University of Portsmouth
A Brief History of Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a port city on the south coast of England. Located mainly on Portsea Island, 103 km southwest of London and 31 km southeast of Southampton, it is the United Kingdom’s only island city. It has a population of about 200,000, and is the only city in the British Isles with a greater population density than London. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Southampton and the towns of Havant, Waterlooville, Eastleigh, Fareham, and Gosport.
HMS Victory
The city’s history can be traced to Roman times. A significant naval port for centuries, Portsmouth has the world’s oldest dry dock and was England’s first line of defence during the French invasion in 1545. Special Palmerston Forts were built in 1859 in anticipation of another invasion from continental Europe. By the early 19th century, Portsmouth was the most heavily fortified city in the world, and was considered “the world’s greatest naval port” at the height of the British Empire throughout Pax Britannica. The world’s first mass production line was set up in the city, making it the most industrialised site in the world. During the Second World War, the city was a pivotal embarkation point for the D-Day landings and was bombed extensively in the Portsmouth Blitz, which resulted in the deaths of 930 people. The royal yacht Britannia left the city to oversee the transfer of Hong Kong in 1997, which marked for many the end of the empire.
Portsmouth is also the birthplace of author Charles Dickens and engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Education
The world-renown University of Portsmouth is another draw card to the city. It enrols 23,000 students and is ranked among the top 100 modern universities in the world.
University of Portsmouth
Portsmouth has an excellent reputation for quality teaching and sustained, high levels of student satisfaction. The area’s educational facilities are committed to preparing students for their future career. This is evident in every course, dedicated careers and recruitment services, and a strong graduate employment track record.
The University has five faculties, and more than 500 degree programmes, including 290 undergraduate courses and 177 postgraduate courses. Approximately 50 per cent of Portsmouth’s students are on courses which lead to professional accreditation; courses that meet industry demand and long established links with industry.
The university offers a range of disciplines from pharmacy, international relations and politics to mechanical engineering and palaeontology with courses like pharmacy appearing in the top 20 in the UK. Furthermore, 89 per cent of research conducted in physics and 90 per cent of research in Allied Health Professions such as dentistry, nursing and pharmacy have been rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.
The University of Portsmouth is a growing, modern university with a focus on research and enterprise supporting its teaching. The university prides itself on supporting students to achieve their potential. The university rates highly for student satisfaction with teaching, which is reflected in the National Student Survey. Students have noted in particular the approachability of staff and the quality of academic support and teaching. Many academics are international leaders in their field and are encouraged to be active in research and enterprise to further their knowledge.
The university has been rated world class for research in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) across UK universities. Applied Mathematics, Allied Health Professions and Studies and European Studies have been judged as among the top research groups in their areas in the UK in the RAE.
Portsmouth’s Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR) was ranked top in the UK in the latest RAE according to the Research Power Index compiled by the highly respected journal Research Fortnight. CEISR is also the largest centre for European Studies research in the United Kingdom.
The University has a proactive approach to enhancing student employability, including an integrated scheme to prepare students for life after university, help with finding internships and a dedicated recruitment agency for students and graduates. More than 89 per cent of graduates from Portsmouth in 2010 went into employment, further study or training.
Students have access to language tuition and free enterprise workshops to complement their studies, according to their ambitions.
The University of Portsmouth is a partner with IDP Education. IDP is a world leader in international student placement services and a proud co-owner of IELTS. It operates a large network of over 80 student offices in more than 30 countries, offering institutions an efficient and cost-effective way to reach potential students in multiple student source markets. IDP also partners with 600 leading institutions in five popular English-speaking countries.
For free information and study abroad application assistance, visit IDP Education offices at all ACE campuses.
