Aston University Higher Education in UK Complete University Guide
Aston University is a public research university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England. Aston began as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School in 1895, evolving into the UK’s first College of Advanced Technology in 1956. Aston University received its royal charter from Queen Elizabeth II on 22 April 1966.
In 2016, Aston received recognition Times Higher Education for the second best teaching quality in the UK. For 2018, it was ranked in the top 55 universities in the UK by all major domestic and international league tables. Aston was ranked by QS as the 42nd best university in the world under 50 years old in 2015.
Aston pioneered the integrated placement year concept over 50 years ago, with more than 70% of Aston students taking a placement year, the highest percentage in the UK.
Aston University Details:
History:
The origins of Aston University are a School of Metallurgy formed in the Birmingham and Midland Institute in 1875. The Birmingham Municipal Technical School separated from the Institute in 1895, teaching chemistry, physics, metallurgy and electrical engineering. In 1911, commercial classes were introduced and grew into an independent School of Commerce by 1916. The school changed its name in 1927 to the Birmingham Central Technical College, to reflect its changing approach to teaching technology. The Birmingham Municipal Technical School in Suffolk Street, founded in 1895. The Queen opening the Main Building at Gosta Green in 1955. In 1951, the Technical College was renamed the College of Technology, Birmingham and work began on the Main Building at Gosta Green. In 1956, it became the first elite designated College of Advanced Technology and underwent a major expansion. It moved into buildings that were constructed between 1949 and 1955 to a design by Ashley & Newman. Princess Margaret laid one of the first foundation stones at the base of the new building in 1951. The building is one of Europe’s largest, freestanding brick buildings.[unreliable source?] In 1955, the College of Advanced Technology was opened by Her Majesty The Queen. The college expanded again to a design by the City Architect of Birmingham Alwyn Sheppard Fidler between 1957 and 1965.
It officially became the University of Aston in Birmingham on receipt of its Royal Charter on 22 April 1966 and the first Chancellor of the University, Lord Nelson of Stafford, was installed on 10 May.
Student Services and Facilities:
Campus:
Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, The university is situated on a 60-acre campus at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England. As well as being home to over 3,000 students, the Aston University campus has the following amenities available: sports centres, swimming pool, 120 station gym, library, cafés, restaurants, pubs, shops, travel centre, hairdresser, health centre, dentist, places of worship, opticians, a bank, automated teller machines and plenty of outside space.
Library:
Aston University Library is on four floors and contains over 250,000 books, 800 current printed periodicals and has over 700 reader places. It provides online access to over 40 electronic databases and more than 3,400 electronic journals. The Library is open 24 hours a day to Aston students and staff during exam time, and on average, around 12 hours a day during term time.
Organisation and Administration:
Faculties and departments
All of the Aston University’s faculties are based on one campus. They are organised into the following five schools:
School of Engineering and Applied Science
- Applied Physics
- Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Electronic Engineering
- Engineering Systems and Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering and Design
School of Life and Health Sciences
- Audiology
- Biology
- Biomedical Science
- Optometry
- Pharmacy
- Psychology
School of Languages and Social Sciences
- Modern languages & translation studies
- International relations, politics & European studies
- English language
- Sociology & public policy
Aston Business School
- Aston Law
- Economics and Strategy
- Finance and Accounting
- Marketing Group
- Operations and Information Management Group
- Work and Organisational Psychology
- Aston Medical School
Student life:
Students’ Union:
Aston Students’ Union (SU) (formerly Guild) is a non-profit, independent charity set up with the aim of representing and supporting its members who are primarily current students at Aston University. The SU operates a number of commercial and non-commercial services including; the Advice & Representation Centre (ARC), the Aston Athletic Union which supports the university sports clubs, the Aston Societies Federation which supports a large number of non-sporting societies, the SU Shop, Copyshop and B4 Bar. The SU is funded by grant income from Aston University and by funds raised by the SU’s commercial services.[citation needed] The SU is led by a Trustee Board consisting of elected students and external trustees. Day-to-day management is by a team of permanent staff and by an elected student team called the Executive Committee. The SU building consists of 5 floors and is located in the centre of the Aston University Campus
Sports:
The Aston’s sports facilities include a 25m swimming pool, sauna and steam room, two sports halls, 120 station Gym, weights and fitness rooms, two storey dance studio and 35 sports clubs. The campus also has two 3G floodlit sports pitches. Clubs train and compete, many in the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) Leagues. Off campus the University manages a 40-acre sports ground with floodlit pitches, pavilion for all outdoor sports.
Content accurate at the time of compilation. However, details may be subject to change. You should always confirm details with the provider. Student statistics are sourced from HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 2016–17 data.