university of chester
The institution's original buildings were the first in the country to be
purpose-built for the professional training of teachers. The first cohort of 10
male student teachers had been taught in temporary premises in Nicholas Street
from February 1840, until increasing student numbers led to a move to further
temporary accommodation in Bridge Street later that year. The need for a
permanent site led the Dean and Chapter of Chester Cathedral to donate land
adjacent to Parkgate Road and the new facilities were opened in 1842 for the 50
student teachers and their school pupils. The Parkgate Road Campus has
subsequently been developed to accommodate the needs of students and the
University still provides higher education in this location and at other sites
in the city and beyond. Education qualifications remain significant and are now
a fraction of the 420 course combinations on offer. In the 20th Century, the
institution steadily expanded its student numbers and the variety and nature of
its courses, which range from Animation to Zoo Management. The University of
Chester now has over 1,700 staff and some 20,000 students, drawn from the United
Kingdom, Europe and further afield, particularly from the United States, India,
China, Nigeria, Turkey, Uganda, Pakistan, Ghana, Bangladesh, Qatar, Indonesia,
Vietnam, Japan, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. As well as undergraduate and
postgraduate degrees, a new range of foundation degrees and apprenticeship
degrees combines conventional university study with learning at work. MPhil and
PhD qualifications are an established and growing area of activity, with the
University gaining the powers to award its own research degrees in 2007. The
emphasis is very much on research that has practical benefits both economically
and culturally, and the University provides consultancy support across a variety
of areas of expertise. Recent projects have included helping to develop
England’s first ‘carbon neutral’ village, discovering a vitamin compound which
reduces the risk of heart disease and dementia, translating the Bible into
British Sign Language, and research into understanding the psychological impact
of cancer to improve wellbeing and quality of life for patients and their
families. Development of well-respected courses in Health and Social Care,
Humanities, Business and Management, Arts and Media, Social Sciences, Science
and Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry and Clinical Sciences, and Education and
Children’s Services has further extended the University’s work and connections
with industry, commerce and the professions. Many millions of pounds are
continually invested in the accommodation and resources to enhance the student
experience and there is a strong focus on making students feel supported and at
home. Recent developments include the addition of two large accommodation blocks
(Grosvenor and Sumner Houses) and a significant expansion of the learning
resource centre at the Parkgate Road Campus. The Handbridge former Western
Command Army HQ, in which Winston Churchill held wartime meetings with
international politicians, is now the Queen’s Park Campus and opened for the
academic year 2015/16 as a base for the Faculty of Business and Management,
educating the leaders of tomorrow. This followed the launch of Thornton Science
Park in 2014/15, hosting the UK’s first new Faculty of Science and Engineering
in two decades and bringing together teaching and research with business and
innovative industry practices on one site.
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