Plymouth University

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Plymouth University
University of Plymouth Coat of Arms.png
Motto Indagate Fingite Invenite (Explore, Dream, Discover)
Established 1992 - University status
1862 - School of Navigation[1][2]
Type Public
Endowment £425,000[3]
Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Purcell[4]
Academic staff 1,130[5]
Admin. staff 1,765[5]
Students 32,500[5]
Undergraduates 27,280[5]
Postgraduates 5,220[5]
Location Plymouth, England, UK
Coordinates: 50°22′27″N 4°08′19″W / 50.374121°N 4.138512°W / 50.374121; -4.138512
Campus Urban
Colours Terracotta     
Dark Blue     
Black     [6]
Affiliations Alliance of Non-Aligned Universities, Association of Commonwealth Universities
Website http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/
With Plymouth University.png

Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 32,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students (including the Open University).[7] It has almost 3,000 staff making it one of the largest employers in the south west.[citation needed] The main campus is in the Devon city of Plymouth, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges all over South West England.

Whilst the University has been known as Plymouth University since June 2011 as a result of a rebrand, the formal name and legal title of the University remains University of Plymouth.[8]

Contents

History[edit]

The University was originally a Polytechnic College, with its constituent bodies being Plymouth Polytechnic, Rolle College, the Exeter College of Art and Design (which were, before April 1989, run by Devon County Council) and Seale-Hayne College (which before April 1989 was an independent charity). It was renamed Polytechnic South West in 1989 and remained as this until gaining university status in 1992 along with the other polytechnics. The new university absorbed the Plymouth School of Maritime Studies and Tavistock College.

In 2006 part of the remains of the World War II Portland Square air-raid shelter were rediscovered on the Plymouth campus.[9] On the night of 22 April 1941, during the Blitz, a bomb fell here killing over 70 civilians, including a mother and her six children.[9] The bomb blast was so violent that human remains were found in the tops of trees. Only three people escaped alive, all children.

The University's first Vice Chancellor was Professor John Bull. He was succeeded by Professor Roland Levinsky who was VC until his death on 1 January 2007, when he walked into live electrical cables brought down during a storm.[10] He was temporarily replaced by Professor Mark Cleary (now VC of the University of Bradford),[11] and then by Professor Steve Newstead. Professor Wendy Purcell became VC on 1 December 2007.

The University was selected by the Royal Statistical Society in October 2008 to be the home of its Centre for Statistical Education.[12] It also runs courses in maritime business, marine engineering, marine biology,[13] and Earth, ocean & environmental sciences.

Campus[edit]

When university status was gained in 1992, the university was based in various locations. Under Vice-Chancellor Levinsky the university began a policy of centralising its campus activities in Plymouth.

The Exmouth campus - Rolle College - housed the Faculty of Education and relocated to the new Rolle Building in August 2008. The decision was unpopular with students and the town of Exmouth itself, there were several protest marches and a campaign to keep the campus open.[14] Recently completed developments include Portland Square, a library extension, refurbished and new laboratory and teaching facilities in many of the campus buildings, halls of residence near the Business School and a new £16 million Peninsula Medical School headquarters at Derriford, in the north of the city.[15] A new maritime centre has been constructed behind the Babbage Building to house civil engineering, coastal engineering and marine sciences.

An exception to the trend of centralising activities are the University's extensive activities in education for the health professions. In addition many of its students are taught at Further Education Colleges throughout Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, such as South Devon College. A new building which opened in 2008 is shared between the Peninsula Medical School and the Faculty of Health, Education and Society.

The Roland Levinsky Building

Roland Levinsky building[edit]

The Roland Levinsky Building, designed by architects Henning Larsen with Building Design Partnership, is clad with copper sheets in a seamed-cladding technique, is nine storeys high and has 13,000 square metres (140,000 sq ft) of floor space.[16] The Faculty of Arts, previously based in Exmouth and Exeter moved here in August 2007. The building contains two large lecture theatres (one doubling as a fully equipped proscenium arch theatre); the Jill Craigie Cinema, used by the film students to display their films and for showing of films to the public; three performance rehearsal studios; digital media suites; and a public art gallery which displays work by local artists groups, students and famous artists.

Student accommodation[edit]

University-managed accommodation in the first year of study is guaranteed for all applicants who choose Plymouth University as their first choice institution.[17]

The University provides an approved accommodation database, which is available to all continuing students at the University.

Special accommodation arrangements can be made for students with disabilities or medical conditions.

Organisation and administration[edit]

Plymouth is a modern university that has undergone a great deal of development, including several new buildings.

Coat of arms[edit]

The Arms, Crest, Badge and Supporters forming the University’s Coat of Arms were granted on 10 April 2008, in Grant 173/189, by the College of Arms.[18]

The books represent the University’s focus on learning and scholarship. The scattering of small stars, represent navigation, which has played a key role in the history of the city and the university. The scallop shells in gold, represents pilgrimage, a sign of the importance of the departure of the Pilgrim Fathers from a site near the Mayflower Steps in the Barbican aboard the Mayflower in 1620. A Pelican and a Golden Hind support the shield and reflect both the original and later, better known, name of Sir Francis Drake’s ship. The crest contains the Latin motto, "Indagate Fingite Invenite” which translates as "Explore Dream Discover" and is a quote from Mark Twain, reflecting the university's ambitions for its students and Plymouth's history of great seafarers.

The Letters Patent granting Arms to the University of Plymouth were presented by Eric Dancer, Lord Lieutenant of Devon, in a ceremony at the University on 27 November 2008, in the presence of Henry Paston-Bedingfeld, York Herald of the College of Arms, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Plymouth, Judge William Taylor, the Recorder of Plymouth, and Baroness Judith Wilcox.[19]

The Coat of Arms are rarely seen in use, other than at graduation. The university tends to use the modern globe logo on stationery and signs and is very keen to keep the Coat of Arms exclusive. The use of the arms is therefore restricted to graduations and other formal ceremonies, degree certificates and associated materials and the exclusive use by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.[citation needed]

Academic profile[edit]

The Portland Square Building

Faculty and School structure[edit]

The university revised its academic structure to fully reflect its enterprise vision.[citation needed] Key developments include: the creation of a new Business School; bringing together complementary subjects in a new combined faculty of Science and Technology; and creating the largest Marine Science and Engineering School in Europe.

A wide variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are taught at the main city campus in Plymouth. The University scores well in law, psychology, geographical sciences, computing (including digital media) and computer science, fine art and art history.[20]

Faculty of Arts[edit]

This faculty is host to the School of Architecture, Design and Environment, School of Art & Media and the School of Humanities and Performing Arts. Arts subjects are usually taught in the Roland Levinsky building and the Scott building, a 19th century building located next to Roland Levinsky which was modernized externally in 2008 to keep to the university's current design. The faculty offers degrees in Architecture, English, History, Art History, 3D Design, Music, Photography, Media Arts, Theatre & Performance and Dance Theatre. Advanced research is available across the disciplines in all three Schools, including via the innovative international Planetary Collegium in new media art.

Faculty of Health, Education and Society[edit]

Home to the Schools of Social Science and Social Work, Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery and Education. As well as PGCE programmes, the Faculty offers degrees in Early Childhood Studies and Education Studies, Adult Nursing, Child Health Nursing, Dietetics, Paramedicine and Health and Social Care Studies.

Faculty of Science and Technology[edit]

This faculty is home to the School of Biomedical and Biological Sciences, the School of Computing and Mathematics, the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Studies, the School of Marine Sciences and Engineering, and the School of Psychology.

The University provides professional diving qualifications on a number of its courses, the only university in the country to do so. The University's diving centre is based next to Queen Anne's Battery Marina and has a full-time team of instructors and dedicated boats and equipment.[citation needed]

In October 2005, The Sun newspaper voted the University as having the most bizarre degree course in the country, the BSc (Hons) in Surf Science & Technology. Commonly known as "surfing", this course is actually centred on coastal/ocean sciences, surfing equipment/clothing design and surfing-related business, which has its popularity increased by the geographical location of the University.

Plymouth Business School[edit]

The faculty is home to the Plymouth Law School, the School of Management and the School of Tourism and Hospitality. Plymouth's Business School has most notably been very successful in national rankings by subject. Where subjects like economics reach the top 15, according to The Guardian.


The University has strong links with the cruising industry, offering courses in the Maritime and Cruising sector. The school offers BSc (Hons) in Cruise Management, where students can opt to take a year out to work with P&O or Princess Cruises for a period of two, four month periods.[21]

Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry[edit]

Main article: Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry

Medicine and Dentistry were first established as part of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in 2000, which operated as a partnership between Plymouth University and the University of Exeter.[22] In January 2012 the two founding members of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD) the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, outlined their plans to expand independently and grow the success of the now nationally recognised professional health education provider. These changes come into effect from the start of the 2013 academic year. See Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry for more information.

University of Plymouth Partner Colleges[edit]

The University of Plymouth Partner Colleges (UPPC) network is a partnership between the University and local colleges. There are hundreds of higher education courses available providing opportunities for progression to other qualifications. For example, someone who has spent two years studying for a foundation degree at their local college – and who has successfully passed their exams – can move on to the final year of a full honours degree at the University.

UPC Associates include:

  • Tor Bridge High
  • Highlands College Jersey
  • Strode College
  • Weymouth College

Plymouth University is the main sponsor of Marine Academy Plymouth.[citation needed] It is also the main sponsor of UTC Plymouth which will open September 2013.

Reputation and rankings[edit]

On the basis of the results of the 2008 RAE Plymouth joined the top 50 UK universities, showing the greatest improvement in the UK in research performance since the last RAE, in 2001.[23]

Times Higher Education ranked Plymouth between 300th and 350th in its World University Rankings 2011–12,[24] and ranked it as 60th in a list of the hundred best universities under fifty years old, in a new table published in May 2012.[25]

UK University Rankings
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
Guardian University Guide 49[26] 51 48[27] 35 - 40[28] 73 59[29] 46
Times Good University Guide 63 62=[30] 60 55 57 53 52 53 57 56 56 64 68= 63 64= 62 70= 79=
Sunday Times University Guide 50 62 56 61 63= 61 62 61 60 60 61 60 58 58 58=
The Complete University Guide 63= 53 65[31] 75 70[32] 57
The Daily Telegraph 57[33] 48
FT 64 69 72 74

Notable academics[edit]

See also: Category:Academics of the University of Plymouth

Staff include Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, who have written extensively on electoral systems, voting behaviour, polling results and British politics and have regularly appeared on national television election programmes for both the BBC and ITV. Other notable academics include Dr Roy Lowry[34] who, in August 2006, broke the world record for launching the most rockets at once;[35] Prof Iain Stewart who has hosted BBC documentaries like Journeys into the Ring of Fire and Journeys from the Centre of the Earth; Dr Angela Smith who has published several celebrated works on the subject of gender and 20th Century warfare; choreographer Adam Benjamin, co-founder of Candoco Dance Company; and sociologist John Scott, a leading expert on elites, power, social stratification, and social network analysis.

Notable alumni[edit]

See also: Category:Alumni of the University of Plymouth

Alumni include the world's youngest single-handed cross-Atlantic sailor Seb Clover, BBC wildlife presenter Monty Halls, former CBBC presenter and performer, Jefferson Turner, Baroness Wilcox and Jane Wilson-Howarth, a travel writer.

Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning[edit]

In 2005 the university was awarded four HEFCE funded Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs). In addition, Plymouth is a partner in a fifth successful bid, led by Liverpool Hope University College.[citation needed] The University’s CETLs are:

  • Centre for Excellence in Professional Placement Learning (CEPPL)
  • Experiential Learning in the Environmental and Natural Sciences
  • Higher Education Learning Partnerships CETL
  • Centre for Sustainable Futures (Education for Sustainable Development)
  • Learn Higher

Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research[edit]

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research team (ICCMR), led by Professor Eduardo Reck Miranda, is formed of scholars from different backgrounds and from different departments across the University: School of Computing, Communications and Electronics, Faculty of Education, Music, and the School of Art and Media.

The ICCMR comprises four interconnected research teams. The Evolutionary Music Team is concerned with the problem of musical evolution. Research themes include origins of emotions, ontogenesis, evolution of grammars and generative performance. The Music and the Brain Team is mostly concerned with the problem of representation of musical experience. Research is focusing on active perception, role of timbre in musical expectancies, development of experience-dependent abstractions and brain–computer interfaces. This team overlaps with the Auditory Group at the Centre for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience led by Dr Sue Denham.[citation needed]

The Music Technology Team is concerned with the conversion of basic scientific research into practical music technology. Projects include tools for composition and sound design, music controllers,sound synthesis algorithms and musical robotics. The Musical Practice Team is concerned with musical practices using new technology and contemporary music. Projects include music in the community, music facilitation for disability and sonic arts. The team works in close collaboration with Peninsula Arts.[citation needed]

Students' Union[edit]

Main article: University of Plymouth Student Union

The Plymouth University Students' Union, usually abbreviated "UPSU" is a non-profit making organisation. Each year, students elect the officers who will represent them for the following year. The Union offers a range of services and stages a number of events throughout the year. As well as events, the Union is the base for most of the sports teams and societies at the university.

The Students' Union has a garden that has been set up by the Centre for Sustainable Futures (CSF) which the students can use.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "History of Higher Education in Plymouth". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2012-04-17. 
  2. ^ Alston Kennerley (2001). "Ch. 4 Plymouth School of Navigation". The Making of the University of Plymouth. ISBN 1841020699. 
  3. ^ http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/files/extranet/docs/WEB/Financial%20Statement%202011%20APRIL%202.pdf
  4. ^ "Staff details: Wendy Purcell". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
  5. ^ a b c d e "Plymouth 2010/11" (webpage). Higher Education Statistics Agency. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  6. ^ "Academic dress and gowning". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
  7. ^ "List of universities by number of students 2008/09" (Excel). The Higher Education Statistics Agency. Retrieved 2010-10-28. 
  8. ^ "The new brand With Plymouth University". University of Plymouth. 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 
  9. ^ a b Tony Rees, Gerry Cullum and Steve & Karen Johnson (2007-07-08). "Portland Square Air Raid Shelter at Plymouth". CyberHeritage.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06. 
  10. ^ "Power cable kills university boss". BBC. 2 January 2007. 
  11. ^ "University boss successor named". BBC. 4 January 2007. 
  12. ^ "Plymouth chosen for Prestigious Centre". University of Plymouth. 2008-10-17. Retrieved 2008-10-21. 
  13. ^ "Degree courses in Marine Biology". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
  14. ^ "Teaching college closure agreed". BBC News. 11 November 2005. 
  15. ^ "Medical school plans new headquarters". BBC Devon. 6 January 2002. 
  16. ^ "The Roland Levinsky Building, Plymouth University". Scott Wilson website. Retrieved 2008-04-29. 
  17. ^ http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/accommodation
  18. ^ http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/Newsletter/018.htm
  19. ^ http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=24787
  20. ^ "University of Plymouth - an introduction". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2008-10-21. 
  21. ^ "BSc (Hons) Cruise Management". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
  22. ^ "Peninsula College of Medicine & Dentistry". Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
  23. ^ Research Fortnight website
  24. ^ "Top 400 (301 to 350) - THE World University Rankings 2011-2012". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 2011-12-28. 
  25. ^ "THE 100 Under 50 table". Times Higher Education. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-06. 
  26. ^ "University guide 2011: University league table". The Guardian (London). 8 June 2010. 
  27. ^ "University guide". The Guardian (London). 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2010-07-27. 
  28. ^ "University guide". The Guardian (London). 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2010-04-26. 
  29. ^ "Univ2004~subject~subjects~Institution-wide~Institution-wide~~~3". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2010-04-26. 
  30. ^ Watson, Roland; Elliott, Francis; Foster, Patrick. The Times (London) http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/tol_gug/gooduniversityguide.php |url= missing title (help). Retrieved 2010-04-26. [dead link]
  31. ^ http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=8726
  32. ^ http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=6524
  33. ^ "University league table". The Daily Telegraph (London). 2007-07-30. 
  34. ^ "Staff details: Dr Roy Lowry". Plymouth University. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
  35. ^ "Firework Record goes with a Bang". BBC. 16 August 2006. 

External links[edit]
History
Miscellaneous
Categories
Universities and colleges in South West England
Universities
Further Education colleges
Sixth form colleges
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