University of Derby

Derby climbed three places to be ranked 26^th in The Guardian University Guide 2020. This is the university’s highest ever ranking in the table.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, Professor Kathryn Mitchell said, “This improvement is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our staff and students, the support of key partners across the region, and our commitment to delivering excellence in teaching and learning, providing an outstanding student experience, and increasing graduate employability".

Awards

The University of Derby has been shortlisted for the sector’s most prestigious accolade, the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year Award 2019. The THE Awards are widely acknowledged as the ‘Oscars of the higher education sector’ and recognise outstanding work and exceptional performance across 23 award categories, with the University of the Year Award being the most sought after.

Derby has been shortlisted in two other categories. Firstly, the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year category, which recognises the innovative use of digital technology to improve any function at a university. In addition, Sian Burgess, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, has been nominated for the Most Innovative Teacher of the Year Award, designed to honour academics whose imagination and passion has transformed a course and inspired students.

Student voices

Current international student Sam Chikowore believes the university offers an excellent experience for international students. Chikowore, studying Business Management and Geology, was especially impressed with the International Student Centre team for, “going the extra mile in making sure that the transition for international students is much easier to handle”.

In 2017, the University of Derby was awarded a gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework as a recognition of the high quality teaching provided at every level.

Courses at the University of Derby are taught by academics involved at the forefront of research within their field. There is a strong emphasis on practical, experience-based learning in order to prepare students for life after graduation.

The University of Derby is home to several research centres and groups and has invested heavily in them in recent years. They are geared towards providing the best environment for students to work, in a variety different academic disciplines. Some of these centres and groups are:

• Centre for Educational Research and Innovation
• Centre for Business Improvement
• Data Science Research Centre
• Nature Connectedness Research Group.

University of Derby students speak highly of the teaching at the university. Andy Heyes, a BA International Hospitality Management student praised the lecturers for their ability to, “test your practical and mental abilities to the maximum” and their “enlightening and inspiring” way of teaching.

BA (Hons) International Tourism Management student Rebecca Handley believes that Derby’s lectures give students, “insight into a range of opportunities” and “empowered them to take on any task without hesitation.”

The University of Derby offer a range of scholarships and discounts for international students and it’s easy to apply. International students will be automatically assessed for scholarship eligibility by the international admissions team, so there are no separate forms to complete.

Some of the scholarships available to University of Derby International Students are:

Vice Chancellor Scholarship: For international students with excellent academic results and achievements in extracurricular activity. This scholarship is the cost of a full year of undergraduate and postgraduate tuition fees.

Excellent International Student Scholarship: A GBP 5,000 scholarship awarded to international students with academic results exceeding entry requirements and demonstrable achievements in extracurricular activity.

Leadership Scholarship: A GBP 5,000 available for international MBA students who can show leadership qualities in previous or current jobs and have academic results higher than the entry criteria for their course.

Tourism and Hospitality International Excellence Scholarship: A GBP 3,000 scholarship for exceptional international students studying selected courses taught at the Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism.

Regional High Achievers Scholarship: A GBP 3,000 scholarship available to high achieving students from one of the following regions: South East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia), China (including Hong Kong), South Asia (India, Pakistan), Africa.

International students are also eligible to apply for one of several sports scholarships made available by the university.

The University of Derby has a Campus and sites across the city of Derby with outstanding facilities to ensure students gain the hands-on practical skills and experience employers are looking for.

Over the last decade, the university has invested GBP 200 million to improve its facilities. Some of the standouts facilities available to students are:

• Forensic training house - offering a stimulating learning environment for students to explore the dynamic world of Forensic Science. The facility offers seven replica domestic and commercial scenes, a blood spatter room and fully panoramic CCTV recording and two-way audio feedback.
• Replica court rooms - for Law students to experience a mock trial
• Bloomberg financial markets lab - one of the few universities in the UK offering direct use of Bloomberg data, information and analytics in a dedicated trading room which provides a simulation of what it’s like to work on a real trading floor in the financial district.
• Derby theatre - Students have a rare and exceptional learning experience at Derby Theatre. The institution is one of the only universities in the country to own and run a professional producing and receiving theatre.
• NHS Standard Mock Hospital Ward - This hospital’s six-bed ward provides students with a taste of what working in a hospital is like.
• Sports Centre - Gym, Climbing Wall, 3G pitches, physiology laboratory, strength and conditioning suite, biomechanics and performance suite, VICON camera system.

International students at the University of Derby are supported by the International Student Centre, which was rated as the best in the UK in 2018 by the International Student Barometer UK Benchmark Group.

The team provides help and support to assist students to feel at home as quickly as possible. Staff will help with logistical issues such as visas and immigration, but also take an interest in the welfare of all students.

Student support comes in many forms at the University of Derby with staff available to help in a number of ways. Staff can support students with a range of issues, that include:

• Financial difficulties
• Learning support
• Disability support
• Counselling for students with mental health issues

The Student Wellbeing Centre is open on weekdays during and out of term times. Specialist advisers can help students make the most of their time studying at the University of Derby. There is also a free counselling service and several workshops held throughout the year.

The University of Derby’s security teams provide a range of services 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure the safety of everyone across its campuses. All the work done by the team is in order to create a safe, pleasant environment for students to live and study in.

Some of the services and initiatives provided by the security team include:

• Foot patrolling of all the university’s sites
• Advice to students on security issues
• Investigation of security related concerns
• A CCTV system
• Access control
• Fire alarm activations
• Management of emergencies
• Secure parking facilities
• Pro-active campaigns and surveys educating students about safety issues and necessary precautions

The university recently introduced new measures to improve campus safety including requiring all visitors to report to the main reception to be collected.

All students and staff are encouraged to report incidents to the Campus Security Officer either in person, by phone or email.

The city of Derby was recently awarded Purple Flag status which recognises it as a welcoming, diverse and safe place offering an enjoyable night out experience.