Transcript University of Southern Denmark

Uxbridge, West London, England (UK)
• Brunel is one of a number of British universities created in the
1960s following the Robbins Report on higher education. 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, a famous
British civil engineer from the Industrial Revolution) was dedicated
to the education of chartered (licensed) engineers.
• 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, Hillingdon was
chosen to house the new buildings, and work hadn’t even started
before the Ministry of Education officially changed the College’s
status: it was officially named Brunel College of Advanced
Technology in 1962 – the 10th 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 from the local council. The Royal
Charter granting university status was awarded on 9 June 1966. The University continued to use
both campuses until 1971 when it finally left the Acton site.
• In 1980 the University merged with Shoreditch College of Education, located at Cooper’s Hill,
Runnymede. This 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. This increased the number of courses that Brunel University was able to offer.
Traditionally the university's strengths were in engineering, science, technology and social
sciences, but with the addition of the West London Institute, new 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.
• In recent years Brunel has been the subject of controversy as its approach to higher education
has been both market-driven and politically conservative. In 2004, the then Vice-Chancellor
Steven Schwartz initiated the reorganization of the university's faculties and departments into
schools, and closed the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences. The present ViceChancellor, the sociologist Christopher Jenks, took office in 2006. In June of 2011, Brunel
University licensed Creative barcode, an automated idea sharing platform which protects
ownership of early stage ideas.
• Advanced Manufacturing & Enterprise
Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Design
• Electronic & Computer Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
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The Advanced Manufacturing & Enterprise
Engineering (AMEE) at Brunel is one of the first
integrated innovative engineering disciplines in the
United Kingdom. With four MSc programs and
world class research in advanced manufacturing
technology, enterprise engineering and engineering
management, this is truly a place where cutting
edge research brings the frontiers of science and
technology to postgraduate and undergraduate
students.
The high standard of their research feeds directly
into curriculum design and their teaching, ensuring
that graduates are equipped with the most up-todate techniques, methods and knowledge bases.
Their teaching has an excellent reputation and is
orientated to the expressed needs of modern
enterprises and the industry. Furthermore, their
investment in laboratory facilities and staff ensures
that they can provide an excellent experience in a
friendly and supportive environment.
With around 150 postgraduate students from all
around the World and substantial research income
from the EU, research councils and industry, they are
a major player in the field of advanced
manufacturing and enterprise engineering.
Civil Engineering at Brunel University brings together the
traditional and cutting edge aspects of the subject to supply
graduates needed in the 21st Century. Their aim is to extend
the boundaries of knowledge and produce graduates with
experience, skills and the ability to innovate, who can provide
the next generation of essential facilities such as sustainable
building construction, roads, bridges, tunnels, flood protection,
waste recycling and construction management. A core part of
their ethos is sustainability, paralleling the ‘cradle-to-grave’
approach promoted by major national and international
Engineering organizations.
Their technical facility, the Joseph Bazalgette Laboratories,
has recently seen considerable investment in new equipment.
This gives students and researchers the opportunity to use the
latest technology to develop innovative materials, test
construction and natural engineering materials under
controlled conditions. Innovative structural design and medium
and large scale structure tests are possible. There are also
opportunities to develop expertise in the ‘real’ world, for
example through site investigation and design.
“Civil Engineering is a relatively new subject area at
Brunel University, having started in 2007 with a
MEng/BEng in Civil Engineering with Sustainability…..With
the existing degree continuing to gain professional
accreditation, combined with very successful graduate
employment statistics, and that Brunel University is named
after a very successful Victorian civil engineer, we are
shortly to introduce a new MEng/BEng degree in Civil
Engineering and an MSc in Water Engineering.“
Professor John W Bull, Head of Civil Engineering
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Good design is the combination of commercial awareness
and creative and inspirational thought validated by sound
technological reasoning, defined through the design
process. The design programs at Brunel produce
communicators who are at ease working with members of
engineering, design and marketing teams while
appreciating their individual needs, and capable of
contributing to the total design process. Design at Brunel
University has evolved to meet the needs of industry
worldwide, by teaching highly motivated students, through
in-depth professional studies, to become imaginative yet
practical professional designers.
Brunel’s Design degrees are some of the most renowned
and respected in Europe and their students and graduates
have won many national and international design awards.
All their Honors and Master’s programs build on a broad
base of knowledge, skills and industrial experience. They
view the realization of every aspect of a concept as vital
to successful design.
-To enable this, they have an extensive cross-disciplinary
lecturing team, including mechanical and electrical
engineers, computer and materials scientists,
mathematicians, psychologists, and practicing designers
and graphic artists. It is this cross-disciplinary nature that
gives their students the knowledge and expertise they
require, and distinguishes them from virtually every other
Design and Engineering department in the UK.
- All their lecturing staff are research or professionally
active – sometimes both – which ensures that the content
of their programs is constantly up-to-date and evolving
with the commercial worlds of both design and
engineering.
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Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Brunel is one of the largest disciplines in the University with
almost 50 full-time academic staff and extensive teaching and research portfolios. The subject area
boasts an undergraduate population of 600 and a postgraduate population of over 300 students.
Despite their size, they take a relaxed and friendly attitude with both students and staff and show a
genuine interest in the success of their students and graduates. Their recent NSS (National Student
Satisfaction) survey results have been showing a consistent success in the last 4 years, hence reflecting the
positive learning experience of their students and the high level of student satisfaction with their academic
provision. Their IET accredited teaching provision and research programs are aimed at developing the
expertise, knowledge and skills necessary to match the rapid growth in the need for well qualified
scientists and engineers across the full breadth of Electronic, Computer and Multimedia engineering.
Research activities in ECE cover a wide range of topics which have direct compliance with the industry
vision and requirements and are carried out in five research centers formed around two broad thematic
areas namely Telecommunications and Systems. The department has an extensive research portfolio of
ongoing research grants and contracts and is a major part of a General Engineering submission that was
ranked 5th in UK in the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2008).
This is in addition to a large set of comprehensive high-quality teaching and learning resources coupled
with strong research links with industry and an excellent record of employment amongst their graduates.
Electronic and Computer Engineering at Brunel also benefits from geographical proximity to most of the
country’s information engineering and telecommunications industry.
Mechanical Engineering, one of the largest subject groups in the University, is part of the School of
Engineering and Design. Through high quality teaching, research opportunities, co-ops, proper and
careful advising, and numerous professional activities, their ME students have the opportunity to excel in
the classroom, laboratory, and the field. In a personable atmosphere, the students become well
prepared, ready, and confident to begin their professional careers. The laboratory facilities are
extensive, modern and well-equipped, and there are, in addition, excellent university support services
through the Computer Centre and Library.
By building expertise in solid mechanics, materials processes, smart materials, manufacturing automation,
concurrent engineering/design, sustainable design, or thermo fluid/energy sciences, students become
better prepared to join the Mechanical Engineering/Manufacturing community in UK and beyond.
The research interests reflect the breadth of interest and experience amongst the academic staff. These
activities nourish the undergraduate teaching and tutorial work.
In the late 1990s Brunel devised a 10-year, $400 million master
plan for the campus. This involved selling off campus sites in
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 center, and the
construction of more halls of residence.
Since the original master plan, the University has spent a further
$80 million on campus renovation and work is currently underway
on the building of a new 'Eastern Gateway' building, which will
house a 400 seat lecture theatre, main reception, the Brunel
Business School and the Beldam art gallery. The Brunel campus
(especially those buildings in the 1960s “Brutalist” architectural
style) has appeared in several films, most famously in Stanley
Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange,” large parts of which were
filmed on campus, along with being featured in a number of UK
television series including Spooks, Silent Witness, and Inspector
Morse.
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The big plus of living in a campus-based university is that
the majority of your needs are catered for on-site,
including the Library and Computer Center, academic
and teaching buildings, welfare services, catering and
social facilities and even the halls of residence, if you are
living in University accommodation.
You can organize most of your day-to-day needs without
leaving the campus. There is a bank, a pharmacy, and a
general shop where you can buy groceries, newspapers,
stationery and even top up your phone card. The
Computer Centre sells a range of IT-related products
such as printers, network cables, memory sticks and disks,
and the Students’ Union hosts a weekly fruit and veg
market and Fairtrade stalls.
One of Brunel’s best kept secrets is its proximity to the
Grand Union Canal and to part of the Colne Valley
Park, consisting of miles of woods, walkways, lakes, rivers
and nature reserves, and only a 15 minute walk away.
Brunel boasts the kind of welcoming atmosphere that so
many other universities lack. The campus environment has
a relaxed atmosphere, and helps create a strong student
community that flourishes as a result of living, studying
and socializing in one location.
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Uxbridge, home of Brunel University, is a large suburban town in
northwest of London, England, and is the administrative
headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is located
15 miles west-northwest of Charing Cross is one of the major
metropolitan centers identified in the London Plan. It historically
formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of
Middlesex and has long been a significant local commercial
center. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th
century it expanded and increased in population, becoming a
municipal borough in 1955 and has formed part of Greater
London since 1965. Uxbridge is a significant retail and
commercial center is near to the boundary with Buckinghamshire,
which is locally the River Colne.
Several historical events have taken place in and around the
town, including attempted negotiations between King Charles I
and the Parliamentary Army. The location of these events, a
public house, still stands and is named The Crown and Treaty in
recognition of the event. Uxbridge also houses the Battle of
Britain Bunker, from where the air defense of the south-east of
England was coordinated during the Battle of Britain. Situated in
RAF Uxbridge, the No. 11 Group Operations Room within the
bunker took on a crucial rule during the battle and was later
used during the D-Day landings.
Uxbridge is split into north and south sectors by the local
authority and for census purposes. An approximate population
figure for Uxbridge North was 12,357 in 2008, with 12,967 in
Uxbridge South.
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Britain is an island country and the surrounding sea gives England a varied climate. One never knows what
the weather will be like from one day to the next. It can be sunny one day and rainy the next. As it has such
a variable climate changing from day to day, it is difficult to predict the weather. In general there are warm
summers and cool winters. The summers are cooler than those on the continent, but the winters are milder.
The overall climate in England is called temperate maritime. This means that it is mild with temperatures not
much lower than 32ºF in winter and not much higher than 90ºF in summer. It also means that it is damp and is
subject to frequent changes.
July and August are normally the warmest months in England. Around the coasts, February is normally the
coldest month, but inland there is little to choose between January and February as the coldest month.
Probably the best months to travel in England are May, June, September and October. These months
generally have the most pleasant temperatures and less rain. July and August are the warmest months, but
they are also the wettest. The sunniest parts of the Britain are along the south coast of England.
Rain is fairly well distributed throughout the year, with late winter/spring (February to March) the driest
period and autumn/winter (October to January) the wettest.
The main influence on the climate is the close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the northern latitude, and the
warming of the waters around the land by the Gulf Stream (a warm current of the northern Atlantic Ocean).
The “island” is small compared with the other land masses in the northern hemisphere – hence Britain is more
influenced by the ocean compared with other European countries, and the Gulf Stream helps to keep winters
milder compared with other landlocked nations with a similar latitude.
Find out more about the length of daylight through the year
IT and Computing
The Computer Center is in charge of computer and technology services on campus. There are lots of
computer rooms around campus, some giving you access 24 hours a day if you need to get online or type
up an essay in the early hours of the morning. You also have access to printing facilities from these PCs,
both color and black and white - remember your access control card to pick up your printing from the
machines. In addition there is the Computer Centre IT Store which allows you to buy printers and
cartridges and various storage devices from USB drives to CD and DVDs.
Laboratories
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. Depending on the degree course followed, some undergraduate students may undertake
practical placements and projects as an integral part of their courses.
Library
Brunel Library, which is situated in the Bannerman Centre, provides access to over 400,000 books as well as
thousands of online journals, so you'll find everything you need to research your work. There are also music
scores available for the music students (as well as anyone else who's interested), and CDs/ Videos to aid you in
your course or just for your leisure. In addition to the books, there are also over 200 PCs in the library and silent
study areas. There is also a dedicated computer room for those with disabilities. Library access is available 7
days a week for much of the year and opening hours are extended to 24 hours a day during exam time.
The library is also the place to go for other services such as photocopying and printing (both A3 and A4 and
color and black and white options are available). These services are paid for through a card you can purchase.
Alternatively, you can just use your university card, which contains your credit for printing and photocopying.
These can be topped up on the ground floor of the library at the machines opposite the reception desks.
Student Housing
Brunel’s $400 million campus redevelopment program, completed in 2008, saw the refurbishment of existing
halls and the construction of the new Isambard Complex. There are now 34 self-catering halls of residence oncampus, 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 residence halls around the main Uxbridge campus are named after bridges that Isambard Kingdom
Brunel, the famous civil engineer after whom the university was named, either built or helped to design; other
halls are named either directly after him, or after other notable engineers or scientists. There are also three
accommodation complexes; the Bishop Complex, the Lancaster Complex, and the Isambard Complex.
Food and Catering
All halls are self-catering, with spacious, well-equipped kitchens. There are also many food outlets across
campus. The main campus dining hall, the Moore Foodhall, is open throughout the day and serves a wide range
of staples including Indian, Thai, and Chinese, as well as standard Continental and British dishes. There are also
plenty of vegetarian options. Voucher packages for meals are available.
Student Union
Every student at Brunel is a part of the Union of Brunel Students (UBS), an organization run by students for
students. The union supports clubs and societies, runs a nightclub, as well as a national radio station and a
newspaper.
Brunel International
Brunel is proud to be home to over 2,500 international students from over 110 different countries that help to
create a diverse and cosmopolitan university. Brunel International, a dedicated international student center
within the university, offers a range of services to help international students, from initial inquiry, during an
exchange, or through graduation. The proximity to London, one of the world’s most multicultural cities, is
complimented by a friendly campus environment with guaranteed housing accommodation for your first year on
campus. In addition, London’s main international airport, Heathrow, is only 15 minutes away by car.
Advice and Representation Center (ARC)
The ARC helps Brunel students to find answers to questions and/or problems. They give free advice and guidance on a
range of issues including money and debt, housing and academic issues. The ARC is a free, confidential service for all
Brunel University students. You can drop in or make an appointment, or get advice by phone and email.
Counseling Service
The Counseling Service, located opposite the Medical Center, is available to both students and staff at Brunel
University. Counselors are available to speak with you about anything, big or small, whether personal, academic or
work-related. If you need to see a counselor urgently, you can come without making an appointment to their drop-in
service every weekday at 2pm. Drop-in sessions cannot be pre-booked and you will be seen on a first come, first seen
basis.
Disability and Dyslexia Center
The aim of the Disability and Dyslexia Service at Brunel is to give expert advice and support to all disabled students
so that they can fulfill their potential to become confident, talented and versatile graduates. The center is located in
Room 315, Bannerman Centre. The hours are Monday - Friday 9am to 4.30pm, with drop-ins Wednesday 1-4pm.
Medical Center
The Medical Center on campus offers a large variety of services to students and members of the public. The Medical
Center is located on the main campus, adjacent to Saltash Hall of Residence. There is pedestrian and wheelchair
access from the front of the building. Car parking is for outside visitors only. The center is open between 8:30 am and
6:30 pm, Monday to Friday, all year round except bank holidays.
University Chaplaincy
Brunel’s students come from a wide variety of religious and non-religious backgrounds and the university celebrates the
richness that this diversity brings to its community. The Meeting House is home to Brunel University Chaplaincy, which is
both a place and a team of people. They offer opportunities for students and staff to unwind and to explore faith and
spirituality.
To and From Institution
“London is just a tube ride away.” The University is just a 20minute walk – or a short bus ride – from Uxbridge underground
station, so it is a straightforward journey into the center of the
capital (London). There is also a night bus that can bring you
from central London to the edge of the campus. The town of
Uxbridge itself, which still has buildings dating back to its time
as a Georgian market town, is a thriving commercial and
business center. Its major shopping complexes, The Pavilions and
the Chimes Centre, boast a wide range of shops, cafes and a
nine-screen multiplex cinema. The first link below is a
downloadable map of the campus with specific directions on
how to get to the main campus by various means of
transportation. The second link is to an interactive map of
Brunel University and the greater London area. The final link is
to map of the bus routes that link with the campus
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/287/where_pdfs/campusmap.pdf
http://brunel.pindar.com/
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/bruneluni
versity-10304.pdf
There is very easy access to central
London. If you want to experience one of
the greatest cities in the world, but are
daunted by the high cost and bustle of
living there, then attending Brunel offers
an ideal compromise. Not only is London
the heart of the UK financial, commercial
and creative sectors, but many
international companies (Apple UK, Coca
Cola, and Xerox for example) are based
in and around Uxbridge. Traveling to and
from London is very straightforward as the
town is at the end of the Metropolitan and
Piccadilly lines on the London
Underground, and over ground trains form
West Dayton (a short bus ride from
campus) can take you to Paddington in just
20 minutes. Once in London there is access
to major rail lines and airports that can
take you almost anywhere you would like
to visit in Europe.
When is the best time to go? (semester vs. year-long vs. summer)
Brunel’s course structure is based on three periods of study per year. There are two
teaching terms of 12 weeks each – the first runs from September to December, and the
second runs from January to Easter. There is then a third, shorter term for revision,
examination and assessment. ISU student’s planning to study abroad there will find it
preferable to either plan to study for the full academic year (September through May) or
to take advantage of ISU’s Engineering Summer Program at Brunel. Additional information
on these programs is available at the links below.
http://isuabroad.iastate.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=043B
7B7C01067073770519027176021C7C0075081A7D750001060703007D70030F0407730
4&Type=E&sType=
http://isuabroad.iastate.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=192
Format of courses (credits/modules, grading, lectures/labs)
All Brunel’s courses have been designed so that they are made up of study and assessment
blocks (modules) worth 10 to 30 credits each. Levels 3 and 4 may include a major project,
worth up to 40 credits. Students normally build these modules up, usually gaining at least
120 credits per year, until they complete at least 360 credits to achieve a degree. Most
individual courses that would be taken by ISU students would be weighted at either 10 or
20 module credits, which would transfer to ISU as either 3 or 5 semester credits
respectively.
The web site at the first link below has a
summary of courses that have previously been
transferred to ISU by engineering students. The
second link below is to a Brunel web site that
can be used to search for additional course
options.
http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/studyabroa
d/sample-page/pre-approved-previouslytransferred-classes/england/brunel-university/
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/course-finder