6
Business courses Read why London is the world’s business and financial capital
8
Arts courses Find out how London’s creative arts schools inspire and showcase talent
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insight Issue sixteen
Science courses Discover how London is pushing the boundaries of science and technology
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 A city of opportunities
Chinese language competition
International relations London students receive mentoring advice from leading politicians
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Health courses
WELCOME
To subscribe for free, visit www.studylondon.ac.uk Earlier this year I attended two ‘business boot-camps’, at London Metropolitan University and Kingston University. Both visits demonstrated that London is a fantastic city because it is brimming with entrepreneurial spirit across a huge range of sectors. The boot-camp plays a key role in helping budding entrepreneurs to transform their brilliant ideas and business plans into viable start-up businesses, which have become more important than ever before for the capital’s prosperity. London’s future business leaders are shown the ‘inside track’ through the boot camp, with lots of solid advice from leading experts including how to start and grow successful, thriving companies. In this edition of insight you can read about how London’s universities are supporting students to maximize their full entrepreneurial potential. Next year, not only will London be welcoming the world for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the capital will also be the launch pad for international celebrations to commemorate Charles Dickens’s 200th birthday. Dickens is one of this city’s best known and most loved icons. A Londoner himself, he created an incomparable pageant of other London characters, but perhaps the greatest character to permeate his stories is the city itself. That rich Dickensian vision of London - with its everyday bustle, its blend of gritty enterprise and aspirational ambition, its Christmas cheer - is one that lives on in the imagination of everyone who reads his novels. Inside this edition of insight you can read how the Museum of London is leading the celebrations by recreating that atmosphere of Victorian London. London is alive with history and its future is waiting to be shaped by you. We are an open city and students from across the globe are most welcome here. Study in London and who knows, you could be starting the business of your dreams tomorrow, right here in the greatest city on earth!
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London November 2011
Issue 16
CONTENTS news 02 Read about the latest courses, research and student successes from London’s universities
business & finance 06 BUSINESS BOOT CAMP How London’s universities can turn your ideas into a world-beating business 07 President of Lebanon invite • Future leaders • Solar mobile business • Top management courses
creative ARTS 08 WHEN DREAMS BECOME FILMS London life inspires and supports the city’s student filmmakers 09 Acting spotlight • Music business • Singing winners • Tate honour • Fashion partnership
science & TECHNOLOGY 10 ROBOTIC SURGEONS Researchers in the city are leading the development of the latest medical robots 11 Supercomputer • Chemistry with Biomedicine • Fighting acne • Computer games
health & public policy 12 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SUPPORT Student unions are changing and they are supporting the city’s students more than ever before 13 Midwife honour • Physiology prize • Health partnership • Cancer and dementia funding
regular features 14 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Discover London’s diverse festivals and celebrations 16 London’s hidden gems The Museum of London The making of a world city. Discover how the Museum of London is telling the unique story of the world’s best big city
insight is produced by London & Partners four times a year. The editorial content of insight is produced by Study London under licence from London Higher. London & Partners Limited is registered in England and Wales under No: 7493460. Registered office at 2 More London, London SE1 4RR. Credits: Some facts have been supplied by HESA data. Cover image: Nishali Patel Inset: Three Faiths Forum. insight is designed and printed by Fatpipe Limited www.fatpipe.co.uk The views in insight are not necessarily those of London & Partners. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in insight, London & Partners 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
International relations
2 www.studylondon.ac.uk
Source: Three Faiths Forum
THREE international students from London Metropolitan University have won places on this year’s ParliaMentors programme. The award winning project gives the next generation of leaders the skills, experiences and networks they need to advance their careers. The competition encourages students of different faiths and beliefs to work together on a project with mentoring support from MPs and Peers. Carolin Albrecht, Ahmad Abdul Wahed and Thupten Thupten all completed a rigorous selection process and will now receive advice from leading NGOs, think tanks and politicians.
London Metropolitan University students
NEWS
Chinese language skills
Mobile English
TWO students from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) have won second place in a prestigious Chinese language and culture competition. The 10th annual Chinese Bridge competition honoured James Bilbow, an undergraduate in Chinese and Business Management, and Alec Odahara (pictured), an undergraduate in Chinese and Korean. The competition is famous as the world’s most difficult Chinese competition for non-native speakers. The students were asked to deliver a speech in Chinese, answer questions about Chinese culture and demonstrate a talent associated with China, such as storytelling, calligraphy, martial arts or dancing. They beat more than 6,000 contestants from around the world to win a full one-year scholarship to study in China. There are over 10,000 Chinese students in London.
ENGLISH language experts at University College London (UCL) have developed an interactive English grammar course for the iPhone. Students can use the mobile app to practise their language skills and study English whenever they want and wherever they are. Unlike student textbooks, the exercises and tests used in the app database are continually changing, providing students with an exciting learning environment. The course materials have been developed by UCL researchers who are established leaders in English grammar. Did you know? Source: Alec Odahara
There are over
130
English language schools in London (Source: EnglishUKLondon)
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk 3
NEWS
University of London birthday
Mouldy new clothes
THE University of London is celebrating its 175th anniversary with an exhibition of rarely seen items from its archives. The exhibition will take place in Senate House, the Art Deco masterpiece that houses the University’s extensive library. The University was founded in 1836 and is the third oldest university after Oxford and Cambridge. It has since grown to encompass 19 colleges teaching 120,000 students.
Environment and development
Maths award A MATHS graduate at Royal Holloway, University of London, has won a prestigious academic honour placing him among the top mathematical achievers in the UK. Jonathan Grant received the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) award in recognition of his high achievements. The talented student consistently scored top grades throughout his course. 4 www.studylondon.ac.uk
Source: Kingston University London
THE Institute for the Study of the Americas at the University of London has launched a new MSc in Environment and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The course is the first of its kind in the UK focusing on the environmental and social issues that result from economic development and globalisation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Uniquely, students will be able to examine natural resource exploitation in the region. They will also develop an understanding of the global debates supporting the policy and practice of sustainable development.
Ninela Ivanova with one of her designs
NINELA Ivanova, an MA Fashion student at Kingston University London has used fungi as inspiration for her latest clothes designs. Mushrooms and mould are both types of fungi, which are usually found growing naturally where they play an important role in decomposing organic matter.
Ninela has used fungi patterns to create delicate and feminine womenswear. Three of her designs actually incorporate the fungi sealed in PVC shoulder pads. Success awaits the Bulgarian student, who has already showcased her unique designs at this year’s London Fashion Week.
Find a friend on your phone THE University of Westminster has created a new mobile phone application to help its students organise their university lives and meet new people. The app, called iWestminster, gives students the tools to manage their student lives. They can access campus maps, information about their courses and university events whilst being able to
communicate with staff via their phones. Students will also have access to the find-a-PC tool, which updates the availability of the University’s 1,286 computer seats every 15 minutes. In addition, students can organise their social lives using the find-a-friend feature.
2012 OLYMPIC SPECIAL - NEWS
Olympic recovery centre Source: University of East London
Paralympic internships FIVE postgraduate students from Royal Holloway, University of London will have the chance to complete internships at the London 2012 Games thanks to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The interns will complete two week-long placements at the IPC’s headquarters during the build-up to the London 2012 Paralympics. The Sport Management (Paralympic Sport) students will learn about sports management and Games operations. The internships will also count towards their course assessment.
2012 film A FILM production company managed by graduates from Queen Mary, University of London, is capturing the experiences of British athletes preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Mile End Films will film Team GB as they test themselves in training regimes specially designed to produce gold-winning athletes. The film is a three-year project commissioned by UK Sport to film the lives of people who are driven by the desire to represent their country at an international level.
Staff sign the agreement
TEAM Singapore will use University of East London (UEL) as their recovery centre during the London 2012 Olympic Games. UEL will provide high performance athletic services to Team Singapore
athletes competing at the Games. While Team USA will use UEL’s new, state-of-the-art SportsDock facility during the Games as their sport performance and operational base.
Did you know?
London will use over Source: Olympic Delivery Authority
The Olympic Stadium
70,000 volunteers to help make the Games happen, many of them students (Source: www.london2012.com)
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business & FINANCE NEWS AND COURSES
Business boot-camp Course highlights
How London’s universities can turn your ideas into a world-beating business.
T
he Mayor of London Boris Johnson recently visited London Metropolitan University’s ‘business boot-camp’, a programme for students who want to set up their own company. “London is brimming with entrepreneurial spirit across a huge range of sectors,” the Mayor said. “These brilliant boot-camps will help budding entrepreneurs to get the inside track from the experts on how to start and grow successful, thriving companies.” The boot-camp is a series of tailor made seminars providing advice and support to student entrepreneurs. London Metropolitan has also established a business incubator unit in east London’s Tech City where students can attend training courses. Here they will learn how to pitch ideas and negotiate deals whilst also gaining a better understanding of intellectual property law and the various legal requirements to establish a business. In addition the incubator provides office space and access to a network of like-minded entrepreneurs.
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Source: London Metropolitan University
Mayor of London at the opening
Universities are also supporting students financially through business plan competitions and pre-seed funding. London South Bank University (LSBU) offers eight awards of £4,000 to help students develop their business ideas while studying. Students also have access to office space and a network of mentors to help make their ideas a success. David Kyekiikyo Semakula, MSc Building Services Engineering student at LSBU, recently established a 3D Architectural Visualisation company. “The scheme has provided me with a platform to secure seed capital for software and start-up expenses,” David says. “I’ve also been able to create a business strategy through access to workshops and events.” At University College London (UCL) students can access the technical and business expertise needed to transfer an idea or business plan into a start-up company. UCL Advances already supports 34 spin-out companies and is helping them to develop their intellectual property and grow their business. London is bursting with talent. It’s the city where big brains and even bigger ideas begin life. With the help of your university you can develop your products and services into a successful business.
LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY Enterprise and Small Business Development FdA Foundation Degree LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Small Business Enterprise and Entrepreneurship BA UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH Business Entrepreneurship and Innovation BA UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER Business Management Entrepreneurship BA GOLDSMITHS, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship MA IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc KINGSTON UNIVERSITY LONDON International Business Management with Entrepreneurship MA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Technology Entrepreneurship MSc Find more courses at www.studylondon.ac.uk Only in London
Tech City in east London is home to one of the largest concentrations of small, fast-growing digital technology companies in Europe. (Source: London & Partners)
Did you know?
NINE
out of ten executives say that working in London has increased their understanding of global business (Source: London & Partners)
business & FINANCE
Solar mobile business A TEAM of MBA students from Imperial College London has won £10,000 for its business plan. Their idea could help retailers in the developing world generate an income by selling a solar mobile phone charging service. They are developing a device that can charge several mobile phones at the same time and can function continuously on a sunny day. The idea
President of Lebanon invite
was inspired by MBA student Siten Mandalia’s trip through South Asia, East and Central Africa. The students developed the plan as part of their Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Design course. They are now planning to put their prize money towards developing their phone charger prototype and moving it towards manufacture.
Source: Imperial College London
Students collect their prize
Future leaders
the top-performing black students in the UK. Four students from the School of Oriental and African Studies were also selected. The four students are Joshua Price (BA History), Toib Olomowewe (BA Economics and History), Olamide Bada (LLB School of Law) and Kanika Mayi (BA African Studies and Politics).
Top ranked FIVE London universities have been named in the latest Financial Times (FT) Master’s in Management rankings. Imperial College London, Cass Business School, London School of Economics and Brunel University are all listed in the top 60, as is ESCP Europe which also has a campus in London. Master’s in Management courses are becoming increasingly popular with students throughout the world. The course is ideal for students who don’t have the minimum work experience requirements to study an MBA.
Source: London Business School
Source: Kingston University London
SIX London students have been identified as future leaders as part of a campaign to encourage young people from African and Caribbean backgrounds to go to university. At Kingston University, Business with Law students Namitasha Muunganirwa and David Olusegun (pictured) both featured in Future Leaders magazine, which showcases
TWENTY London Business School students recently enjoyed a trip to Lebanon that included a visit to the Presidential Palace. The group met President Michel Suleiman and discussed Lebanon’s key economic and political role in the region and international arena. The President addressed current internal security and stability issues, as well as policies to strengthen Lebanon’s economic role in the Middle East. The discussion focussed on the government’s role of leveraging Lebanon’s key economic strengths in the banking sector, the country’s biggest GDP contributor. The group included MBA students from 12 different countries who also visited historical monuments, world heritage sites and some of Lebanon’s beaches.
Did you know?
There are over
1,300
management courses to choose from in London (Source: www.studylondon.ac.uk)
to subscribe for free visit www.studylondon.ac.uk
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CREATIVE ARTS NEWS AND COURSES
When dreams become films Course highlights REGENT’S COLLEGE LONDON Film, Television and Digital Media Production BA ROEHAMPTON UNIVERSITY Film Studies and Creative Writing BA ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, TWICKENHAM Film and Popular Culture and Creative and Professional Writing BA Source: Warner Brothers
Clint Eastwood filming in London
London life inspires and supports the city’s student filmmakers.
H
istory can be seen in every street in London yet it is the city’s modern and contemporary life that inspires some filmmakers. Ana Atanesyan, a Russian MSc Banking and International Finance alumna from Cass Business School, recently produced a film set on a south London housing estate. Ana found it challenging to study whilst also producing her film Zebra Crossing. “The workload and the intensity of the course has made me into what I am today both professionally and mentally,” she says. “It took me a few intense months to learn enough, before embarking on budgeting, casting, hiring crew, choosing locations and equipment.” While it is rare for new filmmakers to go straight into making a full length movie, the gamble paid off for Ana when Zebra Crossing was included in the Raindance Film 8
www.studylondon.ac.uk
Festival, the biggest and most prestigious festival in the UK for independent films. After a screening at the Southern Californian Film Festival, the film won the Best Film in the Festival award and further awards followed. “Our proudest moment was when we were nominated for the British Independent Film Award,” Ana says. “We were suddenly rubbing shoulders with many of the top industry professionals.” At London Metropolitan University students can discover how technology is becoming increasingly important in filmmaking. The Digital Film and Animation Masters focuses on digital moving image and animation technologies and offers students the experience of managing a small desktop digital studio that is ideal for independent filmmakers. Being a filmmaker in London is easier than ever before. We’ve got the expertise, amazing locations, funding opportunities and fully equipped studios. All that’s missing are your ideas.
UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER Film and Television Production BA BRUNEL UNIVERSITY Cult Film and Television MA GOLDSMITHS, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Screen and Film Studies MA LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Digital Film and Animation MA LONDON COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION Documentary Film MA Find more courses at www.studylondon.ac.uk Only in London
Love From London is an online map from Film London highlighting key film locations in the capital for movies such as the Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes. (Source: Film London)
Did you know?
In 2010 UK film production spend hit a record level of
£1.1billion (Source: Film London)
CREATIVE ARTS
Acting spotlight
EARLIER this year Chelsea College of Art & Design students were invited to take part in an exciting competition to produce a large scale piece of art to be displayed on Tate Britain’s historic building. The winning design by BA Graphic Design Communication student Jessie May Peters has now been printed on a giant 20 x 16 metre screen installed on the front of the building (pictured). Jessie May’s piece, ‘This is Britain’, uses words to symbolise the Union Jack and describe the design of the UK flag. The work is designed to show that Tate Britain is not only the home of historically important British art but also of contemporary British art.
TWO London graduates have won acting prizes at this year’s Spotlight Prize. Kurt Egyiawan from Guildhall School of Music and Drama won the overall prize while Kirsty Oswald from Rose Bruford College won the Highly Commended award. Kurt and Kirsty beat the very best actors graduating from the UK’s most prestigious drama schools this year. They had just three minutes each to impress an industry audience at the Spotlight Showcase. The judging panel included illustrious actors from television, film and theatre. Spotlight was founded in 1927 and has since become world-famous as the place for actors, agents and casting directors to meet and work on new projects. Over 40,000 performers appear on the Spotlight website including actors and actresses, presenters, dancers and stunt artists.
Source: University of Arts London
Tate honour
Jessie with her design
Online music business UNIVERSITY of Westminster’s music business network, MusicTank, has launched an online music business website to help over 30,000 music graduates start their careers. The Institutional Partnership Programme (IPP) will give graduates access to up-to-date intelligence from the music industry and academic world, helping them to stay
ahead of the curve in this notoriously competitive industry. The site also offers free access to MusicTank’s music industry reports. Industry leaders from Columbia records and BPI have contributed to the discussions, along with government ministers and the managers of pop artists such as Robbie Williams.
Fashion partnership Source: University of East London
UNIVERSITY of East London has teamed up with FashionCapital to open a new fashion design and manufacturing facility. Educational workshops and seminars are available for students together with a new manufacturing centre that is capable of producing up to 5,000 items each week. FashionCapital is an industry-based specialist that provides mentoring, professional advice and retail space for designers and fashion students.
Fashion student at University of East London
Singing winners LONDON singing students and graduates have been celebrating recently. At the Royal College of Music (RCM) countertenor Rupert Enticknap was awarded a special prize at the International Singing Competition for Baroque Opera, one of Europe’s most prestigious singing competitions. Soprano Robyn Parton, who graduated from the RCM in July 2011, won the Haidee Saretzky Prize at the Les Azuriales Ozone Young Artists’ Competition. Current student Alexey Chernov won Second Prize at the Cleveland International Piano Competition in the USA. At the Royal Academy of Music, graduates Jonathan McGovern and Timothy End won the Jean Meikle Duo Prize at the Wigmore Hall/ Kohn Foundation International Song Competition. These great achievements are an excellent way for these talented singers and musicians to begin their careers.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY NEWS AND COURSES
Robotic surgeons Course highlights CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON Biomedical Engineering BEng KING’S COLLEGE LONDON Biomedical Engineering BEng BRUNEL UNIVERSITY Biomedical Engineering MSc IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON Medical Robotics and Image Guided Intervention MRes QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Medical Engineering MEng Source: Neville Miles
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Physics and Engineering in Medicine MSc Find more courses at www.studylondon.ac.uk
The Queen at the opening of the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery at Imperial College
Researchers in the city are leading the development of the latest medical robots.
T
he development of robotics for use in medical surgery is changing the way surgeons operate. The need to perform delicate and safe surgical procedures in inaccessible parts of the human body has created demand for robots that act as extensions to a surgeon’s eyes and hands. The Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery at Imperial College London is at the forefront of medical robotic research. The Centre is led by Professor Guang-Zhong Yang and Professor Lord Ara Darzi, both eminent in the subjects of computing and surgery. The latest robot being developed by the Centre is the i-Snake, which is set to revolutionise keyhole surgery. The i-Snake will be selfpropelled and directed through the body by a surgeon controlling the robot by remote control.
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“The instrument will enhance vision, dexterity, and the precision of the surgical procedures,” says Professor Yang. “It will result in less pain and better recovery and also better outcomes for the patient.” The Centre offers PhD and MRes programmes for students with a strong technical or clinical background. The MRes is taught by a team of academics from computing, engineering and surgery, demonstrating the need for a multidisciplinary understanding when working with surgical robotics. In addition to enjoying a visit from HRH The Queen (pictured), Professor Yang was nominated as a Fellow to the Royal Academy of Engineering for his pioneering work in imaging, sensing and robotics for healthcare. The city is also home to the Centre for Robotics Research at King’s College London, which undertakes multi-disciplinary research in robotic surgery and medical robotic devices. The Centre conducts collaborative research with Imperial, other universities and
businesses such as Unilever Research and the Ford Motor Company. The inventive tools designed and made by London’s robot researchers are becoming increasingly important to a surgeon’s daily job of improving and saving lives.
Only in London
Imperial is home to the Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics hosted in association with the Royal Society. The Symposium creates a regular forum for surgeons, engineers and researchers to exchange ideas and explore new challenges and opportunities for robotic surgery. (Source: www.imperial.ac.uk)
Did you know?
Robotics funding worth over
€2 million
has been won or applied for by King’s College London (Source: King’s College London)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Chemistry with biomedicine
Fighting acne
KING’S College London has introduced a new undergraduate chemistry degree. The MSci Chemistry with Biomedicine is designed to train the next generation of chemists interested in applying their science in biomedicine and healthcare research. The course is the only programme of its kind in the UK and it will cover a mixture of subjects related to
A MOBILE phone application designed to help fight acne and developed by London students has won £10,000 at an entrepreneurial competition. Students from Imperial College London and UCL developed the I.am. spotless phone application. It allows users to take a photograph of their skin to track the spread or retreat of acne. This provides doctors with a record of how the acne responds to different treatments over time. The concept was chosen by a panel of judges and investors at Startup Summer, a pilot programme organised by the public research company YouGov, together with Imperial and UCL. The scheme gives students vital project funding and access to market research. The winning students will now use the prize money to develop their ideas into a business.
industry, academia and the health services. Students can enrol on the four-year programme now to begin in September 2012. Fully accredited to Royal Society of Chemistry standards, the course will give students an understanding of materials science, nanotechnology, and drug discovery, delivery, analysis and detection.
Supercomputer Source: King’s College London
Chemistry student at King’s
Computer games COMPUTER Games Technology students at City have won the Teams’ Choice award at Dare to be Digital, the UK’s premier video games competition. The MSc team were recognised for developing PaperQuest, a 3D adventure game for the Microsoft Xbox games console. The game
challenges players to fly a paper airship through a 3D-origami world, gathering prizes as they progress. City’s team was among 16 teams from universities across the UK, Europe, India and China competing and taking part in workshops with leading computer games industry professionals.
RESEARCHERS at the Centre for Particle Physics at Royal Holloway, University of London are using a vast network of lightning-fast computers to analyse information from the world’s biggest scientific experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Physicists at Royal Holloway are one of the many specialist teams around the globe analysing the huge quantities of data produced at LHC in search of the elusive Higgs particle. In one month alone Royal Holloway’s supercomputer analysed 200 million proton-proton collision events. The LHC recreates in miniature the conditions that existed within a billionth of a second after the ‘big bang’ at the birth of the universe. Physicists are searching through the LHC data for signs of the Higgs particle, which is believed to be the missing piece of the puzzle that explains the early evolution of the universe.
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HEALTH & PUBLIC POLICY NEWS AND COURSES
International student support Arun’s advice to new students: “Be passionate about the goals you want to achieve in life, and use your precious time at university in the best possible way.” “Don’t hesitate to seek advice from your students’ union.”
Source: Arun Thakral
Arun Thakral
Students’ unions are changing and they are supporting the city’s students more than ever before.
S
tudents’ unions provide a vital service on campus. They help students with many of the day-to-day issues such as finding accommodation, opening a bank account and getting a parttime job. They also provide advice for students who may need moral support when moving to a new city or country. Arun Thakral is the new President of the students’ union at the University of Greenwich. An Indian student from New Delhi, Arun is familiar with the emotions of arriving in a new country to live and study. “The students’ union at Greenwich acts as a support and advice centre for international students,” Arun explains. “Those who are new to the country need our help and advice 12
www.studylondon.ac.uk
in lots of areas.” Students’ unions also provide a wide choice of sporting and social activities during the academic year. Put simply, the unions aim to make a student’s experience at university the best it possibily can be. Arun recently completed his MA in International Business. “I wanted to take a course in business and London is the city with the most diverse group of students, drawn from all over the world,” he says on his choice of London as a place to study. He also enjoyed a number of internships during his studies, one of them in Dubai, as well spending time learning new skills as a volunteer with charities such as the British Red Cross. When asked what he most enjoys about living in London, his response is instant, “It’s a beautiful city. I enjoy the diverse cultures and the new experiences on offer. Every day seems new and fresh to me.”
“And, lastly, get involved in the Union to make sure your voice is heard.”
Arun dreams of setting up his own company. Until then he is very happy being the president of his student union and he looks forward to welcoming and meeting this year’s new international students. Only in London
University of London Union (ULU) is a students’ union for all 19 colleges of the University of London. It is the largest students’ union in Europe with over 120,000 students. (Source: www.studylondon.ac.uk)
Did you know?
Brunel University’s students’ union supports
50
sports clubs and counts famous Olympic Gold medalist rower James Cracknell as an alumnus
(Source: www.studylondon.ac.uk)
HEALTH & PUBLIC POLICY
Physiology prize NISHALI Patel from the School of Pharmacy has won a 2011 Undergraduate Prize for Physiology for the best lab-based project in Pharmacology. The undergraduate’s project investigated the role of drugs for treating stomach disorders. The award is from the Physiological
Society. Founded in 1876, the Society has almost 3,000 members including 21 Nobel Laureates. The Society promotes the advancement of physiology to help our understanding of biomedical sciences and the detection, prevention and treatment of disease.
Source: Nishali Patel
Nishali Patel
Midwife honour Source: University of West London
A MIDWIFERY student at the University of West London has won the 2011 Claude Osborn Award. Evon Tengende won the annual award for demonstrating excellence during her studies and work placement. Evon completed a work placement at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital. Her mentors praised the student’s excellent communication and organisational skills as well as the ‘kind and considerate’ manner in Evon Tengende collects her prize which she worked with patients.
Health partnership CITY University London has joined UCLPartners, one of the five accredited academic health science groups in the UK. City was invited to join the partnership in recognition of its expertise in nursing and health services. UCLPartners focuses on turning health research and innovation into health gains for patients and their families in London, across the UK and globally. The partnership’s current research portfolio includes over 50 initiatives to improve health and healthcare. Projects include creating an integrated healthcare system for cancer patients; increasing value for money in mental health; and improving the quality of stroke care. The two universities will work together with UCL Hospital, The Royal Free Hospital, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
Cancer and dementia funding LONDON’S nine leading medical institutions have been given a record £423.8 million for research. The hospitals and universities are working on illnesses such as cancer, dementia and heart disease. The biggest award was £112 million to Imperial College London for pioneering work in genetics, bioengineering and cancer. Moorfield’s Eye Hospital and University College London will share £26 million to develop revolutionary techniques to grow transparent eye tissue in the laboratory. King’s College London will share £46 million for new biomedical research units specialising in dementia.
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EVENTS
calendar of events january
A selection of London’s festivals and celebrations
NOVEMBER
New Year’s Day Parade International Mime Festival London Art Fair
Lord Mayor’s Show Join the Lord Mayor’s procession, winding through 800 years of London history, when the newly elected Lord Mayor makes his way to the Royal Courts of Justice to pledge allegiance to the Crown. Enjoy the Show with 6,000 performers, 220 vehicles, 70 floats and 13 marching bands.
FEBRUARY
Chinese New Year Celebrations London Fashion Week Six Nations Rugby at Twickenham march
St Patrick’s Day Parade Affordable Art Fair april
London Marathon London Book Fair The Camden Crawl Vaisakhi Celebrations The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race may
June
Trooping the Colour City of London Festival London Literature Festival
The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition London Festival of Architecture Universities Week Camden Green Fair 14
www.studylondon.ac.uk
NOVEMBER London Jazz Festival Jazz enthusiasts and newcomers come together for an inspiring ten days of jazz, packed with everything from be-bop to beat-box. Take your pick of hundreds of concerts at over 50 venues and listen to some of the world’s best jazz music.
Source: Damian Searles
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships
Source: Clive Totman
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 London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Pride London August
Source: Visit London
Trafalgar Square Festival Carnaval del Pueblo Notting Hill Carnival London Triathlon London Mela
DECEMBER Christmas Carols in Trafalgar Square
september
Regent Street Festival Open House London London Design Festival Thames Festival London Fashion Week The Great River Race Brick Lane Festival
Listen to school and charity choirs as they help raise money for good causes each December. Carols are sung beneath the 20 metre tall Christmas tree donated by Norway every year since 1947 as a token of Norwegian and British friendship.
DECEMBER New Year’s Eve Fireworks
Source: Visit London
Countdown to the New Year with 250,000 people and enjoy a spectacular fireworks display against the backdrop of the London Eye and Houses of Parliament. Big Ben’s famous chimes start the celebrations at midnight making this free event a night to remember.
october
London Film Festival Eid Celebrations Frieze Art Fair Bloomsbury Festival Diwali Celebrations London Games Festival
JANUARY 2012 International Mime Festival
Lord Mayor’s Show London Jazz Festival State Opening of Parliament december Source: Mat Hennem
Challenge your expectations of mime with London’s guide to the best in contemporary, international visual theatre. Quietly enjoy performances at some of London’s most prestigious venues.
november
Carols in Trafalgar Square New Year’s Eve Fireworks Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
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LONDON’s hidden gems
In each edition we explore london’s unique treasures, specialist collectionS and resources. IN this edition we focus on THE MUSEUM OF LONDON.
The MAKING OF A WORLD CITY
Source: Museum of London
Lord Mayor’s State Coach at the Museum of London
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www.studylondon.ac.uk
You can enjoy a stroll through a reconstructed Victorian pleasure garden or even experience the inside of a debtor’s prison cell. In 2012 the Museum will lead the celebrations of Charles Dickens’s 200th birthday by recreating the atmosphere of Victorian London. Visitors will be able to listen to a haunting journey of sounds and see visual projections of London inspired by Dickens’s writing. Paintings, photographs and costumes will illustrate the themes Dickens wove into his works, while rarely seen manuscripts including Bleak House and David Copperfield, written in the author’s own hand, will offer clues to his creative genius. During your visit you’ll discover how Dickens’s childhood experience of working in a factory while his father was locked away in a debtor’s prison were introduced into the stories he wrote. The great social questions of the 19th century, including wealth,
Source: Public domain
he Museum of London has recently undergone a £20 million transformation with the introduction of amazing new galleries. The Museum tells the story of London from prehistoric times to the present day. Its new galleries add to this story and even predict the future of this great city. A new World City gallery portrays contemporary London. It examines how fashion and London’s multicultural population have changed over the last 50 years. An interactive river runs through architectural landmarks such as St Paul’s, the Gherkin and the new 2012 Olympic stadiums. The showpiece of the gallery is an enormous projection that looks to the future and visualizes how London’s ever-changing skyline might look with the addition of planned skyscrapers. The new galleries have increased the Museum’s space by 25 percent.
Charles Dickens (1850)
poverty, and philanthropy will also be examined, all of which set the scene for Dickens’s greatest works. Whether it’s the past or future, the Museum of London houses this great city’s history under one roof.
Find your university course in London at: www.studylondon.ac.uk
Alborz Hashemieh
BUSINESS STUDIES STUDENT FROM IRAN
torical“London is an his e you er modern city, wh and st pa th can find bo is me to on nd Lo future. e er wh d like my dream lan e th at you can study ion level.” highest educat
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