As we all know, universities & institutions of higher education in the UK have the best academic standards in the world, when compared to other countries. As, in fact, 4 out of top 10 universities in the world are from the UK. Also, known for being a prime promoter of practical and utilitarian education, educational methods followed in the UK let students develop strong critical thinking and analytical skills along with creative ability in their respective streams/disciplines. Few more reasons why the UK attracts students from across the globe, and especially from the Indian subcontinent is due to its strong ties with India, and, due to the fact that a sense of belonging is felt across every institute/university of the country. Thereby, continuing on this very pursuit of operating as a true global university with an international reputation – Lancaster University, welcomes all its students to come be a part of a great journey, where the university aims at improving lives and helping communities, whilst impacting business and global challenges.
Home to some of the most well-known academics, who are experts in their disciplines and whose research has impact well beyond academia, Lancaster University is that hotspot where exploring options is made possible, while ensuring a success-filled career. Built on a green and spacious campus, surrounded by the most beautiful landscapes in England, yet also well connected to the rest of the UK, the university continually invests in their facilities which, combined with academic researchers and teachers, creates a centre of knowledge where all the students thrive. Additionally, consisting of a collection of 9-colleges, which offer a close-knit support network and the chance to make friendships and networks for life, as a Lancaster University graduate, all their students end up joining a global family of more than 150,000 alumni.
“I am delighted that you are considering Lancaster University as the next step for your future, as, I am confident that Lancaster is the place for you and your endeavours”, stated – Tom Buckley, the Director of Recruitment, Admissions & International Development. Taking time out of his busy schedule, and explaining in detail how Lancaster excels as a complete university of today, Tom added to his above statement, by stating – “Over 5,000 students from more than 100 countries choose to study with us, as we offer the most unique and rich culture, providing lots of opportunities for our students to benefit from international insights and global perspectives”. Through the conversation we also learnt that all the programs hosted by the university are designed to equip and prepare for the next stages after graduation, be it – succeeding as an industry-personnel or following their individual dreams as tomorrow’s entrepreneurs. Moreover, some of their courses have been co-designed with industry, and many involve projects and research conducted for organisations, and feature guest lectures and workshops, along with having a variety of careers support available to help make sure everyone is in the strongest position to achieve their career goals, in the UK or overseas.
A unique haven for all
“All thanks to our strategic location, Lancaster brings together the ‘best of both worlds’ as it is located in an idyllic part of the UK and has excellent links to many major cities”, continued Mr. Tom. Ensuring that every individual reading this feature understands what Lancaster really stands for, the Director of Recruitment took us on a virtual tour of the university and gave us clear insights into the functioning of LU. When we asked him to put down a few points about the world-class campus existing at Lancaster, Tom quoted – “The campus has everything you would expect from a top university, including a state-of-the-art library, modern learning spaces, specialist laboratories and workshops, and the best ICT-enabled facilities needed by a student today’s student”.
A hotspot of flexible approach to studies, many of the undergraduate degrees under the Lancaster umbrella consist of many options of study, including offering an additional subject from the very start, promoting multidisciplinary growth to a great extent. From medicine, physics to engineering, these additional options help enrich individual learning curves, in turn, making students appreciate their degree programs in a wider context. Furthermore, studying for a degree at Lancaster is more than just gaining a deeper knowledge of a subject, as intensive focus is laid on helping you develop the skills required to succeed in the workplace or further study, such as leadership and teamwork. In addition, Lancaster also hosts both taught and research degree programs, which are carefully designed to broaden individual experiences, letting PG students propel towards a new or advanced career, and help you progress into research. As an onboard PG student at Lancaster, you’ll have access to resources and space in which you can learn and grow, while studying alongside our innovative academics through research led teaching, and develop your career potential and be surrounded by a ready-made, global community.
As Lancaster has been welcoming students from around the globe for many years, the university has a lot of experience with the different education systems across the world. And, as a result, irrespective of the scenario outside, the university continued to deliver quality education, and help with study and living costs, offering a range of scholarships and bursaries, which offer support towards fees, although some may also contribute towards living costs. Competition for these scholarships is mainly based around academic performance and the number of scholarships and studentships offered varies from year to year.
All in all, making it a point that studying at Lancaster is all about broadening your horizons, finding new perspectives and discovering new experiences, the management of the university works towards letting every individual present on the campus be a part of a larger community of opportunities and international connections. Lancaster’s vibrant community of international, cultural and faith societies is here to help students make their campus home, well over 175 societies, including around 30 international groups, here to welcome every student from the day they arrive, representing and withholding pride a thriving community of students, staff, alumni and international partners, working together towards a collective common goal of giving back to society, one step at a time.
Tom Buckley – Director of Recruitment, Admissions & International Development
Having joined Lancaster University in January 2015, Tom’s professional background includes senior leadership positions in both higher education and private industry. As Director for RAID he is responsible for Lancaster’s student recruitment and admission operations both in the UK and worldwide. A key element of his international work at LU is leadership for professional and academic services for Lancaster’s four transnational education partnerships and campuses. This includes establishment of new partnership delivery locations, most recently a joint institute with Beijing Jiaotong University in Shandong Province, China and a branch campus, Lancaster University Leipzig, in Germany. He holds degrees in Maths and Education from Saint Francis Xavier University and a Masters in Business Administration from Université de Moncton. His work on effective organizational change management in higher education, transnational education and internationalisation in higher education has been featured at numerous professional conferences.