THE
BIGGER
PICTURE
Contents History of the University of Bedfordshire
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Our Investments
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Get to know your Town
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Student Support
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Internships & Volunteering
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Sport
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Clubs, Societies & Extra-curricular
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Go Global & Trips
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Scholarships
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History of the University of Bedfordshire Although a relatively new university, the University of Bedfordshire is an institution with a rich heritage, and academic roots across the county dating back to 1882. The University consists of 6 campuses: Luton, Bedford, Putteridge Bury, Butterfield, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury. The majority of teaching takes place on the Luton and Bedford campuses, whilst nursing and health courses are mainly based at the Butterfield and Buckinghamshire campuses. Luton Campus Luton is the biggest campus. Teaching has been delivered on this site, since Luton Modern School was established in 1908. Luton Technical Institute was soon founded in there in1937, later becoming, Luton College of Technology in 1958. The college merged with Putteridge Bury College of Education in 1976 and was renamed Luton College of Higher Education. Its final transition came in 1993, when the college became the University of Luton, after receiving university designation.
Bedford Campus The Bedford Campus has an even older history and has academic roots that go back to the founding of Bedford Training College for Teachers in 1882 and Bedford Physical Training College in 1903. The campus is now home to around 2,900 students and has excellent facilities, a friendly atmosphere and a proven track record of exceptional teaching and graduate employment.
For more details on all of our campuses and their location go to: http://www.beds.ac.uk/student-experience2/living-at-bedfordshire/locations
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Our Investments £180 million has been invested in campus development at the University of Bedfordshire in the last three years. Below are some of our newest buildings and facilities. The Library In July 2016, our new seven-floor library opened at our Luton Campus. Open 24/7, the building features a study hub, cafe, over 900 study spaces, 530 computers, and more. Visit the library’s microsite for more information.
Luton Campus Centre
Postgraduate Centre
Alexon Building
Our £34m Campus Centre is home to many departments, each with their own specialist facilities, such as the Law Moot Court, Biomedical Science and Forensics Labs, or Multi-camera HDTV and Radio Studios. It offers easy access to the PG centre and the Library so that everything you need is under one roof. Read more here.
We have a dedicated building for our Postgraduate students at our Luton Campus. Opened in 2013, the PG Centre features lecture theatres, quiet learning spaces, state-ofthe-art IT and AV equipment, and a lounge and cafe.
£3m was invested into our School of Art & Design. It opened at our Luton Campus in 2013. Facilities include a digital studio with 3D printers, a photo studio and darkroom, a range of workshop areas and state-of-theart fashion studio.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Gateway Building
Milton Keynes Campus
Sports Hall
Opened in January 2015, the three-storey building at the front of our Bedford campus features group study spaces, boardrooms, large conference and events spaces, an IT suite, and more. Read more here.
Our Milton Keynes Campus is our newest Campus. It’s equipped with top-quality audio, visual and ICT facilities, special and general purpose labs, various study areas, and more. Read more here.
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Our Sports Hall in Bedford received a £4m refurbishment in 2013. With a new playing surface and 300-seat capacity amongst other facilities, it now hosts national championship level sports and games. Read more here.
Get to know your Town When you come to study here, we do our best to make sure you can make the most out of your time as a student, no matter where you’re based. Your free time is important to us too, so we’ve put together a useful guide to fill you in on local places to go and things you might like to do. Our main campuses in Luton and Bedford have buzzing town centres and provide a great student lifestyle. We also have campuses based in the Buckinghamshire towns of Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, offering a blend of culture, clubs, and intercontinental cuisine. Click the image below to flick through our booklet which contains details on some of the most popular attractions in each town, as well as useful links and information about your options for accommodation.
Beyond your Town: The most exciting city in the UK, London, is on our doorstep, so you’ll also have the opportunity to experience its world-class entertainment, attractions, museums, festivals and more, without having to pay the cost of living there.
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Student Support International Office: Based at our Luton Campus, we have a dedicated team who offer all-round support for International Students. Check here for details.
PAD (Professional and Academic Development) Based on the Mezzanine floor of the new Library, the Study Hub contains a wide range of updated learning materials to assist you with your academic work.
Check here for details.
Students’ Union As well as running various programmes, societies and activities, the SU are also there to support you when you need it. They provide welfare and advice services, amongst other things.
Check here for details. SiD Our Student Information Desk (SiD) is your gateway to all available support services. Whatever the question or problem, they will listen and advise you. They have desks at every campus. Check here for details.
Chaplaincy, Counselling, Disability, Financial, and more: Our Student Support teams can offer advice and help you with a wide range of issues, including academic, financial, disability, mental health, religious, or counselling.
Check here for details.
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Internships and Volunteering During your studies you will make many useful contacts through networking with others. We know the great importance of gaining practical experience, knowledge and skills - that’s why we do our best to provide you with opportunities which will prepare you to compete in the dynamic global marketplace. We are committed to ensuring you have an experience that will continue to enrich both your personal and professional life after you graduate. Many of our courses include placements in industry so you have the chance to put your knowledge into practice, and we also work in partnership with many organisations to provide you with careers events hosted by industry experts. Internships: There are a range of internships available through the Internships Scheme, ranging between two and ten weeks. They offer the opportunites to experience work in a professional environment, improve your CV, and help you to build contacts outside of the university. http://www.beds.ac.uk/morethanadegree/extra-curricular/internship-scheme
Volunteering: You can meet new people, learn valuable skills and increase your employability through voluntary work. Our Students’ Union run numerous volunteering projects and work hard at matching your skills to the right opportunity. There are also a number of Beds SU and university-based organisations which you can get involved in, such as Radio LaB, Loud Magazine, or Bulls TV. Read more about the programme here: http://www.bedssu.co.uk/volunteer
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Sport Sport at the University of Bedfordshire is delivered in partnership with the Students’ Union. A comprehensive range of successful sports clubs run on both Luton and Bedford campuses. We’ve entered 51 teams into the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) league programme for the 2015-2016 season. Beds SU: http://www.bedssu.co.uk/sport
Get into Sport: Get into Sport is the University of Bedfordshire’s sport participation programme. It aims to get more students and staff involved in sport and physical activity whilst they are at the University. The scheme offers free membership which allows students and staff to attend any session on the timetable throughout the academic year. All the sessions are aimed at being non-competitive, in a fun, social and welcoming environment. A large variety of sports are offered across Luton, Bedford and Milton Keynes. The sessions run in the evenings and at weekends. To see the Session timetable and for contact and sign up information, click here.
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Clubs, Societies and Extra-curricular Clubs and Societies are a great way for you to meet like-minded people, and get involved in a range of beneficial and enjoyable exchanges and activities. We have a wide range of faith, academic, cultural and recreational societies, all of which are set up and run by students, so if you can’t find a group that takes your fancy, you can set up one of your own. For the full current list of societies, visit the Beds SU website.
Language Classes: All students have the chance to enhance their foreign languages skills alongside their normal academic studies. This unique scheme which started in 2015/16 and will continue in 2016/17, offers students the opportunity to learn Arabic, German, Spanish or Mandarin for a discounted fee of ÂŁ50 for an 18 week package. Each language will run, so long as there is a viable class of at least 12-15 students. http://www.beds.ac.uk/morethanadegree/ co-curricular/learn-a-language
Treehouse & SeedBeds: We have Community and Faith Centres in both Luton and Bedford, which support and welcome all religions, beliefs and backgrounds. Treehouse and SeedBeds both offer a range of spiritual and social activities, and space for reflection and prayer. They host Film and Games nights, Workshops, Open mic nights, Storytelling and Union meetings, guitar lessons, and more. http://www.beds.ac.uk/faiths/about
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Go Global & Other Trips Go Global
Each year, the University of Bedfordshire’s International Office runs a programme for UK and EU students to travel to life-changing destinations such as China (Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou), Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, New York and India. It includes a mix of cultural and academic enrichment, whilst offering students a fantastic and unique experience. Visit: www.beds.ac.uk/goglobal
Europe Trips
Our International students have the exclusive opportunity to visit one of many popular European cities through our Europe Trips programme. We’ve visited Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Switzerland and Brussels.
The University’s International Office also runs a fantastic Social Events Programme for all students, which includes various day trips around the UK at discounted prices, to places such as Oxford, London, Cambridge, Brighton, Stratford-upon-Avon, Thorpe Park, and more. Each year, we create a schedule of historical, cultural and recreational locations to compliment your academic studies. www.beds.ac.uk/international/trips-and-go-global
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UK Day Trips
Scholarships
EU students:
Welcome Scholarships of £500 per year are available to all first year EU national undergraduate students, domiciled in the EU. Merit Scholarships of £800 per year are available to all first year EU national undergraduate students, domiciled in the EU who meet the academic requirements (please refer to webpage: http://www.beds.ac.uk/international/international-applications/fees-and-scholarships for the requirements per EU country).
All undergraduate and postgraduate EU national applicants are entitled to apply for finance to cover fees from Student Finance England (SFE) – please refer to http://www.slc.co.uk. The Government have confirmed that that EU Students starting courses in academic years 2017/18 and 2018/19 will be eligible for loans for the duration of their course. You can read the full statement regarding this, of Vice Chancellor Bill Rammell here.
International Students:
All international undergraduate and postgraduate applicants who register for their course will be entitled to a Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship. There are also a number of merit scholarships available. For details of the level of Vice Chancellor Scholarship available and if there are merit scholarships available, please consult your country page on the international section of the website.
Sport Scholarships:
There are a range of sport coaching and performance scholarships available to talented students. Please see the following link for full details: http://www.slc.co.uk/ You can also read about each available Sport Scholarship through these individual links:
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Platinum Performance Platinum Coach / Official Gold Performance Gold Coach / Official
Talented Performer
International Office University Square Luton Bedfordshire LU1 3JU United Kingdom
www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Date of Publication: July 2016 Updated: May 2017