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History, Affiliations and Rankings
The University of Buckingham is the UK's oldest independent university that was created to model “the pattern of great private foundations in the USA.” Established in 1973 as the University College Buckingham, the University began its journey with 65 students. Under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who also laid the University’s foundation stone, the institute was elevated to its status as a University in 1983 by the grant of the Royal Charter. To date, Buckingham retains its unique, independent character, educating a small number of 3,300 students through stimulating, personalized curriculums. The University of Buckingham has formed a variety of cross-cultural and geographically varied collaborations. As a result, the University is constantly interested in hearing from potential collaborators, particularly in the fields of computer science, law, psychology, business, education, and the humanities. The University of Buckingham is also a pioneer of the two-year accelerated degree, where a student can complete the Honors degrees in 2 intensive years of study, rather than three or four years. According to the Complete University Guide 2022, the University of Buckingham ranks #123 out of 130 universities in the UK.
Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses
The University of Buckingham is spread across two campuses - the Buckingham Campus and the Crewe Campus. Buckingham campus is in the center of South-East England, located in a bend of the Great River Ouse between Oxford and Cambridge. The campus is divided into three areas, namely, Hunter Street, Chandos Road, and Verney Park, with the River Ouse winding through the heart of the campus. Teaching and learning here, mostly take place in restored buildings, such as the Franciscan Building, which was formerly a Friary. The Crewe Campus is situated in North England. The Faculty of Medicine and Allied Health is situated here and offers a range of courses including Medicine, Biomedical Science, Podiatry and Postgraduate Medicine. The university is academically divided into 9 Schools that offer Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree programs and research opportunities in distinct specializations. These are - Business, Computing, Education, Law, Humanities and Social Sciences, Psychology, Postgraduate Medicine and Allied Health and a School for Foundation courses. Students can also fast-track their studies with accelerated 2-year degrees.
Accomplishments and Alumni
In the National Student Survey 2020, the University of Buckingham ranked joint 6th for Student Satisfaction, while it ranks top 20 in England for the same parameter in the latest Complete University Guide Rankings 2022. The University is also Top 20 in England for Teaching Quality and Top 3 globally for Postgraduate Research Experience Survey 2019. Further, according to Spiked Magazine, the University was placed in the top 3 Universities for “free speech” and “free thinking.” The London-based think tank Civitas recognized Buckingham for its culture of academic liberty and the protection of freedom of speech. Recently, the University of Buckingham invested nearly GBP 8 million for its new Vinson Building where the Center for Economics & Entrepreneurship exists. There are many famous personalities associated with the University, including Brandon Lewis (Secretary of State for Northern Ireland), Michael Ellis (Paymaster General of the United Kingdom), Liyel Imoke (Former Governor of Cross River State) and others.
Student Diversity and Visiting Companies
Nearly 3,300 students are enrolled at the University of Buckingham, who come from over 70 countries worldwide. 52% of the students constitute the female population on the campus. Out of the total student body, around 1,300 students are enrolled in undergraduate programs, while around 1,200 are enrolled in Postgraduate programs. The University of Buckingham runs a Friends of the University initiative, where people from the local Buckingham community are given space to support the students and get involved in the University’s student life. This can be through various activities such as cooking classes, games nights, animal interaction sessions, English lessons and so on. This is one of the ways international students are allowed to immerse in the traditional way of life. Students are given numerous opportunities to work with professionals in order to obtain practical experience in their field of study. EY, Accenture, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Morgan Stanley, Exxon Mobil etc., are some of the top recruiters at the University of Buckingham.
