The University of Manchester

With a distinguished history of academic achievement and an ambitious agenda for the future, The University of Manchester offers a learning experience rooted in a rich educational heritage and boosted by cutting-edge research and innovation – all at the heart of one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting student cities.
Its tradition of success in learning and research stretches back over 180 years. The birth of the modern computer, the splitting of the atom, the founding principles of present-day economics – all these and many more world-changing innovations have their roots at The University of Manchester.

Today, research remains at the heart of The University of Manchester. The institution researches in a wider range of academic areas than any other British university and is at the forefront of the search for solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems, boasting strong collaborative links with industry and the public services, and making a real difference through its international research centres, which explore a diverse range of topics. The latest independent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), published in December 2008, ranked an impressive 65% of research activity at the University as “world-leading” (4*) or “internationally excellent” (3*), and the University was rated third in the UK in terms of “research power”.

Manchester also has an impressive track record when it comes to turning ideas into commercial reality. Our technology transfer company, University of Manchester Intellectual Property Ltd (UMIP), works with researchers, entrepreneurs, business people, professional advisers and investors to handle hundreds of invention disclosures submitted by our academics and to help create spin-out companies based on our current research.

Already a prestigious Russell Group university, Manchester aims to become one of the top 25 universities in the world by 2015 and the preferred destination for the best teachers, researchers and students – a goal backed by an ongoing £650 million investment programme in facilities, staff and buildings.

Between 2005 and 2010, the University rose in the influential Academic Ranking of World Universities Survey conducted by Shanghai Jiao-Tong University, from 53rd to 41st in the world, and seventh in Europe, confirming it as a progressive and world-class teaching and research institution.

More than 5,800 academic and research staff – many leaders in their fields, with international reputations – provide stimulating learning environments and excellent standards of teaching. Recent iconic appointments include political scientist Robert Putnam, and Nobel Laureates, life scientist John Sulston and economist Joseph Stiglitz.

Manchester graduates join a prestigious hall of fame, including 23 Nobel Prize winners among the institution’s current and former staff and students. A worldwide community of 230,000 graduates can be found in top positions in every imaginable field, including Terry Leahy, chief executive of Tesco; former Secretary General of Amnesty International Irene Khan; writer/performer Meera Syal, and musicians The Chemical Brothers.

Employers actively target University of Manchester graduates, giving excellent job prospects. Manchester offers countless exciting personal development opportunities and professional careers advice from a university careers service that has consistently been voted the best in the UK by graduate recruiters.

Postgraduate students make a major contribution to the University’s research excellence, adding to the dynamic research culture flourishing throughout the institution and benefiting from international research leadership under distinguished scholars. Decades of excellent working relationships with organisations from a diverse range of industry areas also provide exceptional opportunities for research with commercial applications, as well as the chance to develop business and entrepreneurial skills and experience relevant to all sorts of future career choices.

Whether studying for a taught postgraduate award or a research degree, Manchester postgraduates will be directly involved with cutting-edge research and pushing the barriers to creativity.

Statistics
Ranked 5th in the UK, 9th in Europe and 44th in the world*
3rd in the UK in terms of “research power”**
Careers Service voted number 1 in the UK by employers ***
23 Nobel Prize winners
5,829 academic and research staff
232,000 alumni in 200 countries
4 Faculties, 22 academic Schools and hundreds of specialist research groups
Ongoing £650 million capital investment programme
Attracted over £273 million in external research funding in 2008/09
Total research expenditure of £405 million in 2008/09
4,000,000 library books
Fairtrade status since 2004
More than 100 spin-out companies generated by the University
* 2010 Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities
** Based on results from the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise
*** AGR/Barkers Media Audit 2002-2007 (2007 is the most recent survey)