)|Elizabeth Hall]] (''Physiotherapy''), athlete |
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* [[Roger Hammond (cyclist)|Roger Hammond]] (''Materials Science''), cyclist |
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* [[Audley Harrison]] (''Sport Sciences 1999''), boxer, Olympic gold medallist |
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* [[Richard Hill (rugby union, born 1973)|Richard Hill]] (''Geography and Sports Science''), rugby player, 2003 Rugby World Cup winner |
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* [[Ali Ibrahim]], Egyptian rower |
|||
* [[Catherine Murphy (athlete)|Catherine Murphy]], athlete |
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* [[Beth Rodford]] (''Sport Science''), rower |
|||
* [[Michael Olowokandi]], former NBA player, No.1 overall pick of the 1998 NBA draft |
|||
* [[Abiodun Oyepitan]] (''Politics and Sociology''), athlete |
|||
* [[Perri Shakes-Drayton]] (''Sport Sciences 2011''), athlete |
|||
* [[Tom Shanklin]], rugby player, Lions tourist and Wales rugby union international |
|||
* [[Iwan Thomas]], (''Geography and Sports Science''), athlete |
|||
* [[Chad Gould]], (''Sports Science''), footballer |
|||
* [[Heather Fell]], (''Physiotherapy''), Olympic Modern Pentathlete and Triathlete |
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==See also== |
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:*Some scenes from [[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]: featuring the 1960s [[Brutalist]] architecture. Lecture Theatre 'E' was used for the 'aversion therapy' scene; the interior has been renovated since. The atrium of the [[John Crank]] building was also used as the handover point from the prison officers to the doctors in the medical institute. Additionally a bedroom in Chepstow Hall was used as the hospital room for Alex's recovery at the end of the film, as of 2006 the rooms were still identical to the film. |
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* [[Armorial of UK universities]] |
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* [[Centre for Sustainability and Environmental Management / Brunel Management Programme]] |
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* [[College of advanced technology (United Kingdom)]] |
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* [[List of universities in the United Kingdom]] |
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* [[Universities in London]] |
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:*number of episodes of 1970s police drama series [[The Sweeney]]. |
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:*an episode of [[The Comic Strip|The Comic Strip Presents]] first series entitled [[The Comic Strip#List of Comic Strip films|Summer School]], where the area in front of the Lecture Theatre is turned into an Iron Age settlement. |
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:*An episode of [[Inspector Morse]] used the Chemistry building and the Lecture Theatre as a hospital. |
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:*Scenes for the Channel 5 soap opera [[Family Affairs]] were shot inside and outside the Students Union building. |
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:*Scenes for the "Sleeper" episode of [[The New Avengers]] were filmed on campus in 1976 and broadcast in January 1977. |
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*Several films used the [[Runnymede]] campus as an outside location, particularly in the 1940s-1960s: |
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:*The [[Roy Boulting|Boulting Brothers']] ''[[A French Mistress]]'', 1960, made extensive use of the campus as a boys' [[boarding school]]{{Fact|date=May 2007}}. |
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:*A number of scenes of ''[[The Belles of St Trinian's]]'' were filmed at Runnymede, including the Mews seen (from [[Cooper's Hill]] Lane) as a dairy. The [[field hockey|hockey]] match takes place on the field between Chestnut Walk and the workshop buildings{{Fact|date=May 2007}}. |
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*[[George Tomkyns Chesney|Sir George Chesney]], founder and first president of the [[Royal Indian Engineering College]] is believed to have written his influential proto-[[science fiction]] short story [[Invasion literature|'The Battle of Dorking']] ([[1871]]) whilst in residence at the College{{Fact|date=May 2007}}. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{ |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
== External links == |
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{{Commons category}} |
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* [http://www.brunel.ac.uk Brunel University website] |
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* {{Official website}} |
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{{Brunel University of London}} |
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{{University of London}} |
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[[Category:Brunel University|*]] |
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[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1966]] |
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[[Category:Brunel University of London| ]] |
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[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1966]] |
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[[Category:1966 establishments in England]] |
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[[Category:Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Hillingdon]] |
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[[Category:Uxbridge]] |
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[[Category:Universities in London]] |
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[[Category:Universities UK]] |
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[[Category:Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] |
Latest revision as of 00:55, 25 December 2024
Type | Public |
---|---|
Established | 1966 – gained university status by royal charter |
Parent institution | University of London (Joined the federation in 2024) |
Endowment | £1.57 million (2022)[1] |
Budget | £271.3 million (2021–22)[1] |
Chancellor | Richard Sykes |
Vice-Chancellor | Andrew Jones |
Students | 18,370 (2022/23)[2] |
Undergraduates | 10,785 (2022/23)[2] |
Postgraduates | 7,585 (2022/23)[2] |
974 | |
Address | Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH , England, United Kingdom 51°31′58″N 0°28′22″W / 51.53278°N 0.47278°W |
Campus | Suburban |
Precursor institutions | Borough Road College (est 1798)
Maria Grey College (1878) Shoreditch College of Education (1902) Acton Technical College (1928) Brunel College of Advanced Technology (1962) |
Colours | Blue and gold
|
Affiliations | Association of Commonwealth Universities European University Association |
Website | www |
Brunel University of London (BUL) is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It is named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution. It became a university in June 1966, when Brunel College of Advanced Technology was awarded a royal charter and became Brunel University; in 2014 the university formally adopted the name Brunel University London. The university is sometimes considered a British plate glass university. Brunel became the University of London's 17th member on 1 October 2024.[3]
Since 2014 the university has been organised into three colleges: the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences; the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences; and the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.
Brunel has over 16,000 students and 2,200 staff,[4] and an annual income of £271.3 million (2021–22), of which £22.4 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £311.9 million.[1] The university won the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2011. BUL is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the European University Association, and Universities UK.
History
[edit]Origins
[edit]Brunel University of London is one of a number of British universities which were established in the 1960s following the Robbins Report on higher education. It is sometimes described as a "plate glass university". The university's origins lie in Acton Technical College, which was split into two in 1957: Acton Technical College continued to cater for technicians and craftsmen, and the new Brunel College of Technology (named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the British engineer) was dedicated to the education of chartered engineers.
The campus buildings, including the lecture centre, were designed in the Brutalist style of architecture by Richard Sheppard, Robson & Partners, Architects.
In 1960 Brunel College of Technology was awarded the status of College of Advanced Technology, and it was decided that it should expand at another site in order to accommodate the extra buildings that would be needed. Uxbridge was chosen to house the new buildings. Before construction work began the college was officially renamed Brunel College of Advanced Technology in 1962 – the tenth Advanced Technology College in the country, and the last to be awarded this title.
The Uxbridge (Vine Street) railway branch line was closed in 1964, and the college purchased the land adjacent to its site where the railway had run for £65,000 from the local council.[5]
1966 to present
[edit]This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2017) |
A royal charter granting university status and the power to award degrees was awarded on 9 June 1966, and the institution became Brunel University.[6][7]
The university continued to use both campuses until 1971, when it left the Acton site. In 1980, the university merged with Shoreditch College of Education (Shoreditch Training College),[8][9][10][11] located at Cooper's Hill, Runnymede, which became Brunel's second campus.
In 1995, the university expanded again, integrating the West London Institute of Higher Education, and adding campuses in Osterley and Twickenham, and increasing the number of courses that the university was able to offer. Traditionally the university's strengths were in engineering, science, and technology, but with the addition of the West London Institute, new departments such as arts, humanities, geography and earth science, health and sports science were added, and the size of the student body increased to over 12,000.
Brunel has been the subject of controversy as its approach to higher education has been both market-driven and politically conservative.[citation needed] The decision to award an honorary degree to Margaret Thatcher in 1996, following the University of Oxford's refusal to do so, provoked an outcry by staff and students and, as a result, the ceremony had to be held in the House of Lords instead of on campus. In the late 1990s, the departments of physics, chemistry and materials engineering were all closed and, in 2004, the then vice-chancellor, Steven Schwartz, initiated the reorganisation of the university's faculties and departments into schools, and closed the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences. The succeeding vice-chancellor, the sociologist Christopher Jenks, took office in 2006.[12] He was followed by Julia Buckingham, previously at Imperial College London, who took up the position of vice-chancellor at Brunel in 2012.[13]
In 2014, the university underwent an internal reorganisation and its name was changed to Brunel University London (BUL) by a supplemental charter dated 16 July 2014. In 2016 Brunel celebrated its 50th anniversary since being awarded its royal charter, and staged a 14-month programme of more than 40 celebratory events.[14]
In December 2020, the university's chancellor, Sir Richard Sykes, lead an independent review of the UK's Vaccine Taskforce strategy and goals, and in June 2021 he was subsequently appointed as the taskforce's new chair, leading work to find, procure and deliver vaccines and oversee preparations for vaccine booster programmes as part of UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme.[15]
In April 2021, it was announced that Julia Buckingham would be stepping down as vice-chancellor and president after nearly 10 years in the role. She was succeeded by Andrew Jones, who took up the position in January 2022.[16]
Brunel became part of the University of London in October 2024, and began using the name Brunel University of London (BUL) as a trading name.[17]
Campus
[edit]In the late 1990s Brunel devised a 10-year, £250 million masterplan for the campus. This involved selling off campus sites at Runnymede, Osterley and Twickenham and using the revenue from the sales to renovate and update the buildings and facilities on the Uxbridge campus. Works carried out included a library extension, a state-of-the-art sports complex, renovated students' union facilities, a new Health Sciences teaching centre, and the construction of more halls of residence.
The original Brunel campus was designed by Richard Sheppard, Robson and Partners, with many buildings retaining the 1960s 'Brutalist' architectural style. It has appeared in several films, most famously in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, large parts of which were filmed on campus, particularly in the John Crank Building (demolished July 2019) and the Grade II listed Lecture Centre.[18] It has also featured in several UK television series including Spooks, Silent Witness, The Sweeney and Inspector Morse.[19]
Organisation and governance
[edit]Colleges
[edit]Brunel has three constituent Academic Colleges:
- College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences [20]
- Brunel Design School
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electronic and Electrical Engineering
- Mathematics
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences [21]
- Arts and Humanities
- Brunel Business School
- Brunel Law School
- Economics and Finance
- Education
- Social and Political Sciences
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences [22]
- Brunel Medical School
- Health Sciences
- Life Sciences
Research institutes
[edit]Research at Brunel has been organised into five institutes [23]
- Institute of Communities and Society
- Institute of Digital Futures
- Institute of Energy Futures
- Institute of Health, Medicine and Environments
- Institute of Materials and Manufacturing
Governance
[edit]Brunel exists by virtue of a royal charter first granted in 1966 and it has the status of an exempt charity as defined by the Charities Act 2011.[24]
The governing body of Brunel is the council, which comprises university staff and students and independent members. The Council appoints the Vice-Chancellor and other senior officers. The council has established a number of Committees which support its work.
The current Chancellor of the university is Sir Richard Sykes, a biochemist and former Rector of Imperial College London. The Vice-Chancellor since 2022 is Professor Andrew Jones, formerly Deputy President at City, University of London.[25]
Brunel's academic governing body is the Senate, which is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. The Senate's powers, duties and functions are set out in its Ordinances, and it has a number of Committees which support its work.[26]
Finances
[edit]In the financial year ended 31 July 2020, Brunel had a total income (including share of joint ventures) of £237.1 million (2018–19 – £229.8 million) and total expenditure of £235.7 million (2018–19 – £224.7 million).[4]
Total income for 2019–20 was £237.1 million, £7.3 million (3.2%) higher than in 2018–19. Tuition fees overall increased by £10.1 million, reflecting the increase in the number of students enrolled, while funding body grants were flat at £30.6 million. Research grant income for 2019/ 20 was £3.1 million higher than in 2018–19 on a recognised income basis. Research income reflects the timing of work undertaken on research grants, as income is recognised in the financial statements over a period typically averaging three years. Other income reduced by £6.0 million, or 12.4%. This consists of student residences income, conference, hotel, retail and also income from summer school activity for foreign language students on the campus. All categories were significantly impacted by the pandemic, including the decision by the university not to charge rent for accommodation for the final term.[27]
Excluding the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension revaluation, expenditure was £9.8 million (4.3%) higher than in 2018–19. Excluding pension adjustments, staff costs of £135.0 million were £15.5 million (13.0%) higher than in 2018–19. The university invested resources in its academic provision as its tuition fee income and student numbers have increased and has also targeted staff cost investment in its information technology provision and other support services. Other operating expenses of £76.9 million were £5.6 million lower than in 2018–19.[27]
Coat of arms
[edit]The Brunel coat of arms was granted to the university in 1966, and incorporates various images representative of the university's heritage and principles. The masonry arch symbolises Isambard Kingdom Brunel, after whom the university is named; the compass and cogwheel symbolise technology, on which the university initially focussed on and the institution's former status as a College of Advanced Technology; the ermine lozenge is an allusion to the arms of Lord Halsbury, the first Chancellor of the university; and the swan symbolises Uxbridge, where the main campus is located.[28]
Academic profile
[edit]Brunel students have access to specialist laboratories for electronic imaging, bioprocessing and experimental techniques; flight, driving and train simulators; a 3-D body scanner; an MRI scanner; motion-capture equipment; an occupational therapy suite; sports and performing arts facilities; and academic archives in cult film and contemporary writing.[29]
Depending on the degree course followed, many undergraduate students may choose to undertake practical placements and projects as an integral part of their courses (a founding principle of the sandwich degree structure).
Research
[edit]In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), 90% of Brunel research submitted was rated as being of international quality.[30] In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2014 Brunel was ranked 33rd for Research Power.[31]
A comparison of the data submitted to REF2021 compared to the submission for REF2014 demonstrates a 9.6% increase of staff Full-time equivalent (FTE) submitted, a 5.9% increase in Early Career Researchers, 22% increase in PhD graduation per staff (FTE) per year and a 55% increase in spend per staff (FTE) per year.
Courses at Brunel draw on staff's research in areas including Law, Cancer Genetics, Environmental Science, Human-Centred Design, Materials Processing, Contemporary Music and Digital Performance, Children's Education and Sports Medicine.[29]
'Made in Brunel' (annual design exhibition)
[edit]Brunel's Design School holds an annual design exhibition called Made In Brunel, to promote and showcase the work of final year students to the design industry.[32][33] In past years it has been held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, and the Oxo Tower Wharf.[citation needed] From 2011 onwards the exhibition has been held at the Bargehouse, on the Southbank, London.[citation needed]
Reputation and rankings
[edit]National rankings | |
---|---|
Complete (2025)[34] | 79= |
Guardian (2025)[35] | 120 |
Times / Sunday Times (2025)[36] | 107= |
Global rankings | |
ARWU (2024)[37] | 701–800 |
QS (2025)[38] | 342= |
THE (2025)[39] | 351–400 |
The university won the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2011.[40]
BUL was ranked as one of the top 400 universities in the world by the QS World University Rankings 2025[41] and by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025.[42] In the Complete University Guide 2025 it features among the 50 best UK universities in subjects like civil engineering,[43] computer science[44] and law.[45]
Student life
[edit]Student recreational and general facilities
[edit]Brunel has a gym, spa, and running track with professional training and medical facilities. On campus there is also a pharmacy, a shop, one bar called Locos, a nightclub called Venue, and a café named "1966" after the year of the university's founding. Historically Brunel Student Hall and The Sports Barn were key venues for band tours in the 1970-90's with some of the biggest names in rock music including, Fairport Convention, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Deep Purple, Genesis, ELO, The Kinks, Thin Lizzy, Joy Division, The Pretenders, The Specials, The Stone Roses. The Sex Pistols played the first gig of their 'Never Mind the Bans Tour'[46] at Brunel on 16 December 1977.[47][citation needed]
The Bannerman Centre at the heart of the campus contains a 4 floor library (opened in 1973 by Heinrich Böll) with c.400,000 books and 1,500 study spaces, usually open 24/7 during term-time.[48] The Bannerman Annexe contains the Professional Development (Careers) Centre, PC labs, large teaching rooms with collaborative technology and various student service functions such as the Assistive Technology Centre.
Union of Brunel Students
[edit]The Union of Brunel Students is the students' union of Brunel University.[49] The Union is based within the Hamilton Centre on the Uxbridge campus.
Among other services, the Union runs two venues on the Brunel campus: the Venue nightclub, Loco's bar.[50]
The Union is led by fourteen democratically elected staff from the student body – six Student Officers, four Standing Committee Chairs and six Working Group Chairs – supported by over thirty professional staff.[49]
The Brunel Times & Hillingdon Herald
[edit]The Brunel Times is Brunel University's official student newspaper. Before 2019, it was called Le Nurb,[51] which has Brunel spelt backwards. Before that, it was a magazine called Route 66, named after the different campus locations Runneymede, Osterley, Uxbridge and Twickenham, not after a bus route which supposedly ran through Brunel's campus along Cleveland Road. The newspaper editorial team is made up of volunteer students and is funded by the Union of Brunel Students. Traditionally, the newspaper has held a left-wing bias and has published interviews with prominent political figures including Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, a Brunel alum and MP for Hayes and Harlington.
Hillingdon Herald is a monthly newspaper, written and produced by students from Brunel University London, with a focus on the London Borough of Hillingdon and wider London. Launched in October 2021, the first issue included columns from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip; former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell; and David Simmonds, MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.[52]
Formula Student
[edit]Brunel was one of the first UK universities to enter the Formula Student engineering competition, an annual event in which universities from around the world compete in static and dynamic events using formula style racing cars designed and manufactured by students.[53] Brunel's Formula Student teams have won prizes in the annual competition every year since they first entered in 1999.[citation needed]
The Brunel Racing team is composed of undergraduate and postgraduate students, each being allocated an area of the car to develop.[54] Students on MEng Mechanical Engineering courses act as team leaders and manage BEng students throughout the year to ensure a successful completion of a new car each year. Brunel Racing were UK Class 1 Formula Student Champions in 2002, and were the leading UK team at Formula ATA 2005, the Italian Formula Student event. In 2006 Formula Student Event, Brunel Racing were also the highest finishing UK competitor using E85 (fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol.)[55]
Student housing
[edit]Brunel's £250 million campus redevelopment programme, completed in 2008, refurbished existing halls and the built the new Isambard Complex. There are 34 self-catering halls of residence on-campus, with a total of 4,549 rooms, including studio flats for co-habiting couples. Rooms are available for undergraduates, postgraduates, students with disabilities and co habiting couples. All rooms have network access.
Many of the halls of residence around the Uxbridge campus are named after bridges that Isambard Kingdom Brunel either built or helped to design; other halls are named after him or other notable engineers or scientists. For example:
- Clifton Hall (after the Clifton Suspension Bridge)
- Saltash Hall (after the Royal Albert Bridge that crosses the River Tamar at Saltash)
- Chepstow Hall (after the bridge across the River Wye at Chepstow)
- Fleming Hall (after Sir Alexander Fleming)
- Faraday Hall (after Sir Michael Faraday)
- Galbraith Hall (after W R Galbraith, who designed the Kew Railway Bridge)
- Mill Hall (after John Stuart Mill)
There are also three accommodation complexes: the Bishop Complex (Bishop, Kilmorey, Lacy and St Margaret's Halls); the Lancaster Complex (Lancaster, Stockwell, Southwark, Borough Road, Maria Grey and Gordon Halls); and the Isambard Complex (North, Meadow, Michael Bevis, Concourse, Stephen Bragg, West, Maurice Kogan, David Neave, Central, East, Runnymede, George Shipp, Trevor Slater, Shoreditch, Syd Urry, South and Brian Winstanley Halls).
Notable academics
[edit]- Bernardine Evaristo: Professor of Creative Writing, joint winner of the Booker Prize 2019[56]
- Will Self: Professor of Modern Thought
- Heinz Wolff: former Emeritus professor at Brunel University London founded the Brunel Institute for Bioengineering in 1983
- Fiona Templeton: Senior Lecturer in Drama
- Benjamin Zephaniah: former Professor of Creative Writing
- Hannah Lowe: Professor of Creative Writing, poet and winner of the Costa Book Award 2021[57]
- Daljit Nagra: Professor of Creative Writing, poet and presenter of BBC Radio 4 Extra's 'Poetry Extra'[58]
- Fay Weldon: former Professor of Creative Writing
- Martin J Buxton: Emeritus Professor, pioneer in the field of Health Economics and founder of HERG, Health Economics Research Group, recipient (2010) of the Avedis Donabedian Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Society for Pharmaco-economics and Outcomes Research
- Celia Brackenridge: former Professor and Director for Youth Sport and Athlete Welfare, and campaigner against abuse and harassment in sport[59]
- Javaid Rehman: Professor of International Law, former UN Rapporteur on Iran [60]
- Alexandra Xanthaki: Professor of International Law, UN Rapporteur on Cultural Rights [61]
- Brian Cantor: Professor of Materials and BCAST Strategic Advisor, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford and the University of York
- Lefteris Kretsos (Λευτέρης Κρέτσος ): Senior Lecturer in Business and Management, Greece's Cabinet Minister and General Secretary responsible for Digital and Media Policy (2015–2019)
- Solon Solomon, Associate Professor of International Law, former Member of the Knesset Legal Department & Presenter of the popular BUL Emerging Law Voices interview series on YouTube and on Spotify [62]
Vice-Chancellors
[edit]- 1966 to 1971: James Topping
- 1971 to 1981: Stephen Bragg
- 1981 to 1989: Richard Evelyn Donohue Bishop
- 1990 to 2001: Michael Sterling
- 2002 to 2006: Steven Schwartz
- 2006 to 2012: Christopher Jenks
- 2012 to 2021: Julia Buckingham
- 2021 to present: Andrew Jones
Chancellors
[edit]- 1966 to 1997: Tony Giffard, 3rd Earl of Halsbury
- 1998 to 2012: John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham
- 2013 to present: Sir Richard Sykes
Notable alumni
[edit]Media, entertainment and the arts
[edit]- Ray BLK, stage name for Rita Ekwere, (English), singer-songwriter
- Laurence Rickard, actor, screenwriter and comedian
- Shohreh Aghdashloo, (International Relations), actress
- Mike Collins, Comic book artist, Writer (Politics, Modern History and Government)
- Nick Abbot, (Psychology), radio presenter
- Rotimi Alakija, DJ, record producer and recording artist
- Hajaz Akram, actor
- Mark Bagley, comic book artist
- Carl Barât, (Drama, did not graduate), musician, The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things
- Adam Benzine, (Multimedia Technology & Design), Oscar-nominated filmmaker and journalist
- Jo Brand, (Social Sciences and Nursing), comedian
- Dave Brown, photographer, graphic designer The Mighty Boosh
- Hopewell Chin'ono, filmmaker and journalist
- Marko Ciciliani, composer and audiovisual artist
- Michael Dapaah (Drama), actor, writer and comedian
- Greg Davies, (English and Drama), actor and comedian
- Francis French, space historian
- Alizeh Imtiaz, (English and Film and TV Studies BA 2008), director and actor
- Tony James, (Mathematics & Computer Science 1974), musician
- Bryony Kimmings, performance artist
- John Watts, musician, Fischer-Z
- Lee Mack, comedian
- Sophie McShera, (Drama), actress
- Oreke Mosheshe, (Management and Law), actor, television presenter and model
- Archie Panjabi, (Management Studies 1996), actor
- Nathaniel Peat, (Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing Systems), social entrepreneur, winner of the reality TV show The Last Millionaire
- Claire Phillips, (Mechanical Engineering 1986), portrait artist
- Amber Rose Revah (Contemporary Performance), actress, House of Saddam and The Punisher
- Bindya Solanki, (Drama), actor
- Beverly Naya, Nigerian actress, stars in Tinsel
- Lucy Verasamy, (Geography), weather forecaster
- Kaan Yıldırım, (Marketing), Turkish Actor
- Damson Idris, (Actor), British Actor
Politics, nobility, and royalty
[edit]- Joyce Anne Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St John's, politician, Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, member of the Luxembourg royal family
- Prince Abdul Fattaah of Brunei, member of the Brunei royal family
- Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah, current Crown Prince of Kedah
- Sayyida Meyyan bin Shihab Al Said (MA in Design Strategy and Innovation),[63] member of the Omani royal family
- John Leech (History and Politics), politician, MP for Manchester Withington
- John McDonnell, politician, former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Ralph Miliband, political theorist
- James Colthurst, radiologist, son of the 10th Colthurst baronet, friend of Diana, Princess of Wales
- Ville Skinnari, (LLM), Finnish politician, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade
- Reza Moridi, (MTech and PhD in physics), Canadian politician
- Hamdullah Mohib, (PhD Computer Systems Engineering), Afghan politician and diplomat, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States
- Anastasios Papaligouras (Master's in Comparative European Law), Greek politician, former Minister of Justice
- Pekka Sauri (PhD 1990), Finnish psychologist, politician, writer and cartoonist
- Majid Al Suwaidi (BA in Geology in 2001), UAE Ambassador to Spain, Andorra, and Vatican City. Director-General of COP28
- Seng Han Thong (MBA 1993), Singaporean politician[64]
- Sarah Dines (Law), Conservative Party politician, MP For Derbyshire Dales
- Rosena Allin-Khan (Medical Biochemistry ), Labour Party politician, MP For Tooting
- Diana Johnson (Law), Labour Party politician, MP For Kingston upon Hull North
- Jenny Chapman (Psychology), Labour Party politician, MP For Darlington
- Rudi Vis (PhD Economics), Labour Party politician, MP For Finchley and Golders Green
- Alec Shelbrooke (Mechanical Engineering), Conservative Party politician, MP For Elmet and Rothwell
- John Tomlinson (Health Services Management), Labour politician and life peer
- Shailesh Vara (Law), Conservative Party politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, MP for North West Cambridgeshire
- Claire Ward (MA Britain and the European Union), Labour politician, former MP for Watford
- Marina Yannakoudakis (BSc Government, Politics and Modern History), Conservative Party politician, MEP for London
- Abang Johari Openg, 6th Chief Minister of the State of Sarawak, Malaysia
- Gagan Sikand, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville Constituency in Canada
- Chen Jining, (Biochemistry), Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai
Sports
[edit]- Tony Adams (Sports Science), footballer, former Arsenal and England captain and Portsmouth F.C. manager
- Eniola Aluko (Law), England Ladies footballer
- Ross Brawn, team principal for Mercedes Formula One team
- Mike Coughlan (Mechanical Engineering 1981), former Chief Designer for McLaren Formula One team
- James Cracknell (MSc Sport Science 1999), rower, Olympic gold medallist
- Abi Ekoku, former GB Lions rugby league manager, British discus champion and Bradford Bulls, London Broncos and Halifax winger
- Ben Gollings, rugby player, Captain of England Sevens, IRB Sevens Series all-time top scorer
- Elizabeth Hall (Physiotherapy), athlete
- Roger Hammond (Materials Science), cyclist
- Audley Harrison (Sport Sciences 1999), boxer, Olympic gold medallist
- Richard Hill (Geography and Sports Science), rugby player, 2003 Rugby World Cup winner
- Ali Ibrahim, Egyptian rower
- Catherine Murphy, athlete
- Beth Rodford (Sport Science), rower
- Michael Olowokandi, former NBA player, No.1 overall pick of the 1998 NBA draft
- Abiodun Oyepitan (Politics and Sociology), athlete
- Perri Shakes-Drayton (Sport Sciences 2011), athlete
- Tom Shanklin, rugby player, Lions tourist and Wales rugby union international
- Iwan Thomas, (Geography and Sports Science), athlete
- Chad Gould, (Sports Science), footballer
- Heather Fell, (Physiotherapy), Olympic Modern Pentathlete and Triathlete
See also
[edit]- Armorial of UK universities
- Centre for Sustainability and Environmental Management / Brunel Management Programme
- College of advanced technology (United Kingdom)
- List of universities in the United Kingdom
- Universities in London
References
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- ^ "Brunel University student to launch newspaper in memory of uncle and journalist David May | Media news". www.journalism.co.uk. 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Hillingdon Herald launches with columns from Prime Minister and former Shadow Chancellor". www.brunel.ac.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
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{{cite web}}
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