De Montfort University
197959
222269497
2008-06-28T12:43:33Z
86.134.214.51
/* Organisation */
{{Infobox University
|name = De Montfort University
|image_name = De Montfort University logo.png
|image_size = 213px
|motto =
|established = 1969 (as City of Leicester Polytechnic)
|type = [[public university|Public]]
|endowment = [[Pound sterling|£]]0.9 million<ref name="endow">{{cite web |url=http://www.dmu.ac.uk/Images/Annual_Accounts_0506_tcm2-43132.pdf |title=Financial Statements 2005-2006 |work=De Montfort University |accessdate=2007-04-26}}</ref>
|staff =
|chancellor = [[Waheed Alli, Baron Alli|Baron Alli]]
|vice_chancellor = Professor Philip Tasker
|students = 21,210<ref name="HESA">{{cite web|url= http://www.hesa.ac.uk/dox/dataTables/studentsAndQualifiers/download/institution0607.xls|title= Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2006/07|accessdate= 2008-04-07|format= [[Microsoft Excel]] spreadsheet|publisher= [[Higher Education Statistics Agency]]}}</ref>
|undergrad = 17,125<ref name="HESA" />
|postgrad = 3,290<ref name="HESA" />
|doctoral =
|other = 795 [[further education|FE]]<ref name="HESA" />
|city = [[Leicester]]
|state =
|country = [[England]]
|campus =
|colours =
|affiliations = [[Alliance of Non-Aligned Universities]]<br/> [[Association of Commonwealth Universities]]
|website = http://www.dmu.ac.uk/
}}
'''De Montfort University''' ('''DMU''') is a [[United Kingdom|British]] university situated in [[Leicester]], [[England]].
==History==
===Origins===
De Montfort University, which is named after [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]] who was Earl of Leicester in the [[13th century]], is one of two universities situated in the city of [[Leicester]].
Prior to 1992 the University was known as ''Leicester Polytechnic.'' It had been created in 1969 through the amalgamation of Leicester College of Technology and Leicester College of Art. The Polytechnic was established as a corporation in 1989.
The plan was to make DMU a multi-campus Collegiate University of the entire East Midlands and as such the University swiftly acquired other campuses based in [[Bedford]], [[Luton]], [[Lincoln, Lincolnshire|Lincoln]], the Scraptoft College of Education in east Leicester, [[Caythorpe, Lincolnshire|Caythorpe]] and [[Milton Keynes]]. The Milton Keynes campus had actually been built by the university in 1991 and officially opened by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] in 1992, prior to the official foundation of DMU as a [[New Universities|New University]]. Departments at Milton Keynes included computing, built environment and business. DMU conducted a series of expansionist mergers with the [[Bedford College of Higher Education]] and with the Lincoln and Caythorpe Colleges in 1994 and then with the Charles Frears College of Nursing and Midwifery, based in Leicester, in 1995.
In the mid-1990s, DMU attracted students using a memorable TV and cinema advert that reputedly cost £500k featuring a [[Orca|killer whale]] chasing some [[sea lion]]s on a beach. It was taken from a gripping [http://tickers.bbc.co.uk/nature/programmes/tv/lifeonair/video/trials_of_life.ram scene] filmed in [[Patagonia]] in the [[David Attenborough]] series, the ''[[The Trials of Life|Trials of Life]]''. The tag line ''Reserve your Seat of Learning Here'' was read by [[Angus Deayton]], implying that students should avoid letting life "chew them up" and improve their job prospects with a degree.
Today, De Montfort University has two campuses, Leicester City Campus and Charles Frears. The Scraptoft campus (home of the teaching courses) closed in 2003. The University has special arrangements with more than 80 universities and colleges in over 25 countries. It has approximately 20,500 students, 3,240 staff, and an annual turnover in the region of £132.5 million.{{Fact|date=December 2007}}
===Restructuring===
In 2001 the Board of Governors adopted a new strategy to do 'fewer things in fewer places' and reduce the number of outlying campuses.<ref>[http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/reports/institutional/demontfort/de_montfort.asp#45 Institutional Review Reports - De Montfort University<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
DMU consolidated around its Leicester campus, with its satellite sites closed, or transferred to other institutions.
* The former Lincolnshire College of Art and Design and the Lincolnshire College of Agriculture, based in [[Lincoln, Lincolnshire|Lincoln]] and [[Caythorpe, Lincolnshire|Caythorpe]] respectively, were merged with the '''University of Lincolnshire and Humberside''' to form the new [[University of Lincoln]] in 2001.<ref>[http://www.hero.ac.uk/uk/universities___colleges/east_midlands/de_montfort_university.cfm?content_tab=inside&expand=2&detail=1 De Montfort University<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* Following the relocation to Leicester of many of the courses offered in Milton Keynes, the Kents Hill campus was considered economically unviable and was closed in 2003. The premises were sold to the [[Open University]], with part of the campus now housing Middleton Combined School.<ref>http://www.stuff4schools.co.uk/3424.htm</ref>
* The last remaining campus at [[Bedford]], housing the Faculty of Education and Contemporary Studies , was merged with the '''University of Luton''' to become the [[University of Bedfordshire]] in 2006.<ref>[http://www.push.co.uk/Uni_Profile.aspx?id=5E499CA9-312A-41FC-99EC-F19153F189DB De Montfort University | Push university guide | University rankings<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Organisation==
{{Refimprove|section|date=December 2007}}
[[Image:Queens Building 1.jpg|thumb|The Queen's Building houses the Faculty of Computing Sciences and Engineering.]]
Currently De Montfort University has five faculties and one Institute:
* The Faculty of Art and Design (descended via the former Leicester Polytechnic from the old Leicester College of Art)
* The Faculty of Computing Sciences and Engineering (descended via the former Leicester Polytechnic from the old Leicester College of Technology)
* The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (descended from the Charles Frears College of Nursing and Midwifery)
* The Faculty of Business and Law
* The Faculty of Humanities
* The Institute Of Creative Technologies (IOCT)
The University has one of the largest numbers of Teacher Fellows of any UK University, and was awarded Centre of Excellence status for its performance practice teaching and student support.<ref>[http://www.thegooduniversityguide.org.uk/single.htm?ipg=6503 De Montfort University Profile – The Good University Guide<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This award has enabled further investment in research as well as the construction of a new building with state of the art performance studios, rehearsal areas and the latest technology.
In 2005/6, DMU was highly rated by both external examiners and the Quality Agency Audit (QAA) for its academic planning, staff training and the support given to students.
The University also runs its own award schemes to promote and disseminate good teaching practice, an approach which was highly praised by the QAA. Its Curriculum Innovation Awards recognise the contributions of teams to programme design and delivery while the Vice Chancellors’ Distinguished Teaching Awards are voted for by students.
The University has responded to changing patterns of student study by providing facilities to assist with their preferred learning times and styles, this includes flexible study options through the University’s 24-hour library services and the development of distance learning and E-learning systems.
The Faculty of Art and Design boasts the only University courses in the world to specialise in lingerie, underwear, body-wear, swimwear and performance sportswear,<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/entertainment/showcase/2002_06/contour_fashion_de_montfort_university.shtml BBC - Leicester - Showcase - De Montfort University Contour Fashion Graduate Show 2002<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> these courses beginning immediately after the Second World War. The Faculty also offers the only UK University courses in Footwear Design, courses in Product Design and courses in Fine Art and Architecture which have been researched, studied and taught in Leicester continuously for over 100 years.
The Faculty of Computing Sciences and Engineering offers courses across a range of animation, electronic games, information technology, robotics, telecommunications and video production.
The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences consists of four interconnected schools: Allied Health Sciences, Applied Social Sciences, Nursing and Midwifery and the Leicester School of Pharmacy. These interrelate so as to allow collaboration across subject boundaries in teaching, consultancy and research. Between them, the Schools cover Biomedical Science; Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy; Community Studies; Criminal Justice; Counselling and Psychotherapy; Criminology; Environmental Awareness; Management; Protection and Technology; Forensic Science; Health and Community Studies; Midwifery; Nursing; Pharmacy; Psychology; and Speech and Language Therapy.
The Faculty of Business and Law incorporates the Leicester Business School and the De Montfort Law School. The Business School is one of the top schools in the country according to the results of the 2007 National Student Survey. The School is an accredited provider of professional courses approved by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), and the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD). Construction of a new £35million building to hold both Schools is underway and is scheduled for completion in 2009 (www.dmu.ac.uk).
The Faculty of Humanities offers English, History and Politics degree courses and courses in Arts Management, Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Education, Film, Globalisation, International Relations, Media and Music (including Technology and Innovation).
The Institute Of Creative Technologies (IOCT), which opened at DMU in 2006, undertakes interdisciplinary research in emerging areas at the intersection of Science, the Digital Arts and the Humanities.
== Research ==
De Montfort University’s research achieved a higher proportion of top grades than any other post-1992 university in the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2001).{{Fact|date=December 2007}}
Research underpins every area of the University, its projects cross many disciplines, with local, national and international impact.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} Research groups are advancing knowledge, assisting businesses and ensuring its students benefit from a learning environment that is enriched by innovation and research excellence.{{Fact|date=December 2007}}
==Pharmacy course controversy==
On [[20 April]] [[2006]], ''[[The Times Higher Education Supplement]]'' reported that first year pharmacy students in 2004 who underperformed in examinations were allowed to progress to the next year of the MPharm course at De Montfort University School of Pharmacy avoiding resits, despite concern from lecturers and external examiners. This followed from the release of documents of meeting minutes, in a ruling under the [[Freedom of Information Act 2000]].<ref>[http://www.pjonline.com/Editorial/20060429/news/p493examresults.html Staff concerns ignored as exam results massaged at De Montfort<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' reported that the University "has been caught lowering a pass mark to 26 per cent to prevent widespread failure of students, ... the proof that up to 14 per cent was arbitrarily added to the scores of trainee pharmacists to save the university's reputation has renewed concerns over the dumbing down of degrees in the move toward mass higher education."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/04/20/nuni20.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/04/20/ixhome.html News - Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Subsequently, the [[Royal Pharmaceutical Society]] of Great Britain put the pharmacy course on a probationary status and required the University to implement a five-point action plan.<ref>http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/pdfs/pr050524a.pdf</ref> The School remains one of only 23 in the UK that the Society accredits for offering recognised degrees in pharmacy.<ref>[http://www.pharmacycareers.org.uk/editorial.asp?ia_id=36 Where can I study? - Graduating - Pharmacy Careers<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Notable alumni==
* [[JS Clayden]], Singer for [[Pitchshifter (band)|Pitchshifter]]/owner of [[PSI Records]]
* [[Charles Dance]], Actor.
* [[Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards]], International Ski Jumper.
* [[Alun Evans]], Journalist, [[Football Association of Wales]] CEO and senior lecturer.
* [[Andy Gotts]], Photographer.
* [[MJ Hibbett]], Singer-songwriter.
* [[Geordan Murphy]], Professional Rugby Union Player with [[Leicester Tigers]] and Ireland.
* [[Nicola Pellow]], Web browser designer.
* [[Andy Reed|Andrew John Reed]], MP for [[Loughborough]].
* [[Janet Reger]], Iconic Lingerie Designer.
* [[Debbie Sell]], [[Speech and language pathology|Speech therapist]].
* [[David Shrigley]], Artist.
* [[Ken Shuttleworth]], Architect.
* [[Angela Evans Smith|Angela Smith]], MP for [[Basildon (UK Parliament constituency)|Basildon]].
* [[Simon Wells]], Film Director
* [[Simba Makoni]], Zimbabwean Politician
* [[Lewis Moody]], International Rugby Player
==References==
{{Refimprove|date=July 2007}}
<references/>
==External links==
* [http://www.dmu.ac.uk/ De Montfort University] – Official website
* [http://www.demontfortstudents.com/ De Montfort Students' Union] – Official website
{{Universities in the United Kingdom}}
{{University Alliance}}
[[Category:De Montfort University|*]]
[[Category:Academic scandals]]
[[Category:Leicester Riders]]
[[et:De Montforti Ülikool]]
[[fr:Université De Montfort]]