Introduction
About Us
The University of Surrey was established on 9 September 1966 with the grant of its Royal Charter, but its roots go back to a late 19th-century concern to provide greater access to further and higher education for the poorer inhabitants of London.
Battersea Polytechnic Institute
The forerunner of the University, the Battersea Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1891 and began concentrating on science and technology from around 1920, teaching day and evening students for degrees of the University of London.
Its academic reputation steadily grew to the point where, in 1956, it was one of the first institutions to be designated a 'college of advanced technology'. It was renamed Battersea College of Technology in 1957.
The move to Guildford
By the beginning of the 1960s, the College had outgrown its main building in Battersea Park Road and in 1962 it was decided to move the institution to Guildford.
Shortly afterwards, in 1963, the Robbins Report proposed that Battersea College should expand and become a university awarding its own degrees.
Surrey Research Park
One of the most significant site developments by the University has been the Surrey Research Park, which was opened by HRH The Duke of Kent in 1985.
The Park currently accommodates more than 100 companies, which employ 2,500 staff engaged in research and development activities – many of which relate closely to the work of the University's own faculties.
Developing Manor Park
Given the space constraints on Surrey’s main Stag Hill campus, in the 2000s the University expanded to a new campus at Manor Park.
A little over a mile from Stag Hill and connected to it by a network of footpaths and cycle paths, Manor Park is now home to a large area of student accommodation, as well as Surrey Sports Park and the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Strengthening connections at home and abroad
In 2006, Surrey International Institute-DUFE (SII-DUFE) was established as a joint academic partnership institution between the University of Surrey and Dongbei University of Finance and Economics in Dalian, China.
SII-DUFE offers top-quality programmes in subjects aligned with Business Management and Tourism Management, combining high academic standards and employment success in a pleasant coastal city in the north-east of the country.
Our long-standing relationship with the Guildford School of Acting (GSA) became even closer in 2009, as the conservatoire – which specialises in acting and musical theatre – signed a merger agreement with the University.
£400m in campus investment
Since 2000, our estate has been transformed through a £400 million building development and improvement programme – including £130 million on student accommodation, £36 million on Surrey Sports Park, £16 million on the Library and Learning Centre and £4.5 million on the Ivy Arts Centre.
On top of this has come further investment in the form of a new £45 million School of Veterinary Medicine and £70 million support for the 5G Innovation Centre, one of the world’s first research centres dedicated to mobile communications and future internet technologies.
125 years of shaping the future
In 2016, Surrey celebrated the 125th anniversary of its foundation. While the institution has evolved significantly in that time, our commitment to first-rate academic activity and real-world solutions has remained constant.
With our growing expertise in fields such as sustainable energy, telecommunications, space, disease control and health, we are passionate about turning the new knowledge we generate into practical innovations that improve people’s lives.
University of the Year 2016
We were delighted to have been named the University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016.
Current student numbers
In the 2018-19 academic year, we have over 16,000 students at Surrey – as well as 615 studying for the first stage of courses at our campus in China.
- Undergraduate students: 13,289
- Postgraduate (taught) students: 2,526
- Postgraduate (research) students: 1,085
An international student body
36 per cent of students at Surrey is from outside the UK, helping to demonstrate both the diversity of our student body and the international reputation the University enjoys.
International
We are proud to be one of the most culturally diverse universities in the UK, with more than 140 nationalities playing a role in university life.
We are here to help you throughout the application process – from advising on choosing the right course to apply for a visa and preparing for your first few weeks at Surrey.
Locations
Guildford
Address
University of Surrey
Guildford
Guildford, England, United Kingdom
Guildford
Guildford, England, United Kingdom
Programs
MA
MSc
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