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The University of Nottingham is gearing up for what looks set to be its busiest undergraduate open days ever — with 25 per cent more prospective students expected to visit its three main UK campuses than last year’s event.
Due to the increase in numbers, the University is urging visitors to leave their cars at home and take the stress out of their journey by using public transport to travel to the open days, which take place this year on Friday June 25 and Saturday June 26.
Undergraduate events officer Jenny Wardrop said: “On average we attract in the region of 20,000 visitors to each of our undergraduate open day events in June and September but for this month’s event we have seen a significant increase in interest — for the Saturday alone we already have around 12,000 people registered to attend, up from 9,000 this time last year
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“The undergraduate open days are the flagship event on the University’s calendar and we are thrilled to be welcoming so many more prospective students, their families and teachers to our campuses. This year, we have a packed programme of events which will offer them everything they need to know to get a flavour of student life at The University of Nottingham.”
This year’s event — themed The Gateway to Your Future — recognises that as well as deciding where to study, prospective students are also choosing their home for the next three or four years.
With that in mind, it will include a support services fair offering information on the full range of facilities and resources the University offers to support its students’ learning and how it looks after their health and welfare.
There will be a chance to check out the accommodation on offer at the University’s halls of residences and an army of current students will be on hand to offer help and directions or even a chat about the student experience at Nottingham.
Every single academic school and department on the three campuses will be open to visitors, offering information on their full range of courses and running their own varied programme of activities. Highlights this year will include taster lectures in subjects like philosophy and law, a casino demonstrating probability in the School of Mathematical Sciences, drop-in laboratory demonstrations of biological research and a guided tour of the Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre.
Current students in the Department of Music will also be performing a selection of pieces from their repertoire for visitors during a lunchtime concert at the Djanogly Recital Hall on University Park.
A programme of general presentations will cover everything from applying to university and money matters and study support to opportunities for studying abroad and services offered by the University’s Chaplaincy Team.
Information will also be available on the GoGreener Campaign — the University of Nottingham is committed to being a leading green university and right across its campuses is reducing energy from fossil fuels, encouraging sustainable travel and cutting down on waste.
As part of this agenda, and in response to pressure on available car parking provision, the University will be encouraging people to come along to the event by public transport and will be laying on free shuttle buses from Nottingham train station to its University Park and Jubilee Campuses, from Loughborough train station to Sutton Bonington Campus and between campuses.
After its popularity at last year’s event, the University will again be running its free city bus tour, a guided tour bus taking in the cultural hotpots, leisure and sporting facilities, retail outlets and historic sites that make Nottingham such a popular destination.
Prospective visitors are reminded to wear suitable clothing and footwear to allow them to make the most of exploring the University’s accommodation, sporting facilities and its award-winning campuses and gardens.
The open days run on Friday June 25 and Saturday June 26 from 9.30am to 4pm. A full programme of events can be found online at www.nottingham.ac.uk/opendays
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Notes to editors:
The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 100 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to RAE 2008, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranks the University 7th in the UK by research power. In 27 subject areas, the University features in the UK Top Ten, with 14 of those in the Top Five.
The University provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's “only truly global university”, it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy), and was named ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008.
Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. The University of Nottingham is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City.