Brunel University was granted its Royal Charter in 1966. Brunel University is a University funded by the British government. Brunel's rise since 1966 has been impressive and the reputation grows year on year. Now a university of nearly 13,000 students - 3,000 engaged in postgraduate and research study - the University offers opportunities across a range of disciplines that embraces both the traditional and the new

The University special approach is to combine academic rigor with the practical, entrepreneurial and imaginative approach pioneered by our namesake, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Brunel applies this winning formula to courses and research that enthuse their students (and give them excellent employment opportunities), have valuable applications to the wider world and push the boundaries of knowledge and understanding.

Last but not least, Brunel University boast a 100% 'excellent' teaching standard, as judged by the Government's own audit process, in every subject assessed since 1999, and our ranking in independent league tables has seen improvements across the board - 12 places in one year alone as judged by The Sunday Times.

Location

London a Stone's Throw Away
The campus, which is located in London, an exciting & vibrant capital city in the world and home to the 2012 Olympics Games. Its famous music and sports venues, art galleries, theatres, museums and shops can satisfy the most demanding and wide-ranging tastes. As the country's media centre, seat of Government and financial heart, London is the focus of national power and of world-wide influence. Add to this London's history, its libraries and architecture, its cosmopolitan mix of influences, a generous scattering of parks and heaths and you begin to appreciate the magnetism of the place. The convenience of a campus near the bustle of London. If you want to sample the delights of one of the greatest cities in the world, but are daunted by the prospect of living there - the high cost, the noise, the sheer number of people - Brunel offers an ideal compromise. Its relaxed, traffic-free campuses are located on the western edge of the capital.

All four campuses (at Uxbridge, Twickenham, Osterley and Runnymede) offer a pleasant environment and the benefits of on-site facilities and accommodation within striking distance of the Capital, Heathrow and the national motorway system.

History

The name of Brunel University has become as well-known and respected in engineering circles as was the name of Isambard Kingdom Brunel a hundred years ago. Both reputations are well deserved, reflecting outstanding technical competence, creativity and commitment which have resulted in important advances in science and knowledge benefiting the lives of countless people.
However, today, Brunel University's influence extends far beyond the fields of engineering, science and technology, which were its traditional strengths. A long succession of developments and mergers has brought the University from modest beginnings to a major force on the UK higher education scene.

The first step in the establishment of Brunel University was in 1928, when Middlesex County Council transferred its Junior Technical School, founded in Chiswick in 1910, to Acton in west London. Here it grew rapidly both in size and reputation, winning the respect of parents, employers and the education authorities alike. Its original purpose was to provide recruits for local industry and early statistics collected by HM Inspectors show that between 1929 and 1933, 90 per cent of boys leaving the school found employment in the engineering and building trades. This was to be a well-founded precedent to the unparalleled graduate employment record Brunel enjoys today.

The student community includes an international student contingent some 1,600 strong, drawn from 110 countries. Most of them return home as Brunel graduates to practise their professions and spread the good name of Brunel around the world. Just as I K Brunel opened up new horizons for the Victorians through his engineering innovations and applications, so Brunel University has allowed successive generations to expand their professional and educational horizons, by creating opportunities for students to acquire and apply new knowledge to explore new areas of research and to extend the scope of their involvement in the country's creative and economic future. Since the 1960s the name of Brunel University has been synonymous with the provision of high quality academic programmes which meet the needs of the real world and contribute in a very practical way to progress in all walks of life. The story of the creation and development of Brunel University has been one of continual growth while at the same time remaining true to its heritage.

Special Achievement
Brunel University, named after the inspirational Victorian engineer, received its Charter in 1966 and became well known for pioneering sandwich courses in science, engineering and technology as well as social sciences. Brunel has an enviable record of excellence in learning and teaching, as shown by Government inspectors. Since 1997, every subject that has been inspected by the Quality Assurance Agency has been graded as excellent. Brunel’s league table position for learning and teaching is high - 27th in the latest Guardian table and well inside the top quarter of all 122 institutions. At the same time, the Engineering School is one of the highly ranked universities in the UK, 6th for General Engineering for The Times Newspaper 2005/06