PA 09/10
They come from more than three-quarters of the world’s nations — and have helped to make The University of Nottingham one of higher education’s biggest international success stories.
Students from more than 150 nations have chosen Nottingham in the 2009/10 academic year, boosting international numbers to over 8,000 for the first time in the institution’s history.
With another 8,000 studying at The University of Nottingham’s sites in Malaysia and China, the University has underlined its status as a truly global player in higher education and is now the largest recruiter of overseas students to a British university campus.
Nottingham has been welcoming international students for much of its history. It was the first UK university to set up a full campus overseas, in Malaysia, and the first overseas university in the world to establish a teaching and research university inside China.
Studying at a thriving international university offers huge benefits to students, giving them the opportunity to meet and work with others from around the globe, enhancing their educational experience and ensuring they’re better equipped for an increasingly global world of work.
With exciting exchange opportunities in Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and East Asia increasing numbers of students based at Nottingham UK are taking advantage of the opportunity to study abroad as part of their Nottingham degree. As well as traditional exchange opportunities at prestigious universities all over the world, Nottingham students are also undertaking work placements overseas in organisations such as PriceWaterhouseCoopers and are involved in supporting development activities in schools in Africa.
The goal at Nottingham is for 25 per cent of all undergraduate students to undertake some form of exchange, to immerse themselves in a foreign culture while continuing with their degree studies.
The University’s cosmopolitan student body is also reflected in its staff, with hundreds of academics bringing an international perspective to teaching, learning and research.
The City of Nottingham enjoys significant cultural and economic benefits due to the University’s international outlook. The voluntary work of overseas students in city schools, major events such as Chinese New Year at Lakeside and extensive commercial links encouraged between Nottingham and other cities around the world all stem from the University’s vibrant international community.
Professor Chris Ennew, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Internationalisation, said: “Internationalisation is a key element of the University’s strategy for the 21st century, and reaching this figure is a significant milestone for the institution as a whole. The University’s success in attracting talented international students is evidence of its reputation as one of the World’s Top 100 institutions.”
Vincenzo Raimo, Director of the International Office, added: “Nottingham has a huge amount to offer to overseas students and we are delighted with the contribution they make, in return, towards making us one of the most ‘international’ universities in the UK. The opportunity to study and mix with students from so many different countries adds greatly to the educational and social experience, and helps to prepare them for today’s global employment market.”
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Notes to editors:
The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 100 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to RAE 2008, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranks the University 7th in the UK by research power. In 27 subject areas, the University features in the UK Top Ten, with 14 of those in the Top Five.
The University provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's “only truly global university”, it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy), and was named ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008.
Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. The University of Nottingham is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City.