Portsmouth University
| University of Portsmouth | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Motto | Lucem Sequamur (Latin) Let us follow the Light |
| Established | 1869 - Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and the Arts 1992 - gained University status |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | £1.62m |
| Chancellor | Sheila Hancock CBE |
| Vice-Chancellor | Professor John Craven |
| Admin. staff | 2,204 |
| Students | 21,827 |
| Undergraduates | 18,219 |
| Postgraduates | 3,385 |
| Other students | 223 FE |
| Location | Portsmouth, England, UK |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colours | Purple Black White |
| Affiliations | University Alliance Association of Commonwealth Universities European University Association The Channel Islands Universities Consortium |
| Website | www.port.ac.uk |
The University of Portsmouth is a university in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The University is a member of the University Alliance, a group of 23 major business-focussed pre and post 1992 universities.
History
The University was founded as the Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and the Arts in 1869. Due to the dependence on shipping and trade to the city, the main function of the college was to train the engineers and skilled workmen who went on to work at the city docks, as well as at the large Royal Navy dockyard situated in Portsmouth. However, due to a decline in shipping and population since World War II, when large swathes of the city were destroyed by German bombing, the college was forced to diversify in terms of its syllabus and teaching in order to attract new students.
This steadily continued until the 1960s when, due to a massive government-sponsored expansion in Higher Education, the college was renamed Portsmouth Polytechnic. Along with this new name came the power for Portsmouth to award degrees, accredited and validated by the centralised CNAA. The expansion of the polytechnic continued and in the late 1980s, it was considered one of the largest and the best performing polytechnics in the UK. Portsmouth was granted university status with the power to validate its own degrees along with the other polytechnics in 1992, under the provision of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.
The University of Portsmouth is managed in accordance with Articles of Government approved by the Secretary of State. The Act also set the general format for an Instrument of Government determining the membership, constitution and organisational structure of Boards of Governors.
The formal inauguration of the University of Portsmouth was celebrated at a ceremony in the Portsmouth Guildhall on 7 July 1992.
Campuses
The University is split between two main areas, the University Quarter, which is centred around the Portsmouth Guildhall area and Langstone Campus.
Langstone Campus
Langstone is the smaller of the two campuses, located in Milton on the eastern edge of Portsea Island, the island on which the city of Portsmouth sits. The campus overlooks Langstone Harbour and it is home to the University's sports grounds. It also includes a restaurant and bar, as well as a 'student village', which provides accommodation for 565 students in three halls of residence; Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother (QEQM), Trust Hall and Langstone Flats. Students in QEQM and Langstone Flats have en-suite rooms. It used to be home of the University's School of Languages and Area Studies. The School has now moved into the Park Building on the Guildhall Campus.
University Quarter
The University Quarter is a collection of various university buildings scattered throughout the centre of the city. This area contains much of the University's teaching facilities, and nearly all of the Student Halls of residence (except the Langstone student village and two halls (Rees Hall and Burrell House) located on Southsea Terrace, the city's main esplanade).
The University Library (formerly the Frewen Library) was extended in 2006 at a cost of £11 million. Originally due to open in October, ongoing delays meant that it was not complete until January 2007, when it was opened by the crime writer P. D. James. The University has also in recent years invested in the Faculty of Science, in particular through the renovation of its aluminium-clad main building (St Michael's) which is adjacent to James Watson Hall, named for the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA.
A new faculty called "Creative and Cultural Industries" was opened in September 2006. It aims to provide a unique environment in which all aspects of creative thinking will flourish and develop by combining creative schools from across the university.
Organisation and structure
Portsmouth Business School
- Department of Accounting and Finance
- Department of Economics
- Department of Human Resource and Marketing Management
- Department of Strategy and Business Systems
- School of Law
Faculty of Engineering & Technology
- School of Civil Engineering and Surveying
- School of Computing
- Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation
- School of Engineering
- Department of Mathematics
Faculty of Science
- School of Biological Sciences
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Department of Geography
- Dental Academy
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work
- Institute of Marine Sciences
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science
- The Expert Centre (CETL)
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Institute of Criminal Justice Studies
- School of Education and Continuing Studies
- School of Languages and Area Studies
- School of Social, Historical, and Literary Studies
- Foundation Direct (CETL)
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
- Portsmouth School of Architecture
- School of Art, Design, and Media
- School of Creative Arts, Film, and Media
- School of Creative Technologies
- Portsmouth Centre for Enterprise
- Institute of Industrial Research
Academic profile
Alternative medicine courses
The university validates a professional doctorate programme in chiropractic for the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, a private college. The university formerly validated BSc (Hons) degrees in acupuncture and MSc courses in traditional Chinese medicine that were carried out by the London College of Traditional Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, a private education provider that collapsed in early 2011.
Reputation and rankings
Portsmouth has been rated as the fifth best modern university in the UK by The Times Good University Guide and 60th overall.
Student life
Students' Union
Students' Union
The University of Portsmouth Students' Union was voted best Union in the UK in the New Musical Express in 2004. Formerly housed in the ex-NAAFI building Alexandra House, a new £6.5 million purpose-built Union was opened in 2002 at the other end of Ravelin Park, to the north of Frewen Library, though the main entertainment area has been significantly altered recently.
The Union houses a bar and a Co-Op grocery shop, along with Blackwells bookshop, Connect up the university's computer help store and also its own radio station, Pure FM. The Union formerly comprised two nightclubs, Lux and Co2, however it has been announced these will close with immediate effect.
Since the summer of 2005, a restructure resulted in the division of the Union into the UPSU - whose broad remit covers such areas as providing representation and running University clubs and societies - and its trading-orientated operations, under the remit of the University of Portsmouth Enterprise Ltd., a company owned by the University of Portsmouth to offer "to business, industry and the public sector the wide range of skills and knowledge in the University".
In June 2010 The University of Portsmouth Students' Union was the first Students' Union within England and Wales to register as a full charity. The change came so as to comply with legislation introduced in 2006.
The University announced in June 2009 their intention to permanently close two of the remaining three late-night entertainment venues, with both clubs Lux and Co2 closing.
The Students' Union offers a range of sports clubs and social societies for students. The sports on offer vary from traditional team games like football, rugby union, netball and cricket to Octopush, a form of underwater hockey and men's lacrosse. Notably, the University is home to the longest-running university paintball club in the United Kingdom. Unsurprisingly given Portsmouth's rich maritime history and location, Sailing and Rowing are also very popular, and the sailing team enters a team the for the annual Cowes Week regatta on the Isle of Wight. There is also a range of extreme sports available, including wakeboarding, surfing, climbing and skiing and snowboarding. Ski and snowboard is the most popular club in the Athletic Union, with over 300 members and trips to various ski resorts in Europe. For those less sport-inclined, there are a whole host of student-run societies, including the award winning Amnesty Student Group, Juggling, Afro-Caribbean, LGBT, Pagan and Spiritual, Christian Union and Geography societies, as well as course-oriented societies such as the Politics Society, Brightsparks Enterprise Society which is affiliated with the Portsmouth Centre of Enterprise, the Property Development Society based out of the School of Civil Engineering & Surveying, and the Student Law Society.
Despite not offering a degree in Music, the University has a full-time music department offering instrumental lessons and ensembles. These include the Choir, Orchestra, Wind Band and Big Band.
In April 2011, Brightsparks Enterprise Society and the UPSU will be organising the first ever student run variety show 'Not So Royal Variety Show' at the Kings Theatre, Southsea. The show aims to showcase as many students performing talent as possible, whether they be part of a club or society within the Students Union or if they are part of a group or an individual. The show will be funded entirely through sponsorship from local businesses, fundraising events prior to the show and through ticket sales.
The Student Union runs a number of volunteering projects, these have won awards such as HEFCE's Volunteering Team of the Year. In 2010 the Union was awarded a £15,000 grant to work with elderly residents in the city.
University of Portsmouth Enterprise Limited (UPEL), which operates the Student Centre's Bar operation
Following financial difficulties in 2005, UPSU was re-structured and is now a registered charity, with its trading arm (UPSU Trading Ltd.) placed under the direct control of the University, through the auspices of UPEL (University of Portsmouth Enterprise Ltd, previously only used for commercialising research). As a result of this new investment, in October 2005 the Union was redeveloped.
People
University officers
On 16 May 2007, Sheila Hancock CBE was appointed Chancellor of the University.
Ms Hancock is an actor and author and received an honorary degree from the University in 2005 in particular recognition of her services to drama.
The former Chancellor was Lord Palumbo of Walbrook, a property developer who was once Chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain. He sits as a Conservative peer in the House of Lords and was educated at Eton College and also Worcester College, Oxford.
The Vice-Chancellor is Professor John Craven, who was appointed in 1997. Professor Craven is an economist, and was educated at the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He previously was a Professor of Economics at the University of Kent.
Deputy Vice Chancellor is Rebecca Bunting. Pro Vice Chancellors are Professor David Arrell and Professor John Turner.
Notable alumni
- Simon Armitage - Poet
- Richard Watson - Correspondent of BBC Newsnight
- John Armitt CBE - Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority for the 2012 Olympics
- David Chidgey, Baron Chidgey of Hamble-le-Rice, Hampshire - Liberal Democrat politician
- Shirley Conran - Writer
- Ron Davies - Former Labour politician and former Secretary of State for Wales
- Kate Edmondson - Television presenter
- Malcolm Evans - Computer programmer
- Ben Fogle - Television presenter and travel writer
- Simon Hill - Sports commentator
- Frazer Irving - Comic book artist
- Riz Khan - Journalist and Al Jazeera English presenter
- Rachel Lowe - Game designer
- Diana Maddock, Baroness Maddock - Liberal Democrat politician
- Teymoor Nabili - Al Jazeera English Presenter
- Grayson Perry - Artist, winner of the 2003 Turner Prize
- Ricky Salmon - Radio presenter
- Asha Tanna - Television Five News presenter
- Martin Whitmarsh - Team Principal of McLaren and Chief Executive of the McLaren Group
- Ehsan Masood - Science journalist and editor of Research Fortnight
- Timothy Peake - Astronaut
- John Akomfrah OBE - Film Director
- Adrian Carter - Architect, Head of the Jørn Utzon Centre in Denmark
- Graham Edmunds - Paralympic Swimmer
- Nick Kennedy - Rugby player
- Josh Dyer - Chief Executive of Portsmouth Football Club
- Kerry Williams - Voiceover artist
Honorary Graduates
Each year the University awards a number of Honorary Degrees. Some notable recipients are:
- Sir Martin Rees, Astrophysicist (Doctor of Science 2011)
- Sandi Toksvig, Broadcaster (Doctor of Letters 2010)
- Alison Goldfrapp, Musician (Doctor of Music 2009)
Courses
Undergraduate
- Accounting and Finance
- American Studies
- Architecture
- Art and Design
- Biology and Biological Sciences
- Business and Management
- Civil Engineering and Surveying
- Computing
- Creative and Design Technologies
- Creative Arts
- Criminology
- Dentistry
- Economics
- Education
- Engineering
- English
- Enterprise
- Environment
- European Studies
- Film Studies
- Geography
- Geoscience
- Health and Social Work
- History
- Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
- Human Resources
- Journalism
- Languages
- Law
- Learning at work
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Media Studies
- Pharmacy and Biomedical Science
- Physics
- Politics and International Relations
- Psychology
- Radiography
- Sociology
- Sports Science
Postgraduate
- Accounting and Finance
- Architecture
- Art, Design and Media
- Biological Sciences
- Business and Management
- Civil Engineering and Surveying
- Computing
- Creative Arts, Film and Media
- Creative Technologies
- Criminal Justice Studies
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Economics
- Education and Continuing Studies
- Electronic and Computer Engineering
- Geography
- Health Sciences and Social Work
- Human Resources
- Languages and Area Studies
- Law
- Leadership
- Learning at Work
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Mechanical and Design Engineering
- Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
- Psychology
- Social, Historical and Literary Studies
- Sport and Exercise Science
Research
The University of Portsmouth is committed to promoting the discovery, development and application of knowledge through high quality research. The University has many internationally recognised researchers and our research benefits society, the environment and the global economy.
Research at Portsmouth is flourishing and this is demonstrated by the strength and variety of the research collaborations the institution is engaged in.
Research at Portsmouth ranges from the purest sciences - investigating the evolution of galaxies - to the most economically and technologically applied ones - computer games design. Through studies of history, literature and society, our researchers develop and communicate new insights on topics ranging from Charles Dickens to the European Union, and from the challenges of ageing to new methods of fraud-prevention.
Research at the University of Portsmouth is world-class – with an average 40 per cent of the research rated internationally excellent or world-leading and 78 per cent rated internationally recognised or above. This was the outcome of the national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
The University has a number of research centres and institutes and many departments have individual webpages outlining the research being undertaken.
Our areas of thematic strength are:
University of Portsmouth Environment Network
Understanding interactions between the environment (natural, managed and built) and human populations is a global priority. Few now doubt the importance of our impact on the global, regional and local environment. The University of Portsmouth Environment network works to promote sustainability through environment-related learning, teaching, research and knowledge transfer activity.
The University of Portsmouth Ageing network works to create a comprehensive and accurate database of ‘Ageing’ activities and expertise; identify areas of synergy and critical mass relevant to the future ‘Ageing’ agenda; develop internationally competitive bids to a broad range of research and knowledge exchange funding bodies and work in partnership with external partners, including the NHS.
To that end the network will provide a University focal point for communication and coordination of a diverse range of activities and on the Royal Haslar project, in particular to identify where there is a need for new taught programmes CPD provision.
Research at Portsmouth ranges from the purest sciences - investigating the evolution of galaxies - to the most economically and technologically applied ones - computer games design. Through studies of history, literature and society, our researchers develop and communicate new insights on topics ranging from Charles Dickens to the European Union, and from the challenges of ageing to new methods of fraud-prevention.
Research at the University of Portsmouth is world-class – with an average 40 per cent of the research rated internationally excellent or world-leading and 78 per cent rated internationally recognised or above. This was the outcome of the national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
The University has a number of research centres and institutes and many departments have individual webpages outlining the research being undertaken.
Our areas of thematic strength are:
Research Themes:
University of Portsmouth Environment Network
Understanding interactions between the environment (natural, managed and built) and human populations is a global priority. Few now doubt the importance of our impact on the global, regional and local environment. The University of Portsmouth Environment network works to promote sustainability through environment-related learning, teaching, research and knowledge transfer activity.University of Portsmouth Ageing Network
The demographic ageing of societies, particularly in Europe and Asia, has become one of the major challenges for the 21st century. By 2020, one quarter of the UK's population will be over 60 years old, with 40% of these over 75. By 2060, it is predicted that 30% of the EU population will be aged 65+ and the number of the ‘oldest old’ - those aged 80+ - is forecast to increase fourfold.The University of Portsmouth Ageing network works to create a comprehensive and accurate database of ‘Ageing’ activities and expertise; identify areas of synergy and critical mass relevant to the future ‘Ageing’ agenda; develop internationally competitive bids to a broad range of research and knowledge exchange funding bodies and work in partnership with external partners, including the NHS.
To that end the network will provide a University focal point for communication and coordination of a diverse range of activities and on the Royal Haslar project, in particular to identify where there is a need for new taught programmes CPD provision.
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