University of Bath

Founded in 1966 the University of Bath is located in the south west of England, in what is commonly regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the UK. Famed for its Georgian architecture and acres of green space, Bath was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and is home to an abundance of historic sites, theatres and museums, including the Jane Austen museum, which celebrates the life of the author in her hometown. Austen may have been before the university’s time but the institution boasts notable alumni spanning a wide range of disciplines, including founder of the Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Professor Douglas G Altman, television producer Ash Atalla and rugby player Steve Borthwick. The university is organised across four faculties: engineering and design, humanities and social science, management and science. It has gained particular recognition for its research facilities and in 2014 the Research Excellence Framework graded 87% of Bath’s research activities as being ‘world leading/internationally excellent’. In 2012, the university began a three year campus improvement project to improve and expand teaching space, student accommodation, including a new £10million arts centre.  Sports are central to the Bath experience: the university has among the best sports facilities in the UK. In the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Bath hosted a range of international teams and lays claim to several Olympic medal-winners who trained at the university. More than 15,000 students are enrolled at Bath, with more than a quarter of them coming from outside the UK and representing 100 nationalities. Employment rates for graduates are higher than average, something the university attributes to the work placements offered with every degree course and its emphasis on practical, ‘real life’ skills that employers value. Bath boasts active partnerships with a wide range of commercial organisations, including Rolls Royce, L'Oréal, The World Bank, Nike, Airbus and Ford.