fifty one degres north issue 4
DESCRIPTION
Issue 4 of fiftyone degrees north features information about the Research Assessment Exercise, scholarships and a giraffe.TRANSCRIPT
Every year,ourinternational scholarshipshelp students from aroundthe world with theircourse fees.This year wewill be making 23 awardsof £3000 each.
4 fiftyone°north Spring 2009
fiftyone°northbrunel life
[email protected] SPRING 2009
0°WEST
Brunel INTERNATIONAL
PAGE 1Research fundingincrease
PAGE 2Discover yourpath to Brunel
PAGE 3Brunel professorinvents gravity
PAGE 4Brunel exchangestudent winsdesign award
fiftyone° north was brought to you by Brunel International, a team at BrunelUniversity dedicated to supporting international students in their studies.
Words: Pete Greenfield Images: Sally Trussler Design: Helen TaylorTo contact the editorial team, please email [email protected]
Research fundingincreases by 54%Conducted every seven years,this national survey evaluatesthe quality of researchundertaken by British HigherEducation institutions.Thefindings then determineGovernment funding ofUniversities for the nextseven-year period.
Brunel’s funding increase is seven times thenational average, following a concertedeffort to build up world class researchcapabilities in the University and attract thebest talent.82% of research was recognised by the
RAE as being of “international standing” –and 10% of staff achieved the top 4 starrating, which ranks their work as “worldleading”.The University is now ranked 37th
Brunel University’s research funding has increased by 54% to nearly £13 millionfor 2009/2010 as a result of the latest ResearchAssessment Exercise (RAE).
The awards are open to internationalstudents beginning full-time degreecourses in September 2009. A panel willselect the scholars, based on an 800-1000word essay they submit with theirapplication.The closing date for scholarship
applications is 5pm GMT, 27th May 2009.We cannot consider applications receivedafter this date.
2008/2009 scholars and the Vice Chancellor
2009/2010 scholarships...
...apply now
a touch of
Hollywoodmagic
Every year Brunelorganises a OneWorldWeek to celebrate thediverse internationalcommunity we have at theUniversity.
This year’s event was bigger andbetter than ever, withinternational food stalls andcookery events, a Chinese NewYear Lion dance, flamencodancers, music, art and sportscontests, to name just a few of theattractions.Departments around the
University were also invited todecorate their offices for a
competition called “Colours ofthe World”. At BrunelInternational we used “Aroundthe World in 80 Days” as ourtheme and decorated each officeto represent a different nation.Of course, we won – and we’d
like to thank all the internationalstudents who helped with thedecorations, food and props!
one world
See page two for the story...
comes to Brunel
Brunel student,Thomas Etheridge,from Suffolk,has won a prestigiousinternational design award whilststudying on an exchangeprogramme at San Francisco StateUniversity,California .
Thomas, who is in the third year of hisIndustrial Design Degree course, travelled toCalifornia last August to spend the whole2008/2009 academic year studying there.He was one of eleven winners in the
prestigious International House Warescompetition, which attracted 207 entries fromdesign schools around the world.The product he submitted, called H2Aid, is
a small device that measures the temperatureof bath water. Indicator lights show when thewater is safe so it is ideal for children orpeople with a reduced sense of touch.His design, which received an HonourableMention, will be permanently displayed in theChicago Design Fair.
For more details about Brunel’s exchange programmes, please visitwww.brunel.ac.uk/international/exchangestudents
Tom is not the only Brunel student to bemaking waves on the other side of the pond .Fellow Brunel exchange student, StephanieFox, has been acting as the International co-chair and publicist for the IEEC(International Education Exchange Council).Stephanie marketed the recent TourneesFrench film festival by designing hundreds offlyers to advertise throughout the city of SanFrancisco. She has also been putting hercreative talents to good use, creating a trophyfor an IEEC international student footballtournament out of newspaper, papier-macheand a glass jar.Another Brunel exchange student, Joe
Snowdon, has been working as an officialphotographer for the SFSU UniversityCampus Journal.Brunel runs a growing exchange
programme with University partnersworldwide, providing opportunities for ourown students to study overseas and for othersto spend time here in London.
Exchange student winsprestigious design award Russian
TV starvisits BrunelDmitry Krylov has beenpresenting his travelprogramme,NeptuevyeZametki,on RussiannetworkTV since 1996and a recent programmebrought him to BrunelUniversity.
He and his crew were makingfilms about living and studyingin London, so the BrunelInternational team arranged atour of the University for him,along with a series of interviews.Brunel student, Larisa, from
Russia, was asked to help outwith the tour and was eveninterviewed on camera – she wasthrilled to come face-to-face withDmitry, who is a big celebrity inher country.
Family Clubopens at BrunelBrunel International has launched thenew Brunel Family Club to help thefamilies of international studentssettle in and get the most out of theirtime at Brunel.
Events for the spring have so far included anEaster Egg hunt for children and cookeryclasses, where club members can sharefavourite home recipes with each other. Clubmembership is free.English language classes will also be
provided for families and the club organiser,Filiz Oztanriverdi from the International team,is on hand at events to answer any questionspeople might have about living in the UK.Mrs Barbara Jenks, wife of the Vice
Chancellor, is patron of the club andenthusiastic about its aims. “We do a lot to helpour international students settle in and it’s vitalwe make their families feel at home as well”.
New events and services are being added all thetime; if you would like to know the latest newsabout the club, [email protected]
How long have you worked forBrunel?Almost five years now. I started as‘International AdmissionsManager’, but in November 2008 Ibecame ‘Partnerships AdmissionsManager and InternationalMarketing Manager ~Africa’. I amhaving especially extendedbusiness cards made for me!What does your job entail?Well, half my time is spent onlooking after the applications wereceive fromAcademic PartnerInstitutions and collaborators acrossthe globe. Another half is aboutraising the profile of Brunel inAfrica and advising students. Andthe third half is statistical analysisand reports. As you can tell, it’s abusy job!.What do you most like about it?Seeing students that I might havemet in their own country, orthrough e-mail conversations,arrive at Brunel to study. They gothrough a lot to get here – finance,visa applications, travel – and I amglad if I played some small part inhelping them achieve their dreams.What do you think of living nearLondon?I love the fact that it is a city ofmany layers, and can be as fast oras slow as you want to take it. Youcan have the vibrant West End, orthe terraces of White Hart Lane,you can relax on Hampstead Heath,
International team profile
Diane
Weston,BrightonPatrick
or spend an afternoon on theThames or at a fantastic museum.Who is your favourite singer orband?I like most genres and musicalstyles, but if pushed, my favouritesinger of all time is ‘David Bowie’,favourite band of all time is ‘TheKinks’, favourite live performancewas by Dionne Warwick at theTower of London, most likely toplay in the car ‘Half Man, HalfBiscuit’.What is your favourite foodand why?Anything my wife makes! She is astar, and makes the most inventivevegetarian Vietnamese cuisine. Mycolleagues at work look on withenvy when I bring something shehas made in for lunch. I couldnever go back to cheesesandwiches.What's your favouritedestination?For crystal seas, glorious beaches,great food, and total relaxation,Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam.And what's the most interestingthing you've seen?The remains of ancient Cartage inTunisia, home of ‘Dido’, (that’squeen of Cartage, not the singer.)and ‘Hannibal’ and the thirdbiggest city in the Roman Empire.Still looks amazing despite the bestefforts of the Vandals (AD439).
There’s only
As in previous years, there was a hugearray of events on campus,celebratingthe richness and diversity of the Brunelcommunity.One highlight was the livingstatue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, thefamousVictorian engineer that theUniversity is named after.
overall in the UK Research Power rankings.Vice Chancellor Professor Chris Jenks, said:“Today’s news marks yet another, excitingmilestone for Brunel and is the perfect rewardfor the dedicated researchers we have here,from around the world”.The additional funding will be invested in
the further expansion of the University’sresearch facilities and programmes. If youwould like to know more about our researchactivities, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/research
To be considered for a Scholarship you musthave an offer from us, so make sure you applyfor your course at Brunel soon so you haveenough time to enter for the scholarshipprogramme.For more details and to apply for one
online, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international and followthe links. You can also contact us for help [email protected]
In January, Brunelcelebrated itsannual One WorldWeek festival...
See inside for more aboutOne World Week
Job prospects in the UK ...find out more on page two
51deg north-spring 09 30/4/09 13:41 Page 1
Spring 2009 fiftyone°north 32 fiftyone°north Spring 2009
If you have more questionsabout any aspect of studying at Brunelthen we would love to hear from you:
Application enquiries:[email protected]
Accommodation enquiries:[email protected]
General enquiries:[email protected]
Foundation and Englishlanguage courses:[email protected]
Or check us out online atwww.brunel.ac.uk/international
contactus
schoolfocusSocial SciencesBrunel’s School of Social Sciences brings together Economics andFinance, Social Anthropology, Politics and History, Psychology andSociology and Communications into one vibrant centre of expertise.Combining research-intensive courses with a strong internationaloutlook, the School offers undergraduate and postgraduateprogrammes taught by leaders in their respective fields.Postgraduate courses in fields such as Finance andAccounting,
Media and Communications and Intelligence and Security Studieshave long proved popular with international students, professionalsand employers alike.
A thriving research communityand PhD programme meanwhilesupports many academicsundertaking pioneering work;work that informs the continuousdevelopment and improvementof courses.Amongst the new courses for
2009/2010 are MScs inEvolutionary Psychology andHealth Psychology, an MA inModern World History and anMSc in Economic and FinancialDevelopment.
Sport and EducationBrunel University is renowned for excellence in Sportand Education, thanks to a thriving research communitythat feeds the highly respected undergraduate andpostgraduate programmes on offer.
The School is one of the UK’s leading centres for teacher educationand has a teacher education programme rated as “outstanding” byOFSTED. The MAEducation is a thriving course that can be tailoredfully to meet the needs of international students wishing to engage witheducation in their home countries. A new BA in ContemporaryEducation, due to begin in September, is aimed at students who wantto work in the broad field of formal and informal education systems.
Sport meanwhile combines globallyrenowned research centres in SportsScience and Sports Education withworld class sports facilities andresearch-based teaching. Graduatesgo on to many sports careers, fromcoaching, youth work and researchto journalism, sports managementand consultancy.A new Sports and Geography
BSc, also due to begin in September,will equip students for thechallenges that arise in developinginfrastructure for major events suchas the London Olympics.
Whatever the weather...
Brunel Professorinvents Gravity!Emeritus Professor of Bioengineering at BrunelUniversity,Professor HeinzWolff,has developeda new physics-based game for the NintendoWii,DS Lite and PC.
The global recession can befelt everywhere,butInternational MarketingOfficer Shani Bishop recentlytravelled to India with theBritish Council to explainthat there are still goodprospects for high achievinggraduates in the UK.
During a series of presentations tostudents in Hyderabad, Chennai andDelhi, she pointed out that graduateunemployment is considerably lowerthan average UK figures.Although companies may be
reducing places, many are stilladvertising opportunities for
Released in early March, the new game challenges players tomanipulate objects, build structures and use the laws ofphysics to complete over 100 tasks.As well as providing a good introduction to mechanics and
physics, the game is great fun for all ages and even includesan animated Professor Wolff to provide hints and tips.Professor Wolff is already well-known to British TV
audiences as he has presented various scientific programmes,including The Great Egg Race and Young Scientist of theYear.He will use the proceeds from the game to help fund his
current research into using technology to make life better forolder people.
According to the professionals the UK has just beenthrough its coldest winter in 13 years (although ourstudents from colder climates such as Russia andKazakhstan did wonder what all the fuss was about).Conditions were especially icy in February when
much of the UK, including the centre of London, wascovered in a thick blanket of snow, blocking many ofthe country’s roads and rail lines. Snow is a rare sight insouthern England so many were taken by surprise.With studies temporarily suspended, many Brunel
students took the opportunity to build snowmen or havesnowball fights. For some students it was their firstexperience of snow!Brunel International asked students to send in
photographs of what they did when it snowed – we hadso many responses we started a competition withstudents voting for their favourite image. You can seeour favourite entries on the Brunel InternationalFacebook page.
For more details please go towww.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sss
The Brunel International teamhas created a guide to the newstudent visa regulations thatcome into force in the UK on31st March 2009.Non-EU/EEA students must gain40 points in the new system tostudy and live in the UK. Theseare earned by proving you have aformal offer to study from arecognised institution and byshowing that you have the fundsto pay for your tuition and livingexpenses.
Hollywood actor opensnew arts buildingOn 15 February a touch of Hollywood glamour came toBrunel when actor Steven Berkoff, star of films such asRambo and Clockwork Orange (which was partly filmedat Brunel),opened the newAntoninArtaudArts Building.
£3 million has been spent on refurbishing the University’s old boilerhouse to provide fantastic arts facilities that include theatres, arecording studio, rehearsal rooms and anAVID video editing suite.It isn’t just students at the School of Arts who can be creative,
however. Both theSchool and theseparate ArtsCentre run a rangeof activities that areopen to all studentswishing to take partin creative activitiesin their spare time.Dr Bill Leahy,
Head of the Schoolof Arts commented:“This is an excitingaddition that willreally enrich thecreative life of theUniversity, as wellas support ourmany courses,including Drama,Music, English andJournalism”.
To find out more about the Arts at Brunel, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/life/arts
Economicsand FinanceDevelopmentMScAs a result of the global bankingcrisis, understanding andregulating financial markets willbe a far more important aspect ofeconomic development as theworld moves forward. Brunel islaunching a new, one-year, full-time MSc programme to addressthe new challenges.Commencing in September, it
combines economic and financialdevelopment into an integratedseries of taught modules, afterwhich students complete adissertation. It is intended especiallyfor those considering a career oralready working in regulation,policy-making or similar fields ofeconomic development, in the UKor worldwide.
Digital SignalProcessing MScDigital Signal Processing or DSPtechnology is vital to many oftoday’s high tech products andservices. The demand for skilledDSP engineers is high, which iswhy Brunel University haslaunched this new MSc.Led by Course Director, Dr
Jonathon Loo, the course combinesadvanced theoretical study withextensive practical coaching in thedesign, modelling, implementationand evaluation of DSP systems.The course is available on a one-
year, full-time or two-year, part-timebasis. Students need to completeeight taught modules, followed by afour-month dissertation project.Specialist teaching is provided in
applying DSP to multimedia,telecommunications, biomedical andintelligent signal processing – sostudents can practise their new skillsin four of DSP’s biggest growthareas.Texas Instruments is supporting
the course and has generouslydonated its latest and most advancedDSP software (TMS320C6416TDSK) and equipment (CodeComposer Studio IDE).For further details about the coursevisitwww.brunel.ac.uk
graduates. They understand thatthey need to continue employinggraduates to avoid a “lostgeneration” of managers later on.The news in engineering is evenbrighter, with engineering graduaterecruitment up by 8% in recentfigures. The demand formultilingual graduates is also high,giving international students thechance to showcase their languageskills.“At Brunel, we have a team of 30
people whose job it is to help ourstudents and new graduates findplacements and jobs. “We’re alsoone of only four Universities in theUK to run an international careersfair. It’s usually attended bycompanies from around the worldand by UK companies operatingoverseas.” Shani also advised heraudiences to think ahead. “Workexperience is key but studentsshould be prepared to build thisgradually. If you’re coming as aPostgraduate for one year and arrivein October then you need to attendrecruitment fairs as early aspossible. It can take time to find theright job, particularly in today’scompetitive environment” It is vital,also to think carefully about whichemployers will really value yourskills and experience and be realisticin targeting your applications. Towatch the presentations online go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international/watch
In Britain you will find everyone seems to be talking about the weather allthe time.But perhaps that’s only to be expected with such variation…
Brunel publishes a guide tonew visa requirements
You can find the guide atwww.brunel.ac.uk/international/immigration
Find out more:Foundation Course: www.brunel.ac.uk/international/iife Pre-Master’s Course: www.brunel.ac.uk/international/iiped
Last Year’s IPLC graduates celebrate on campus
Brunel University’sInternational Pathways andLanguage Centre (IPLC)provides you witheverything you need tosatisfy the English languagerequirements of yourcourse and makes theperfect start to youracademic life at Brunel
BRUNEL ENGLISH LANGUAGETESTIf you need to prove your Englishlevel but do not hold an IELTS orTOEFL certificate you can take theBrunel English Language Test.Held at our Uxbridge campus, ittests your English reading, writing,speaking and listening skills.
The test lasts for approximatelyfour hours and costs £85 perperson. There are regular testingdays throughout the spring andsummer. To book please go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international/englishcourses/englishtest/testform
PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH COURSESWe run a variety of intensiveEnglish courses for people who holdconditional or unconditional offersfrom the University. Depending onyour current language skills, you canbook a course lasting from 5 to 20weeks (the 20-week course beginson 22April).
Study groups are kept to amaximum of 14 people andconcentrate on academic English,
with additional tuition in studyskills such as extended essaywriting and lecture note-taking.There are also excursions to placesof interest so you can get to knowabout the UK.Anwer Al-Dulaimi, a PhD
student in the School ofEngineering and Design, took apre-sessional course and told us:“Although I studied English formany years, Brunel let me do morewithin 10 weeks than I had everdone before. There weremagnificent study resources,brilliant, friendly teachers andpersonal language support for eachstudent. I think that all prospectiveinternational students should takethe opportunity to join thisprogramme”.
INTENSIVE INTERNATIONALFOUNDATION AND PRE-MASTER’S IN ENGINEERINGIf you want to apply for anUndergraduate or Masters degreein Engineering or Design but don’tquite meet the academic or EnglishLanguage entry requirements, thenour intensive courses could be justwhat you are looking for. These14-week courses offer specialistmodules relating to your degree aswell as academic English classesand a social Programme.Successful completion of theFoundation or Pre-mastersguarantees entry onto your chosendegree course. Our next intake isin June 2009 for September2009 entry onto your degreeprogramme.
Discover your pathway to Brunel
Graduate prospects stillgood in the UK
For more details please go towww.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sseBrunelAthletes takethe CrownBrunel’sAthletics team haswon both the Men’s andWomen’s competitions at theBritish Universities andColleges Sport Championshipsin Sheffield.This doublevictory marks a first for theteam as although they havewon both the Men’s andWomen’s competitions in thepast, this is the first year theyhave triumphed in both at thesame time.
Brunel will hope to replicate theirindoor success over a wider range ofevents in the BUCS OutdoorChampionships this May.
The regulations, which areknown as “Tier 4”, apply to newvisa applicants and to internationalstudents already in the UK whowish to extend their visas.Rachael Elliot, Head of
International Student Services,commented: “These new visaregulations are nothing to worryabout, but it is important you getyour application right to avoiddelays and additional expense.”“This is why we have set up a
guide on-line which explainseverything you need to know”.
New online application system for postgraduatesThe 2008/9 academic year saw the launch of a new online application system forpostgraduates wishing to pursue taught and research programmes here at Brunel.
Using the system, you can uploadelectronic copies of your researchproposal, qualifications, references,CV and other supportinginformation, before completing therest of your application on screen.
Because you have your own secureaccount, you can log in any time toamend or add information or tocheck on progress – and you canstill appoint an international agentfor support in your own country.
Brunel is expecting to createmany new opportunities forpostgraduates following its ResearchAssessment Exercise success.There has never been a better timeto apply!
Meanwhile, April has seen the sun make a welcomereappearance and the Hub bar has begun servingstudents at its Balcony Barbeque. The Hub is one ofseveral bars/restaurants on campus and is convenientlylocated just across from the library should students feellike a break from studying. The first floor open airbalcony offers the perfect place for people to sit andrelax in the warm weather. The BBQ runs every weekday throughout the summer from 12 to half six,offering a range of tastyfreshly cookedAberdeenAngus burgers, chickenbreast, gourmet sausagesand stir fried vegetables.Everyone on campus ishoping the sun continuesbut the one thing youcan be sure of inEngland about theweather is you neverknow what willhappen next!
51deg north-spring 09 30/4/09 13:41 Page 3
Spring 2009 fiftyone°north 32 fiftyone°north Spring 2009
If you have more questionsabout any aspect of studying at Brunelthen we would love to hear from you:
Application enquiries:[email protected]
Accommodation enquiries:[email protected]
General enquiries:[email protected]
Foundation and Englishlanguage courses:[email protected]
Or check us out online atwww.brunel.ac.uk/international
contactus
schoolfocusSocial SciencesBrunel’s School of Social Sciences brings together Economics andFinance, Social Anthropology, Politics and History, Psychology andSociology and Communications into one vibrant centre of expertise.Combining research-intensive courses with a strong internationaloutlook, the School offers undergraduate and postgraduateprogrammes taught by leaders in their respective fields.Postgraduate courses in fields such as Finance andAccounting,
Media and Communications and Intelligence and Security Studieshave long proved popular with international students, professionalsand employers alike.
A thriving research communityand PhD programme meanwhilesupports many academicsundertaking pioneering work;work that informs the continuousdevelopment and improvementof courses.Amongst the new courses for
2009/2010 are MScs inEvolutionary Psychology andHealth Psychology, an MA inModern World History and anMSc in Economic and FinancialDevelopment.
Sport and EducationBrunel University is renowned for excellence in Sportand Education, thanks to a thriving research communitythat feeds the highly respected undergraduate andpostgraduate programmes on offer.
The School is one of the UK’s leading centres for teacher educationand has a teacher education programme rated as “outstanding” byOFSTED. The MAEducation is a thriving course that can be tailoredfully to meet the needs of international students wishing to engage witheducation in their home countries. A new BA in ContemporaryEducation, due to begin in September, is aimed at students who wantto work in the broad field of formal and informal education systems.
Sport meanwhile combines globallyrenowned research centres in SportsScience and Sports Education withworld class sports facilities andresearch-based teaching. Graduatesgo on to many sports careers, fromcoaching, youth work and researchto journalism, sports managementand consultancy.A new Sports and Geography
BSc, also due to begin in September,will equip students for thechallenges that arise in developinginfrastructure for major events suchas the London Olympics.
Whatever the weather...
Brunel Professorinvents Gravity!Emeritus Professor of Bioengineering at BrunelUniversity,Professor HeinzWolff,has developeda new physics-based game for the NintendoWii,DS Lite and PC.
The global recession can befelt everywhere,butInternational MarketingOfficer Shani Bishop recentlytravelled to India with theBritish Council to explainthat there are still goodprospects for high achievinggraduates in the UK.
During a series of presentations tostudents in Hyderabad, Chennai andDelhi, she pointed out that graduateunemployment is considerably lowerthan average UK figures.Although companies may be
reducing places, many are stilladvertising opportunities for
Released in early March, the new game challenges players tomanipulate objects, build structures and use the laws ofphysics to complete over 100 tasks.As well as providing a good introduction to mechanics and
physics, the game is great fun for all ages and even includesan animated Professor Wolff to provide hints and tips.Professor Wolff is already well-known to British TV
audiences as he has presented various scientific programmes,including The Great Egg Race and Young Scientist of theYear.He will use the proceeds from the game to help fund his
current research into using technology to make life better forolder people.
According to the professionals the UK has just beenthrough its coldest winter in 13 years (although ourstudents from colder climates such as Russia andKazakhstan did wonder what all the fuss was about).Conditions were especially icy in February when
much of the UK, including the centre of London, wascovered in a thick blanket of snow, blocking many ofthe country’s roads and rail lines. Snow is a rare sight insouthern England so many were taken by surprise.With studies temporarily suspended, many Brunel
students took the opportunity to build snowmen or havesnowball fights. For some students it was their firstexperience of snow!Brunel International asked students to send in
photographs of what they did when it snowed – we hadso many responses we started a competition withstudents voting for their favourite image. You can seeour favourite entries on the Brunel InternationalFacebook page.
For more details please go towww.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sss
The Brunel International teamhas created a guide to the newstudent visa regulations thatcome into force in the UK on31st March 2009.Non-EU/EEA students must gain40 points in the new system tostudy and live in the UK. Theseare earned by proving you have aformal offer to study from arecognised institution and byshowing that you have the fundsto pay for your tuition and livingexpenses.
Hollywood actor opensnew arts buildingOn 15 February a touch of Hollywood glamour came toBrunel when actor Steven Berkoff, star of films such asRambo and Clockwork Orange (which was partly filmedat Brunel),opened the newAntoninArtaudArts Building.
£3 million has been spent on refurbishing the University’s old boilerhouse to provide fantastic arts facilities that include theatres, arecording studio, rehearsal rooms and anAVID video editing suite.It isn’t just students at the School of Arts who can be creative,
however. Both theSchool and theseparate ArtsCentre run a rangeof activities that areopen to all studentswishing to take partin creative activitiesin their spare time.Dr Bill Leahy,
Head of the Schoolof Arts commented:“This is an excitingaddition that willreally enrich thecreative life of theUniversity, as wellas support ourmany courses,including Drama,Music, English andJournalism”.
To find out more about the Arts at Brunel, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/life/arts
Economicsand FinanceDevelopmentMScAs a result of the global bankingcrisis, understanding andregulating financial markets willbe a far more important aspect ofeconomic development as theworld moves forward. Brunel islaunching a new, one-year, full-time MSc programme to addressthe new challenges.Commencing in September, it
combines economic and financialdevelopment into an integratedseries of taught modules, afterwhich students complete adissertation. It is intended especiallyfor those considering a career oralready working in regulation,policy-making or similar fields ofeconomic development, in the UKor worldwide.
Digital SignalProcessing MScDigital Signal Processing or DSPtechnology is vital to many oftoday’s high tech products andservices. The demand for skilledDSP engineers is high, which iswhy Brunel University haslaunched this new MSc.Led by Course Director, Dr
Jonathon Loo, the course combinesadvanced theoretical study withextensive practical coaching in thedesign, modelling, implementationand evaluation of DSP systems.The course is available on a one-
year, full-time or two-year, part-timebasis. Students need to completeeight taught modules, followed by afour-month dissertation project.Specialist teaching is provided in
applying DSP to multimedia,telecommunications, biomedical andintelligent signal processing – sostudents can practise their new skillsin four of DSP’s biggest growthareas.Texas Instruments is supporting
the course and has generouslydonated its latest and most advancedDSP software (TMS320C6416TDSK) and equipment (CodeComposer Studio IDE).For further details about the coursevisitwww.brunel.ac.uk
graduates. They understand thatthey need to continue employinggraduates to avoid a “lostgeneration” of managers later on.The news in engineering is evenbrighter, with engineering graduaterecruitment up by 8% in recentfigures. The demand formultilingual graduates is also high,giving international students thechance to showcase their languageskills.“At Brunel, we have a team of 30
people whose job it is to help ourstudents and new graduates findplacements and jobs. “We’re alsoone of only four Universities in theUK to run an international careersfair. It’s usually attended bycompanies from around the worldand by UK companies operatingoverseas.” Shani also advised heraudiences to think ahead. “Workexperience is key but studentsshould be prepared to build thisgradually. If you’re coming as aPostgraduate for one year and arrivein October then you need to attendrecruitment fairs as early aspossible. It can take time to find theright job, particularly in today’scompetitive environment” It is vital,also to think carefully about whichemployers will really value yourskills and experience and be realisticin targeting your applications. Towatch the presentations online go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international/watch
In Britain you will find everyone seems to be talking about the weather allthe time.But perhaps that’s only to be expected with such variation…
Brunel publishes a guide tonew visa requirements
You can find the guide atwww.brunel.ac.uk/international/immigration
Find out more:Foundation Course: www.brunel.ac.uk/international/iife Pre-Master’s Course: www.brunel.ac.uk/international/iiped
Last Year’s IPLC graduates celebrate on campus
Brunel University’sInternational Pathways andLanguage Centre (IPLC)provides you witheverything you need tosatisfy the English languagerequirements of yourcourse and makes theperfect start to youracademic life at Brunel
BRUNEL ENGLISH LANGUAGETESTIf you need to prove your Englishlevel but do not hold an IELTS orTOEFL certificate you can take theBrunel English Language Test.Held at our Uxbridge campus, ittests your English reading, writing,speaking and listening skills.
The test lasts for approximatelyfour hours and costs £85 perperson. There are regular testingdays throughout the spring andsummer. To book please go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international/englishcourses/englishtest/testform
PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH COURSESWe run a variety of intensiveEnglish courses for people who holdconditional or unconditional offersfrom the University. Depending onyour current language skills, you canbook a course lasting from 5 to 20weeks (the 20-week course beginson 22April).
Study groups are kept to amaximum of 14 people andconcentrate on academic English,
with additional tuition in studyskills such as extended essaywriting and lecture note-taking.There are also excursions to placesof interest so you can get to knowabout the UK.Anwer Al-Dulaimi, a PhD
student in the School ofEngineering and Design, took apre-sessional course and told us:“Although I studied English formany years, Brunel let me do morewithin 10 weeks than I had everdone before. There weremagnificent study resources,brilliant, friendly teachers andpersonal language support for eachstudent. I think that all prospectiveinternational students should takethe opportunity to join thisprogramme”.
INTENSIVE INTERNATIONALFOUNDATION AND PRE-MASTER’S IN ENGINEERINGIf you want to apply for anUndergraduate or Masters degreein Engineering or Design but don’tquite meet the academic or EnglishLanguage entry requirements, thenour intensive courses could be justwhat you are looking for. These14-week courses offer specialistmodules relating to your degree aswell as academic English classesand a social Programme.Successful completion of theFoundation or Pre-mastersguarantees entry onto your chosendegree course. Our next intake isin June 2009 for September2009 entry onto your degreeprogramme.
Discover your pathway to Brunel
Graduate prospects stillgood in the UK
For more details please go towww.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sseBrunelAthletes takethe CrownBrunel’sAthletics team haswon both the Men’s andWomen’s competitions at theBritish Universities andColleges Sport Championshipsin Sheffield.This doublevictory marks a first for theteam as although they havewon both the Men’s andWomen’s competitions in thepast, this is the first year theyhave triumphed in both at thesame time.
Brunel will hope to replicate theirindoor success over a wider range ofevents in the BUCS OutdoorChampionships this May.
The regulations, which areknown as “Tier 4”, apply to newvisa applicants and to internationalstudents already in the UK whowish to extend their visas.Rachael Elliot, Head of
International Student Services,commented: “These new visaregulations are nothing to worryabout, but it is important you getyour application right to avoiddelays and additional expense.”“This is why we have set up a
guide on-line which explainseverything you need to know”.
New online application system for postgraduatesThe 2008/9 academic year saw the launch of a new online application system forpostgraduates wishing to pursue taught and research programmes here at Brunel.
Using the system, you can uploadelectronic copies of your researchproposal, qualifications, references,CV and other supportinginformation, before completing therest of your application on screen.
Because you have your own secureaccount, you can log in any time toamend or add information or tocheck on progress – and you canstill appoint an international agentfor support in your own country.
Brunel is expecting to createmany new opportunities forpostgraduates following its ResearchAssessment Exercise success.There has never been a better timeto apply!
Meanwhile, April has seen the sun make a welcomereappearance and the Hub bar has begun servingstudents at its Balcony Barbeque. The Hub is one ofseveral bars/restaurants on campus and is convenientlylocated just across from the library should students feellike a break from studying. The first floor open airbalcony offers the perfect place for people to sit andrelax in the warm weather. The BBQ runs every weekday throughout the summer from 12 to half six,offering a range of tastyfreshly cookedAberdeenAngus burgers, chickenbreast, gourmet sausagesand stir fried vegetables.Everyone on campus ishoping the sun continuesbut the one thing youcan be sure of inEngland about theweather is you neverknow what willhappen next!
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Every year,ourinternational scholarshipshelp students from aroundthe world with theircourse fees.This year wewill be making 23 awardsof £3000 each.
4 fiftyone°north Spring 2009
fiftyone°northbrunel life
[email protected] SPRING 2009
0°WEST
Brunel INTERNATIONAL
PAGE 1Research fundingincrease
PAGE 2Discover yourpath to Brunel
PAGE 3Brunel professorinvents gravity
PAGE 4Brunel exchangestudent winsdesign award
fiftyone° north was brought to you by Brunel International, a team at BrunelUniversity dedicated to supporting international students in their studies.
Words: Pete Greenfield Images: Sally Trussler Design: Helen TaylorTo contact the editorial team, please email [email protected]
Research fundingincreases by 54%Conducted every seven years,this national survey evaluatesthe quality of researchundertaken by British HigherEducation institutions.Thefindings then determineGovernment funding ofUniversities for the nextseven-year period.
Brunel’s funding increase is seven times thenational average, following a concertedeffort to build up world class researchcapabilities in the University and attract thebest talent.82% of research was recognised by the
RAE as being of “international standing” –and 10% of staff achieved the top 4 starrating, which ranks their work as “worldleading”.The University is now ranked 37th
Brunel University’s research funding has increased by 54% to nearly £13 millionfor 2009/2010 as a result of the latest ResearchAssessment Exercise (RAE).
The awards are open to internationalstudents beginning full-time degreecourses in September 2009. A panel willselect the scholars, based on an 800-1000word essay they submit with theirapplication.The closing date for scholarship
applications is 5pm GMT, 27th May 2009.We cannot consider applications receivedafter this date.
2008/2009 scholars and the Vice Chancellor
2009/2010 scholarships...
...apply now
a touch of
Hollywoodmagic
Every year Brunelorganises a OneWorldWeek to celebrate thediverse internationalcommunity we have at theUniversity.
This year’s event was bigger andbetter than ever, withinternational food stalls andcookery events, a Chinese NewYear Lion dance, flamencodancers, music, art and sportscontests, to name just a few of theattractions.Departments around the
University were also invited todecorate their offices for a
competition called “Colours ofthe World”. At BrunelInternational we used “Aroundthe World in 80 Days” as ourtheme and decorated each officeto represent a different nation.Of course, we won – and we’d
like to thank all the internationalstudents who helped with thedecorations, food and props!
one world
See page two for the story...
comes to Brunel
Brunel student,Thomas Etheridge,from Suffolk,has won a prestigiousinternational design award whilststudying on an exchangeprogramme at San Francisco StateUniversity,California .
Thomas, who is in the third year of hisIndustrial Design Degree course, travelled toCalifornia last August to spend the whole2008/2009 academic year studying there.He was one of eleven winners in the
prestigious International House Warescompetition, which attracted 207 entries fromdesign schools around the world.The product he submitted, called H2Aid, is
a small device that measures the temperatureof bath water. Indicator lights show when thewater is safe so it is ideal for children orpeople with a reduced sense of touch.His design, which received an HonourableMention, will be permanently displayed in theChicago Design Fair.
For more details about Brunel’s exchange programmes, please visitwww.brunel.ac.uk/international/exchangestudents
Tom is not the only Brunel student to bemaking waves on the other side of the pond .Fellow Brunel exchange student, StephanieFox, has been acting as the International co-chair and publicist for the IEEC(International Education Exchange Council).Stephanie marketed the recent TourneesFrench film festival by designing hundreds offlyers to advertise throughout the city of SanFrancisco. She has also been putting hercreative talents to good use, creating a trophyfor an IEEC international student footballtournament out of newspaper, papier-macheand a glass jar.Another Brunel exchange student, Joe
Snowdon, has been working as an officialphotographer for the SFSU UniversityCampus Journal.Brunel runs a growing exchange
programme with University partnersworldwide, providing opportunities for ourown students to study overseas and for othersto spend time here in London.
Exchange student winsprestigious design award Russian
TV starvisits BrunelDmitry Krylov has beenpresenting his travelprogramme,NeptuevyeZametki,on RussiannetworkTV since 1996and a recent programmebrought him to BrunelUniversity.
He and his crew were makingfilms about living and studyingin London, so the BrunelInternational team arranged atour of the University for him,along with a series of interviews.Brunel student, Larisa, from
Russia, was asked to help outwith the tour and was eveninterviewed on camera – she wasthrilled to come face-to-face withDmitry, who is a big celebrity inher country.
Family Clubopens at BrunelBrunel International has launched thenew Brunel Family Club to help thefamilies of international studentssettle in and get the most out of theirtime at Brunel.
Events for the spring have so far included anEaster Egg hunt for children and cookeryclasses, where club members can sharefavourite home recipes with each other. Clubmembership is free.English language classes will also be
provided for families and the club organiser,Filiz Oztanriverdi from the International team,is on hand at events to answer any questionspeople might have about living in the UK.Mrs Barbara Jenks, wife of the Vice
Chancellor, is patron of the club andenthusiastic about its aims. “We do a lot to helpour international students settle in and it’s vitalwe make their families feel at home as well”.
New events and services are being added all thetime; if you would like to know the latest newsabout the club, [email protected]
How long have you worked forBrunel?Almost five years now. I started as‘International AdmissionsManager’, but in November 2008 Ibecame ‘Partnerships AdmissionsManager and InternationalMarketing Manager ~Africa’. I amhaving especially extendedbusiness cards made for me!What does your job entail?Well, half my time is spent onlooking after the applications wereceive fromAcademic PartnerInstitutions and collaborators acrossthe globe. Another half is aboutraising the profile of Brunel inAfrica and advising students. Andthe third half is statistical analysisand reports. As you can tell, it’s abusy job!.What do you most like about it?Seeing students that I might havemet in their own country, orthrough e-mail conversations,arrive at Brunel to study. They gothrough a lot to get here – finance,visa applications, travel – and I amglad if I played some small part inhelping them achieve their dreams.What do you think of living nearLondon?I love the fact that it is a city ofmany layers, and can be as fast oras slow as you want to take it. Youcan have the vibrant West End, orthe terraces of White Hart Lane,you can relax on Hampstead Heath,
International team profile
Diane
Weston,BrightonPatrick
or spend an afternoon on theThames or at a fantastic museum.Who is your favourite singer orband?I like most genres and musicalstyles, but if pushed, my favouritesinger of all time is ‘David Bowie’,favourite band of all time is ‘TheKinks’, favourite live performancewas by Dionne Warwick at theTower of London, most likely toplay in the car ‘Half Man, HalfBiscuit’.What is your favourite foodand why?Anything my wife makes! She is astar, and makes the most inventivevegetarian Vietnamese cuisine. Mycolleagues at work look on withenvy when I bring something shehas made in for lunch. I couldnever go back to cheesesandwiches.What's your favouritedestination?For crystal seas, glorious beaches,great food, and total relaxation,Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam.And what's the most interestingthing you've seen?The remains of ancient Cartage inTunisia, home of ‘Dido’, (that’squeen of Cartage, not the singer.)and ‘Hannibal’ and the thirdbiggest city in the Roman Empire.Still looks amazing despite the bestefforts of the Vandals (AD439).
There’s only
As in previous years, there was a hugearray of events on campus,celebratingthe richness and diversity of the Brunelcommunity.One highlight was the livingstatue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, thefamousVictorian engineer that theUniversity is named after.
overall in the UK Research Power rankings.Vice Chancellor Professor Chris Jenks, said:“Today’s news marks yet another, excitingmilestone for Brunel and is the perfect rewardfor the dedicated researchers we have here,from around the world”.The additional funding will be invested in
the further expansion of the University’sresearch facilities and programmes. If youwould like to know more about our researchactivities, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/research
To be considered for a Scholarship you musthave an offer from us, so make sure you applyfor your course at Brunel soon so you haveenough time to enter for the scholarshipprogramme.For more details and to apply for one
online, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international and followthe links. You can also contact us for help [email protected]
In January, Brunelcelebrated itsannual One WorldWeek festival...
See inside for more aboutOne World Week
Job prospects in the UK ...find out more on page two
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