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Business courses Read why London is the world’s business and financial capital
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Arts courses Find out how London’s creative arts schools inspire and showcase talent
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insight Issue eleven
Science courses Discover how London is pushing the boundaries of science and technology
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Health courses Explore why London is the global centre for health and public policy
The latest news and courses from London’s universities www.studylondon.ac.uk
Study in London Experience the world in one city
“I have always wanted to come to London so coming on a Study Abroad programme was a perfect opportunity to see the city.”
Study Abroad Read why so many American students choose to study in London
WELCOME
To subscribe for free, visit www.studylondon.ac.uk
London is the home of technological innovation. Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the Internet, was born here and some of the most successful dot-com initiatives have stemmed from this great capital city. It is my aspiration that London becomes a Wi-Fi city, most certainly in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Think of a London where every lamppost and every bus stop is Wi-Fi enabled, where visitors and Londoners alike can check their email on the move, find out how to get from where they are to where they want to go. Along with this move to improve the communications infrastructure, we also want to make sure that we are supporting initiatives that drive digital engagement and the evolution of new technologies in our push to make London the most digitally enabled city in the world. In this edition of insight you can read about the next generation of technological pioneers studying in London, and find out about some of the wonderful courses that our institutions have to offer in this domain. Earlier this year we launched the London Datastore which hosts a fascinating amount of data in relation to London, its population, environment and performance. The significant thing about the release of data is what added value the market can bring once the state takes the simple step of data release. Another technological marvel is our new iPhone application. I have recently launched the city’s Cycle Hire scheme and the iapp will allow you to locate your nearest cycle docking station and provide information on how many bikes are available to hire. We hope to shortly release real time data which will allow this application to be improved further. Seeing London by bicycle really is the best way to navigate around the city when you arrive to study here. Make sure you cycle over to London’s theatre land. Last year, theatres in London broke all box office records with 14 million people attending a show. This edition of insight provides information about all of the drama courses on offer at London’s universities and conservatoires. These institutions have produced some of the world’s best actors and actresses including Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Judi Dench. In this edition of insight you can also read more about London’s amazing variety of courses or you can go to Study London’s website, www.studylondon.ac.uk, and find the best university for you. Come and study in the world’s most connected, creative and diverse city.
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London August 2010
Issue 11
CONTENTS news 02 Read about the latest courses, research and student successes from London’s universities
STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON 07 We talk to American students about their Study Abroad experiences in London
business & finance 10 ECONOMIC SENSE Economists enjoy a wide choice of careers 11 Business planning • International MBA • Catering entrepreneur • Clean technology
creative ARTS 12 ACTING ACADEMY Studying drama and acting in London, the home of theatre 13 Singer success • BBC work placement • Screenwriting awards • Music winner
science & TECHNOLOGY 14 INFORMATION CITY London is a leader in information technology 15 Space design • World’s strongest insect • Solar entrepreneur • Electric travel
health & public policy 16 CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES London has three Confucius Institutes, each with a unique focus 17 Intelligent cancer imaging • Nursing achievement • Malaria prevention • Student doctors
regular features 18 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Discover London’s diverse festivals and celebrations 20 London’s hidden gems Natural History Museum Home to the world’s greatest collection of natural sciences, from botany to zoology
insight is produced by London Higher four times a year. The editorial content of insight is produced by the Study London team. London Higher, Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU. Company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales No. 05731255. Registered Charity No.1114873. For editorial enquiries please email press@studylondon.ac.uk For advertising enquiries please email advertising@studylondon.ac.uk. insight is printed on 100% recycled paper. Credits: Some facts have been supplied by Visit London and HESA data. With thanks to student journalists Jonathan Garrett and Estella Shardlow from City University London and also James O’Reilly from University of the Arts London. Cover image: Britainonview/Eric Nathan. insight is designed and printed by Fatpipe Limited www.fatpipe.co.uk The views in insight are not necessarily those of London Higher. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in insight, London Higher does not accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors or the advertisers. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved.
NEWS
in the news the LATEST NEWS FROM LONDON’s UNIVERSITIES
Climbing Mount Everest
THE School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Al Fateh University in Libya, recently signed a collaborative agreement to deliver SOAS’s MSc in Finance in Tripoli. This course is designed for economists and financiers who are interested in exploring the relationship between national and international financial policies and their impact on economic development.
FORMER Royal Holloway, University of London student Bonita Norris has become Britain’s youngest woman to climb Mount Everest. She reached the summit of the world’s tallest mountain at the age of 22. The climb took the media arts graduate six weeks in extreme conditions and bad weather. Bonita raised a total of £40,000 in sponsorship from companies and the University’s Annual Fund to secure her place on the expedition. In addition to her rigorous training schedule, she also raised a further £50,000 for her chosen charity, Global Angels, which helps children in some of the most poverty-stricken areas of the world. Mount Everest’s Nepalese name is Sagarmatha - ‘goddess of the sky’.
Did you know?
SOAS has students from more than
130 countries (Source: SOAS)
2 www.studylondon.ac.uk
Source: Royal Holloway, University of London
Libya agreement
Bonita Norris
NEWS
Nursing celebration
Singing success
Source: Brian Russell
ALUMNI from King’s College London including Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu (pictured) addressed a congregation of 2,000 nurses and students to celebrate the life and work of Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale opened the
Nightingale Training School at King’s in 1860 at St Thomas’ Hospital. In his address, Archbishop Tutu spoke of how Florence Nightingale pioneered the training of nurses. Archbishop Tutu completed both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at King’s in the 1960s.
GUILDHALL School of Music and Drama alumni have won the first and second prizes at the Kathleen Ferrier Awards. Njabulo Madlala, who studied opera, music and vocals at the School, was awarded £10,000 for winning the first prize at Wigmore Hall, a renowned music venue. Second prize was awarded to Sarah Power, a soprano who also studied opera at the School. The Kathleen Ferrier Award is widely recognised as the UK’s most prestigious classical singing prize, giving the winner international recognition as well as a generous cash award. Did you know?
Wigmore Hall hosts over
400
music events each year, from classical to chamber to jazz (Source: Wigmore Hall)
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk 3
NEWS
Psychologist prize
LAURA Lee, a Physical Education student at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, has been selected as a Nike Select ambassador to encourage the participation of women in sport. The global sportswear company searched universities across the UK to identify ambitious, confident and inspirational women to promote sport to other women at their own universities. Laura will now encourage female students to join training clubs and events on her campus with the support of the Nike team.
A RESEARCHER from University College London has won £5,000 in the British Academy’s 2010 Wiley Prize for Psychology for her outstanding contribution to the subject. Dr Essi Viding (pictured) specialises in the causes of antisocial behaviour in young people. Her work brings together genetics, social development and cognitive neuroscience, and her research is often used to inform government policy. The researcher thanked her mentors at UCL for supporting her throughout her career.
Did you know?
The Olympic Stadium will have
80,000 seats during the London 2012 Games (Source: LOCOG)
4 www.studylondon.ac.uk
Source: Essi Viding
Nike student
Autism research A BIRBECK, University of London researcher has been named joint winner of this year’s Neville Butler Prize. Dr Mayada Elsabbagh attended the House of Commons to receive the award for her autism research. Dr Elsabbagh’s work investigates
genetic disorders and the ways in which genes, the brain and the environment interact with each other. The Neville Butler Memorial Prize is awarded to promising researchers early in their career whose work contributes to current knowledge.
NEWS
Nuclear option
GRADUATES from University of the Arts London can now publish their portfolio of work on Showtime. This new website is a great way for students to showcase their work to potential employers and industry insiders. The website also provides details of the University’s degree shows, providing visitors and professionals with a unique opportunity to see the latest work from the University’s next generation of cutting-edge talent. The degree shows display work from art, design and fashion students.
A NEW centre for excellence in nuclear science and engineering research and training recently opened at Imperial College London. Imperial and RollsRoyce, the global engineering company, opened the Rolls-Royce Nuclear University Technology Centre (UTC), which will focus its research in nuclear power and submarines. The UTC will also develop the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers to help secure the UK’s long-term energy needs. Students will be better prepared for a career in the nuclear industry thanks to better access to experts, industrial facilities and summer placements at Rolls-Royce.
Source: Nikki Hughes
Showcasing art online
Work from Nikki Hughes, Make Up and Prosthetics for Performance student
£1 million book deal TALENTED student Kate Williams has secured a £1 million book deal with Penguin. Her debut novel ‘The Pleasures of Men’, is set in 1840’s London and focuses on a girl who becomes obsessed with a serial killer and
Did you know?
is led into a web of betrayal and murder. She was congratulated by her colleagues at Royal Holloway, University of London including professor of creative writing, Sir Andrew Motion, the former Poet Laureate.
Rolls-Royce was established in
1904
and is famous for making luxury cars (Source: Rolls-Royce)
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk 5
NEWS
African partnership
Did you know?
There are almost
8,000
African students studying in London
(Source: HESA 2009/10)
6 www.studylondon.ac.uk
STUDENTS from Brunel University won four gold medals at the recent British Universities and Colleges Championships. Sport Sciences student Perri Shakes-Drayton (pictured) won the 400 metres while Physiotherapy student and Great Britain international Emma Pallant won gold in the 5,000 metres. Elsewhere, the women’s 100 metre relay team took gold as did Sport Sciences student Pamela Hughes in the high jump. This is great news for the students as they compete to become part of the Olympic team for the London 2012 Games.
Source: Brunel University
THE University of Cape Town and the London School of Economics have announced a partnership to encourage student exchanges, visiting fellowships for academics, research collaborations and training programmes. Other plans include a summer school in Africa and joint lectures using the internet to link audiences in London and Cape Town. The two partner universities are both research-led with strong track records in academia and public policy.
Champion athletes
Product design RAVENSBOURNE student Martin Charlier has won the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) Design Directions Body and Mind Award. The product design student
created “ImmuniToys”, products that continually introduce young children to germs in order to strengthen their immune system. This innovative idea gave Martin a cash prize of £1,250 and a one-year fellowship at the RSA.
STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON
An international experience in London We talk to American students about their experiences while on Study Abroad programmes in London.
S
Top tip “Use an NUS card and always ask for a concession, some places don’t advertise that they have a student discount.” Charlotte Chase, a student at Swarthmore College in Philadelphia, chose London for her Study Abroad programme because of the wide choice of academic options available in the city. Majoring in philosophy, Charlotte wanted to spend a semester focusing on subjects that will enhance her studies, such as sociology, psychology and cultural studies. While Charlotte researched a number of programmes around the world, she chose Goldsmiths, University of London. “Goldsmiths has a funky reputation and London has an amazing music scene,” says Charlotte. “I have always wanted to come to London so coming on a Study Abroad programme was a perfect opportunity to see the city.”
Charlotte Chase at the British Museum
One of the first things Charlotte did when she arrived was borrow a bike. She now cycles everywhere. “Cycling in London is so much easier than it is in the US. I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was eight-years-old but the roads are much safer and you have cycle lanes.” Cycling around the city has helped Charlotte keep to her budget while also exploring the city. “You get to know the city better than if you take public transport,” she explains, “although cycling on the opposite side of the road was interesting when I first started!”
Top tip “Don’t buy all of your course books - use the library - or you’ll just have to take them all home with you!”
Originally from outside Boston, Charlotte is in the third year of her four-year degree. She will transfer four credits from Goldsmiths back to Swarthmore. Charlotte has also enjoyed London’s social life. Camden with its numerous parks is her favourite neighbourhood, and cycling around the city spending time with her friends has also been a highlight. After six months studying in London she has never been bored because as she says, “The city is so huge and there is so much to do.” Charlotte will return to the USA to undertake a two-month placement in a psychiatric hospital to gain further experience but would love to return to London to work in the future. Goldsmiths is one of a large number of universities in London that run Study Abroad programmes for US students. The University of
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk 7
Source: Study London
tudying in a different country is a defining moment in a student’s life. In London you have the chance to travel to exciting destinations, embrace a new culture, make lifelong friends from around the world and enhance your career prospects. London universities have a massive range of courses on offer, from the liberal arts through to business studies. Coupled with the chance to transfer credits to your degree in the US, it is no wonder that so many students from America choose London for their Study Abroad programmes.
STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON
Westminster has one of the largest programmes in London and you can choose from a summer school or a semester programme. In addition, Westminster has introduced an academically assessed internship option that allows you to work alongside classes and transfer the full credit, giving you an exciting opportunity to gain practical experience while studying. Previous students have undertaken placements in areas as diverse as fashion PR, corporate fundraising, and within the offices of Members of the UK Parliament.
Top tip
Carolyn Valdez, a Study Abroad student from the California
8 www.studylondon.ac.uk
Source: Britainonview
“Work with people from different countries. It can be an amazing experience learning about other cultures.”
Enjoying the entertainment in Covent Garden
Institute of Technology, studied at University College London (UCL). She lists London as one of the most
interesting cities she has ever visited. “Living close to Leicester Square and Oxford Street allows me to balance
STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON
Universities in London with Study Abroad Programmes:
The London Eye
Source: Britainonview
being a scholar and having fun as a young person in one of the busiest cities in the world,” she says. Like Charlotte, she would also like to return to the city. “London has been splendid. I would definitely encourage others to study at UCL and would consider returning for graduate study.” Travelling to Europe from London has never been so easy. Both Paris and Amsterdam are favourite weekend destinations for students. But it is in London where you will experience a global environment, studying alongside students from 200 other countries. London has the world in one city, and studying here will be a life changing experience.
Top tip “Every time you go out, go someplace different. Get a very detailed map and carry it with you. Get Time Out.” Top tips provided by previous Study Abroad students at the University of Westminster.
STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON
Did you know?
You can choose from short summer schools, a semester or year abroad programmes where you can transfer credits to your home university.
Brunel University Courtauld Institute of Art City University London Goldsmiths, University of London Imperial College London Institute of Education King’s College London Kingston University London London Metropolitan University London School of Economics London South Bank University Middlesex University Queen Mary, University of London Roehampton University Royal Holloway, University of London School of Oriental and African Studies St Mary’s University College Thames Valley University University College London University of East London University of Greenwich University of the Arts London University of Westminster
STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk 9
business & FINANCE NEWS AND COURSES
Economic sense The Bank of England
Source: Britainonview
Economists enjoy a wide choice of careers.
T
here is more to economics than statistics and numbers. The social science plays a fundamental role in the way the world operates, providing analysis and advice for everything from education and politics to health and society. Students studying economics in London can boost their career prospects thanks to the large number of internships and work placements available with the small and global businesses based in the city. Anusha Bhushan from India graduated from the London Did you know?
You can search almost
300
economics courses in London at www.studylondon.ac.uk
(Source: Study London)
10
www.studylondon.ac.uk
School of Economics (LSE) last summer. Thanks to the internship she completed during her studies she is already working for a major international bank as an analyst in corporate brokerage. But it wasn’t always that simple. During her first year Anusha had no idea what career she wanted to follow, and it took moving to London to give her a direction. Thanks to advice from the LSE’s careers office she quickly made the transition from student to full-time broker. “If you are unsure of what you want to do then London is a great city to be in. There are so many opportunities and endless prospects. You will find what you want,” says Anusha. Only in London
The Economist was established in London in 1843. The influential magazine is read by 1.6 million across the world, providing expert analysis on world news, politics and business, as well as features on science and technology and the arts.
Course highlights QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Economics, Statistics and Mathematics BSc ROYAL HOLLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Economics, Politics and International Relations BSc CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON Financial Economics MSc LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS Management and Economics MSc LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY International Economics and Trade MA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Economy, State and Society MA More courses at www.studylondon.ac.uk
business & FINANCE
Business planning THE Student Business Plan Competition at London Metropolitan University has been won by Leonardo Guerro and Silva Calo (pictured) for their souvenir guidebook, 24 Hours in London. Their innovative idea allows tourists to attach souvenirs and pictures to the guidebook, making a long-lasting
memento for the owner. The students won £5,000 to invest in their business plan, which they will now develop using the business contacts they met at the awards ceremony. They will also work with the University’s Student Enterprise Programme to receive advice, funding and office space.
A DETERMINED University of East London student has overcome tremendous barriers to achieve success with his £1 million company, catering2order. John Charles became blind shortly after he graduated with his HND in Business and Finance. Despite these personal and career challenges, he successfully set up and now manages his own catering company. John now employs 24 people and has won contracts for the Olympic Delivery Authority and other top public and private sector organisations in London.
Source: London Metropolitan University
Clean technology
International MBA worked with students to identify a new income stream by diversifying into coffin making!
Source: Middlesex University
INTERNATIONAL work experience is a core part of the Middlesex University MBA, giving students the practical skills that will help them throughout their careers. This year, a group of MBA students travelled to South Africa to work with small businesses. The students worked in teams to help their South African clients develop innovative and practical solutions to local business issues. The experience gave students the opportunity to use a variety of different skills, from marketing and operations to finance and strategy. The small business owners benefited too. One client, a furniture maker,
Catering entrepreneur
Students in South Africa
STUDENTS from London Business School presented their innovative plans to develop ‘clean’ technology to tackle pollution and energy efficiency in business at the CleanTech Challenge 2010. Fifteen teams from business schools and universities across Europe competed at the event which promotes innovation and encourages cooperation between students and businesses. The event was first conceived by London Business School and University College London to help develop clean technology ideas from their conception through to their production. Competing teams receive mentoring from experienced professionals and also gain access to exclusive seminars to learn about current opportunities in the CleanTech industry. Students also learn what venture capitalists and investors look for in an investment idea. The CleanTech industry continues to grow. Experts predict the market will be worth over $187 billion by 2012.
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk
11
CREATIVE ARTS NEWS AND COURSES
Acting academy
Studying drama and acting in London, the home of theatre.
L
ondon may not have as many stars as Hollywood but it undoubtedly has the talent. Famous drama graduates from the city have included Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day Lewis and Judi Dench. One of the secrets to their success is working with world-class teachers who have worked in the industry. Robert Gordon, professor of drama at Goldsmiths, University of London is one of the many experienced actors who have chosen to pass their knowledge on to the next generation of actors. He worked as an actor and director in Italy, the USA and Ireland as well as teaching a variety of drama courses in New York and the UK. Professor Gordon is enthusiastic about the opportunities available to his drama students in London. He says, “Students have access to practitioners and can do placements in theatres. LA has film and New 12
www.studylondon.ac.uk
Goldsmiths, University of London
York has theatre but London has it all. Our creative industries are a fantastic resource.” The course choice in London is fantastic too. Specialist drama colleges and schools provide students with everything from classical acting to circus skills (see course highlights). Whether you want to be the next star of Hollywood, Bollywood, Broadway or our own West End theatres, London is the city where dreams begin. Only in London
Film London promotes film and media in London and supports the growth and development of film, TV, video, commercials and interactive media. The agency runs several production schemes to supporting film-makers and artists. Did you know?
London’s screen industry employs
100,000 people
(Source: Film London)
Course highlights CIRCUS SPACE Circus Arts Foundation Degree KINGSTON UNIVERSITY LONDON Drama with Film Studies BA ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, TWICKENHAM Drama and Professional and Creative Writing BA ROYAL ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART Acting BA CENTRAL SCHOOL OF SPEECH AND DRAMA Classical Acting MA GUILDHALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DRAMA Training Actors MA MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY Performing Arts PhD More courses at www.studylondon.ac.uk
Source: Bill Robinson
Source: Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Robert Gordon
CREATIVE ARTS
Screenwriting awards
Singer success
FEATURE film ‘The Be All and End All’, written by alumni from University of the Arts London has won a number of awards at this season’s film festivals. The writers, Steve Lewis and Tony Owen, are both graduates of the University’s screenwriting courses and have won
FORMER Royal College of Music (RCM) student Laurie Ashworth has won the 2010 Kathleen Ferrier Song Prize, one of the most prestigious international singing competitions. Other RCM students have also been celebrating. Opera school singers Ross McInroy, Jimmy Holliday and Tyler Clarke have all been awarded places at the prestigious National Opera Studio. The singers are now set to join the many RCM singers who progress from the School’s opera school into the professional world.
awards at film festivals in Monte Carlo and Washington DC. Their film has also been selected by Variety magazine for their Critics Choice ‘Ten to Watch’. Pictured here are the lead actors Josh Bolt (left) and Eugene Byrne (right) collecting the Monte Carlo award.
BBC work placement Source: University of the Arts London
Music winner
Did you know? Source: Trinity Laban
TALENTED flute player Rosanna Ter-Berg recently won three prestigious music competitions in just three weeks. The Trinity College of Music student won the Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition; the British Flute Society Young Artist Award; and the Harold Clarke Woodwind Competition. Rosanna is amazed at her achievements, especially as the competitions were the first she had ever entered. She thanked the inspirational teaching of Professor Anna Noakes who teaches the Master’s in Performance course.
Rosanna Ter-Berg
MASTER’S Radio student, Edwina Pitman from Goldsmiths, University of London, recently won the 2010 Charles Parker award for Best Student Radio Feature for ‘Memories of a Marriage’. Edwina won £500, a SADiE sound editing suite and a work placement with the BBC. The judges praised Edwina’s feature which is a portrait of two sides of a marriage that falls apart as the result of the husband’s alcohol problem. Previous winners of the award have graduated to work full-time making programmes for the BBC and other broadcasters around the world. BBC Radio International broadcasts the best of BBC radio to more than 100 countries. Goldsmith’s MA in Radio is accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council and is also recognised by the National Union of Journalists. The BBC website is used by
22 million each week
(Source: BBC)
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk
13
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY NEWS AND COURSES
Information city
Source: Britainonview
London is a leader in information technology.
“T
he world has entered an information age,” says Zelun Zhang, a Chinese student at Queen Mary, University of London. “Information is the power that can change the whole world, so technology is becoming more and more important.” Zelun chose to study his MSc Telecommunications in one of the information capitals of the world. London is a leader in mobile, broadband and wireless technologies. It is home to the largest concentration of IT companies in Europe, and the city is at the heart of a global telecoms market. Since arriving in London, Zelun has developed and applied his skills to increasingly complex technologies including bank security systems, company networks and applications for mobile phones and iPods. “After I finish at Queen Mary, I’d like to work in mobile operations or
14
www.studylondon.ac.uk
for an e-commerce company,” says Zelun. “Also I am planning to start my own business in the e-commerce industry in the future.” Until then he is happy to enjoy London’s cultural life. “Life on campus is rich and varied. I can make friends with people from various countries.” With something new to discover every day, London is a city where your learning continues outside of the classroom. As Zelun says, studying here “you learn more than just knowledge.” Only in London
A large proportion of the $7.5 billion generated by the London 2012 Olympic Games will be spent on IT and telecommunications. Did you know?
More than
540,000 IT professionals live in London (Source: Think London)
Course highlights MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY Information Technology with Business Information Systems BSc UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON Computer Games Design and Software Engineering BA UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER Business Information Systems BSc CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON Telecommunications and Networks MSc QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Intelligent Web Technologies MSc THAMES VALLEY UNIVERSITY Information Management PhD More courses at www.studylondon.ac.uk
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
World’s strongest insect
Space design
FOLLOWING months of tests and trials, scientists at Queen Mary, University of London have revealed that the world’s strongest insect is a species of dung beetle called Onthophagus taurus. In an experiment to find out why animal strength varies so much, Dr Rob Knell from Queen Mary and Professor Leigh Simmons from the University of Western Australia
A PHD student from Kingston University London has been named by the leading architecture and design magazine Blueprint as one of the 25 people who will change architecture and design in 2010. Regina Peldzus from Germany is currently finishing a design project to make spacecraft more comfortable for astronauts on their long and isolated space exploration missions. Her interdisciplinary research has benefitted from Kingston’s Design Research Centre and its reputation in space engineering.
found that the strongest beetle could pull an astonishing 1,141 times its own body weight - the equivalent of six full double-decker buses. The scientists also discovered that these insect athletes need to consider their diet as much as human athletes do. The performance of even the strongest beetles was reduced significantly when fed a poor diet.
Electric travel
Source: Imperial College London
Source: Alex Wild
Dung Beetles
Solar entrepreneur Source: University of East London
OWEN Morgan, MSc Architecture: Advanced Energy and Environmental Studies graduate, won first prize in the University of East London E-Factor competition. His winning idea Cambridge Solar uses solar power to provide clean, sustainable energy. In addition to his prize money of £10,000, Owen will also receive mentoring to help his idea succeed as a business.
Owen Morgan (centre), collects his prize
A TEAM from Imperial College London is preparing to be the first in the world to drive an electric vehicle (pictured) the entire length of the Pan American Highway, the longest road in the world. The team will travel through extreme weather conditions, driving across the ice of Alaska and in the jungles of Colombia. The Racing Green Endurance team, which comprises undergraduates, postgraduates and alumni from Imperial’s Faculty of Engineering, aims to travel 26,000 kilometres along the Highway, starting at the northern tip of Alaska and finishing at the southern tip of South America. Part of the project will include an assessment of the performance and endurance capabilities of electric vehicles over long distances.
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk
15
HEALTH & PUBLIC POLICY NEWS AND COURSES
Confucius Institutes in London Qufu Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple in China Source: Gisling. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license
London has three Confucius Institutes, each with a unique focus.
club that stages art and film shows as well as a series of events that coincide with Chinese festivals and celebrations. The Confucius Institute of hina’s re-emergence as Traditional Medicine at London an economic superpower South Bank University (LSBU) has been coupled with a was the winner of the Confucius growing interest in Chinese Institute of the Year award in 2009. art, culture and language. Building The Institute teaches a degree in on this interest, the Chinese Traditional Chinese Medicine. This government is establishing Confucius specialist course includes classes in Institutes around the world. Mandarin together with a period of London is now home to three study at LSBU’s partner university very distinct Conscious Institutes. in China, Heilongjiang University of The London Confucius Institute at Chinese Medicine. Graduates will be the School of Oriental and African qualified to practice Chinese medicine Studies (SOAS) was the first Institute in both China and the UK. to be established in the UK in 2004. In recognition that London is a top Partnered with Peking University business centre, the London School in Beijing, the Institute at SOAS of Economics (LSE) has established offers courses in Chinese as well as the world’s first Confucius Institute instruction in Chinese for Lawyers for Business. and Business Chinese. The Institute Launched in 2006, the Institute also hosts the China Club, a social helps students improve their understanding of business culture Only in London in China. The Institute offers There are 10,000 students from China workshops, events and works closely with a number of top global studying in London. sponsors such as BP, HSBC and (Source: Study London) Standard Chartered.
C
16
www.studylondon.ac.uk
Did you know?
Confucius was a Chinese thinker and philosopher born over
2,500
years ago
(Source: Times Newspaper)
Course highlights LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY Traditional Chinese Medicine BA UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER Contemporary Chinese Studies BA KING’S COLLEGE LONDON China and Globalisation MSc MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY International Business Management for China MA SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES Chinese Literature MA UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH China International Business MBA More courses at www.studylondon.ac.uk
HEALTH & PUBLIC POLICY
Nursing achievement THREE London healthcare students were invited to Number 10 Downing Street to listen to the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown and senior policy makers giving their recommendations on the future of nursing and midwifery. The students, all completing
courses at the Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences run by Kingston University and St George’s, University of London, watched as Gordon Brown highlighted the importance of nurses and midwives in delivering high quality, compassionate care.
Malaria prevention THE London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will work with Pfizer, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, to develop new treatments for malaria in pregnant women. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 30 million pregnant women are at risk of malaria in Africa each year. The two partners will also work with the Medicines for Malaria Venture charity to coordinate trials in Africa this summer with up to 5,000 participants.
Student doctors
Source: Kingston University London
Students outside Number 10 Downing Street
Intelligent cancer imaging LONDON scientists have helped secure a £5.8 million grant to investigate innovative medical scanning techniques that could better diagnose a range of cancers. The research will investigate ways to extract clinically-relevant information directly from a medical image. This process will cut diagnosis time and reduce costs. Currently, a series of advanced medical images must be measured and then processed by a computer before they provide the information needed
for diagnosis. The research team comprises scientists from four universities in the city: the Institute of Cancer Research, University College London, Imperial College London and King’s College London. The universities are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, which funds research and postgraduate training in engineering and the physical sciences at universities and other organisations throughout the UK.
A GROUP of trainee medics visited Nepal to provide essential medical care to poor rural communities. The students from St George’s, University of London, were joined by qualified doctors and nurses as part of the student-run project, Health Partnership Nepal. Together they managed two medical and three surgical camps, providing free care and surgery to people who otherwise would not have had access to essential treatment. In previous years, the surgical team has completed more than 70 operations. The students worked alongside trained medics who had also given up their own time and money to provide healthcare in these remote rural locations. St George’s shares its campus with one of the UK’s busiest hospitals and offers a range of courses in medicine, biomedical sciences, and health and social care sciences. Did you know?
There are
FIVE
world renowned medical schools in London
(Source: Study London)
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17
EVENTS
calendar of events january
A selection of London’s festivals and celebrations
AUGUST
New Year’s Day Parade International Mime Festival London Art Fair
Notting Hill Carnival Dance in the streets with 1.5 million revellers and enjoy the tastes, sights and sounds of the Caribbean at the biggest street party in Europe. Over three days, Notting Hill is alive with a collage of music and dance at one of the most anticipated events of the year.
FEBRUARY
Chinese New Year Celebrations London Fashion Week Six Nations Rugby at Twickenham march
St Patrick’s Day Parade Affordable Art Fair april
Source: Visit London
London Marathon London Book Fair The Camden Crawl Vaisakhi Celebrations The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race may
AUGUST London Mela The Mela, a long-standing tradition in South Asia, brings people together in a festival atmosphere to enjoy Asian food, music and dance. Enjoy Bollywood, bhajis and bangra amid the colour and glitz of one of London’s most popular events.
June
Trooping the Colour City of London Festival
SEPTEMBER Open House
London Literature Festival Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships
London Festival of Architecture Taste of London Camden Green Fair 18
www.studylondon.ac.uk
Source: Study London
The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition
Discover the beauty behind the façades of some of London’s most celebrated buildings at the Open House weekend. This popular, free event opens eyes, minds and doors to London’s best kept architectural secrets, encouraging Londoners and visitors to explore and re-examine the city.
Source: Hayley Madden
Africa Day Celebrations FA Cup Final Chelsea Flower Show Student Final Year Shows across London
EVENTS
Go online to read more about events taking place in London www.studylondon.ac.uk JULY
Wireless Music Festival BBC Proms Classical Music Festival Pride London August
Trafalgar Square Festival Carnaval del Pueblo Notting Hill Carnival London Triathlon London Mela Source: London Design Festival
september
Regent Street Festival Open House London Design Festival Thames Festival London Fashion Week The Great River Race Brick Lane Festival
SEPTEMBER London Design Festival The London Design Festival has become a fixture on the international creative calendar. Engage with over 200 design projects from museums, retailers, creative businesses, magazines and designers at one of the most important design events in the world.
october
London Film Festival Eid Celebrations Frieze Art Fair Bloomsbury Festival Diwali Celebrations London Games Festival
OCTOBER Frieze Art Fair
november
Lord Mayor’s Show London Jazz Festival State Opening of Parliament
Source: Frieze Art Fair
Regent’s Park hosts more than 150 of the most exciting modern art galleries in the world. This fourday contemporary art fair includes specially commissioned artists’ projects, prestigious talks and artistled education workshops.
december
Carols in Trafalgar Square New Year’s Eve Fireworks Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
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19
LONDON’s hidden gems
In each edition we explore london’s unique treasures, specialist collectionS and resources. IN this edition we focus on THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM.
NATURE PLUS
Diplodocus skeleton in the central hall
W
20
www.studylondon.ac.uk
Museum also offers volunteering and student placement programmes, giving natural science students an early opportunity to get hands-on work experience. Nearly four million people visit the Museum each year. In its newest building, the architecturally stunning Darwin Centre, you can see scientists working in their state-of-the-art research laboratories. The huge cocoon shaped building has eight floors and houses 17 million insects and three million plant specimens. The Museum is also home to the world’s finest natural history library containing over a million books. Selected by Time Out magazine as one of the Seven Wonders of London, the Natural History Museum is a world-leading science research centre and a perfect place to consider the planet’s future.
Natural History Museum
All images: Natural History Museum
hen you walk into the huge central hall of the spectacular Natural History Museum you are greeted by the 26 metre skeleton of the Diplodocus dinosaur, one of the longest land animals ever to live. This exhibit is just one of over 70 million specimens that form the world’s greatest collection of natural sciences, from botany to zoology. Gathered over 400 years, the collections are a window to both the past and future. They can tell us how the world might have looked at the time the dinosaurs roamed the Earth, and can help us monitor the changing environment and its effect on the planet. At the Museum, over three hundred scientists from around the world investigate and catalogue the diversity of the natural world. The
Darwin Centre
n o i t a d o m m o c c Student a u o y r o f d e n g i s e d n in Londo UNITE offers a large choice , of accommodation in London ranging from studios and one s in bedroom flats to ensuite room le. shared flats for up to 9 peop
EVENTS
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or call: 0800 783 4213
Images and photography are indicative of accommodation only.
Find your university course in London at: www.studylondon.ac.uk
Printed on recycled paper
Eshiwe Celestin
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