History, Affiliations, and Rankings
The University of Southampton originated as the Hartley Institution which was founded in 1862 in Southhampton, UK. In 1902, Hartley College became a University College, a degree-awarding branch of the University of London. After that, in April 1952, Queen Elizabeth granted the University of Southampton a Royal Charter. It is among the Top 15 UK universities and falls in the Top 100 in the world. Also, the University of Southampton is one of the founding members of the prestigious Russell Group, which is a group of 24 research-intensive universities in the UK. As one of the pioneering UK universities, Southampton is affiliated with several national and international academic bodies including, the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the European University Association (EUA) and the World University Network (WUN). As such, at the University of Southampton, students get access to better funding, resources and can benefit from the University’s global business alliances. It ranks #77 according to the QS World University Rankings, and #124 by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Furthermore, the Complete University Guide and the Guardian University League Table have ranked the university at #15 and #17, respectively.
Infrastructure, Campuses, and Courses
The University of Southampton has five closely connected campuses in the city of Southampton. In addition, the University also has a campus in Winchester and in Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia. The oldest and the largest campus at Highfield is a mix of historic buildings surrounded by gardens and equipped with modern study spaces. All of the 7 campuses of the University are modern infrastructures located in the midst of natural landscapes and equipped with the latest facilities, including contemporary study spaces, libraries, cafes, and restaurants. Some campuses also have gyms and sports facilities. The University offers 500+ world-class courses across 65 subject areas that are taught by leading Academics, at the Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctoral levels. Southampton also has a reputation for supporting cultural diversity by having an active international admissions program. The University has the best Music Department in the UK and also, falls in the top 5 in Oceanography, Geology and Environmental Sciences, Health Science, History, Modern Language, and Social Policy.
Accomplishments and Alumni
The University of Southampton is a top 100 world university with a powerful global impact through its quality education, research, innovation and teaching practices. Southampton’s research is at the forefront of addressing treatments for Cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Further, by commercializing its research, it is also one of the leading entrepreneurial universities in the UK with 12+ companies according to its name since 2000. The University of Southampton is also one of the largest employers in the city with approximately 6000 staff members. Also, the Science Park on the University’s campus is a major employment hub with 100+ companies that add to employment opportunities in the region. Over the years, the University of Southampton has had multiple notable alumni, who have gone on to become leaders and celebrities in their respective fields. Some of them include - Howard Taylor (Vice President and Managing Director of the Nike Foundation), Adrian Newey (Technical Director for the Red Bull Racing Formula One Team), Jonathan Sopel (British Journalist, Television Presenter and Correspondent for BBC News), John Nettles (British Actor and Author) and Sir George Buckley (Former Chairman, President, and Chief Executive of multinational conglomerate 3M).
Student Diversity and Visiting Companies
The University of Southampton has a community of over 6,500 international students from over 135 different countries, offering worldwide study and research opportunities. To foster diversity on the campus, students can become a member of over 300 clubs and societies. Also, the students can socialize and make connections with more than 40 International societies on the campus and 2500+ volunteering opportunities for immersion with the local community. In terms of employability, the University of Southampton works with more than 300 global businesses, including industry leaders such as Rolls-Royce, Microsoft, IBM and Phillips. Some of the companies that regularly recruit graduates from the University of Southampton are - Atkins, Airbus UK, CERN, Exxonmobil, Ford Motor Company, Hewlett-Packard and Landrover among others.
