This 27-year-old varsity, University of East London (UEL) is ranked among the world’s Top 200 ‘young universities’ by THE with its school of architecture ranked #2 and civil engineering #3 in London
Sited on three campuses across London — a global hub of finance, fashion, culture and education — the University of East London (UEL, estb. 1992) is a highly respected public varsity providing undergrad and postgraduate study programmes to 17,000 students from 135 countries, mentored by 1,300 faculty. This 27-year-old varsity is ranked among the world’s Top 200 ‘young universities’ by Times Higher Education and #701-750 in the latest QS World University Rankings 2019.
Moreover, University of East London’s school of architecture is ranked #2 and civil engineering #3 in London by the Guardian University Guide 2018, and the university is ranked #1 for impact of psychology research in the UK by Research Excellence Framework 2014. Currently, University of East London’s seven schools offer over 150 study programmes on its three campuses located in the East London boroughs of Stratford and the Docklands.
The history of University of East London can be traced back to 1898 with the establishment of West Ham Technical Institute. In 1988, the West Ham, Walthamstow and Dagenham colleges were merged to create the North East London Polytechnic, renamed the Polytechnic of East London in 1989. Subsequently in 1992, it became one of the numerous polytechnics in the UK conferred university status. Famous UEL alumni include Edison James, former prime minister of the Dominican Republic; British Labour politicians Hilary Armstrong and Rupa Huq; Al Jazeera English news presenter Daljit Dhaliwal; artists Chapman brothers (Jake and Dinos); former CEO of Ford Motor Company Alexander Trotman; Judo Olympian Gemma Gibbons, Ashraf Mohammad, BAFTA winner and Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor.
London. Europe’s most populous (8.7 million) metropolis with a business, cultural and academic heritage spanning centuries, London is an education in itself. A global centre of finance, law, fashion, design, media and communications, it is also one of the world’s most respected cultural capitals.
University of East London is sited in east London’s Docklands, north of the river Thames. Once a hub of Britain’s seaborne trade, it lost its glory during the two world wars and after World War II was rebuilt as a residential and commercial suburb. University of East London’s campus is located within sight of Canary Wharf, the 97-acre commercial estate boasting a huge selection of shops, concert venues, bars, cafes and offices. Moreover, shops, clubs, cinemas and the best restaurants and pubs of central London and the West End are all within easy reach by the Docklands Light Railway.
Campus facilities. University of East London is spread across three campuses in London — the Docklands, Stratford and University Square. The largest, Docklands, is London’s first new university campus built in 50 years, with striking, futuristic design set in a stunning waterfront location. The campus overlooks Canary Wharf, the Royal Albert Dock international rowing course and City Airport with the Millennium Dome and Thames Barrier nearby.
The Docklands campus houses state-of-the-art academic resources including modern teaching and lecture rooms, the Thames Gateway Technology Centre, Multimedia Production Centre and a contemporary 24/7 library. The university’s main attraction is its £21 million (Rs.192 crore) SportsDock, one of London’s largest indoor sports venues, ranked #1 worldwide for sports facilities by International Students Barometer.
The Stratford campus is sited close to the centre of East London, the 2012 Olympic Park, and is 15 minutes from London’s West End. Clustered around a 19th century heritage building, the campus hosts the Cass School of Education and Communities, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience and School of Psychology. Common facilities include the Stratford Central Library, famous for its rich, decorative interiors with frescoes, plasterwork and carvings, Internet cafe-bar, and information centre.
UEL’s third campus — University Square Stratford (inaugurated in 2013) — is jointly owned with Birkbeck, another public research university and exclusively hosts postgraduate students.
Admission. The minimum eligibility criterion for admission into UEL’s undergraduate programmes is successful completion of class XII with minimum 60 percent average in the national CBSE/CISCE boards and Maharashtra/West Bengal/ Karnataka/ Delhi/ Tamil Nadu state boards, 65 percent (Kerala) and 70 percent in other state board school-leaving exams. In addition, students must demonstrate proof of proficiency in the English language (minimum score of 5.5 in IELTS and 51 in PTE).
All applications for admissions into undergrad programmes in British higher ed institutions must be made through the centralised Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS, www.ucas.com). The UCAS code for UEL is E28. The last date for submission of application forms for the September 2019 intake is July 19. For further information, contact University of East London, University Way, London, E16 2RD, United Kingdom. Ph +44 (0) 208 223 3333; email [email protected]; website: www.uel.ac.uk.
For postgraduate admissions, the minimum criterion is a bachelor’s degree with an average 50 percent for Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Anna, Bharathiar, MS, Baroda and Bangalore universities; and 55 percent for other recognised universities. Moreover, students need to submit IELTS (6.0) and PTE (56) scores.
Accommodation. University of East London is one of few universities in London to offer on-campus accommodation. The university’s Student Village on the Docklands campus offers 1,200 rooms within apartment-style housing. The West Student Village is built on a nautical theme with each flat accommodating three-five students, with a shared kitchen/social area. The East Student Village is designed for 47 students, with modern shared kitchen/dining and living areas.
Degree programmes. UEL offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgrad programmes. (see box).
SCHOLASTIC OPTIONS AT UEL
University of East London’s seven schools offer a wide range of study programmes. They include:
College of Applied Health and Communities (Schools of Health, Sport and Bioscience, Psychology). Biological and medical sciences, chemical and drug sciences, counselling and coaching, healthcare, psychology, public health, sport
College of Arts, Technology and Innovation (Schools of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, Arts and Digital Industries). Architecture, art and design, built environment and construction, computing, digital media, engineering, fashion, media and journalism, music and performance
College of Professional Services (Cass School of Education and Communities; Royal Docks School of Business and Law). Accounting, finance and economics, business and marketing, criminology, events, hospitality and tourism, law, politics and international development, social work and community, sociology and social policy, teaching and education
The Graduate School offers several postgraduate research programmes. For details, visit www.uel.ac.uk
Tuition fees (per year): Undergraduate: £11,440;
Postgraduate: £12,480; MBA: £15,450
Living expenses (per year): £9000 NB: £=Rs. 92
Sruthy Susan Ullas
