News
Applicants flock to Essex
Essex looks set for another record year, with
undergraduate applications up by 18.5 per cent on last year.
Following the University's climb in to the top ten of the research and
teaching quality league tables, the University has enjoyed a leap in
popularity with UK students.
Hot on the heels of an 18.5 per cent rise in UK undergraduate
admissions in October, latest figures show UK and EU applications up by
13.7 per cent. Overseas applications have increased by 25 per cent.
The University has seen a total increase in applicants from 7731 in
January 2002 to 9163 in 2003.
Economics has seen the biggest boom, with a doubling in the number of
applicants, probably due to its 5-star research rating and 24 out of 24
teaching quality score.
The new single honours degree in Drama is proving extremely popular, as
are degrees in Biomedical Sciences and the new undergraduate schemes in
the Department of Health and Human Sciences.
Other significant rises include Psychology, Acting, Literature,
Philosophy, Sociology, Sports Science, Law and Accounting, Finance and
Management.
New degrees in US and Latin American Studies, and Latin American
Studies and Human Rights have also produced a significant rise in interest
in this area.
Essex's rise in applications is way ahead of the national picture,
where overall applications remain static.
Head of Undergraduate Admissions Mike Nicholson said: 'These are
encouraging figures which reflect Essex's growing academic reputation, and
the work of departments to introduce innovative new degree programmes. The
challenge now is to demonstrate to these applicants why they should make
Essex their first choice.'
Business competition success
Two teams of final-year students from the Department of
Accounting, Finance and Management (AFM) have reached the semi-finals of a
national business competition.
Members of both AFM teams are pictured with the Head of
Department Prem Sikka, and staff from the AFM Department. Team members
from the 'Freewheelin' team are Paras Mehta, Wei Lau, Alan Rattenbury,
Samuel Mansell, and Huang Liang, and from the 'Five Star' team Ying Xing
and Yau Li.
The competition requires students to take a number of decisions for a
company they are running. The Universities' Business Challenge is
sponsored by IBM. The semi-finals take place later this month at
Farnborough Aerospace Centro where the teams from AFM will be competing
against teams from Cambridge University, Imperial College and Birmingham
University.
Sports personality awards
Members of the University community this year featured in
the Colchester and District Sports Personality Awards.
Almost 200 people from across the region attended the awards ceremony
which honours sportsmen and women from the town who have achieved notable
success during the last year. One of the University winners at the event
was sports bursary student Jamie Munnion who won a Certificate of
Commendation in the Male Sports Personality category. The award was given
for his achievements in fullbore target rifle shooting which included
being selected for the Great Britain under 25 team who won against Canada
as well as the under 25 team which will represent Great Britain at the
2003 World Championships.
In the Team Award category the University of Essex Ladies Hockey 1st XI
also won a Certificate of Commendation for a variety of achievements. In
2003 they were the runners up in Essex Division Four thus securing a
second successive promotion, they were placed fourth in the BUSA Inter
Universities Tournament and were awarded Team of Year at the University's
own award ceremony.
Also in the printed February edition of Wyvern:
- Helping professionals to provide disaster support in Russia
- Student Volunteering Week: 17-23 February
- Report to improve service for refugee children
