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Cranfield University is a Britishmarker postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfieldmarker, Bedfordshire; the other is at Shrivenhammarker, Oxfordshire. A third campus at Silsoemarker was relocated to the Cranfield campus and closed for teaching in 2007.

The main campus is unique in the United Kingdom for having its own operational airport (Cranfield Airportmarker) next to the main campus. The facilities at the airport are used by Cranfield University's own aircraft in the course of aerospace teaching and research.

History

The new School, 'Cranfield Health' prior to official opening, May 2008, viewed from the Library
The University was formed in 1946 as the College of Aeronautics on the former Royal Air Force base of RAF Cranfieldmarker which opened in 1937. (See also entries on Harold Roxbee Cox, Sir Stafford Cripps and Roy Fedden, all individuals associated with the foundation of the original College of Aeronautics). Between 1955 and 1969 a period of diversification took place. In 1967 the college presented the Privy Council with a petition for the grant of a Royal Charter along with a draft charter for a new institution to be called Cranfield Institute of Technology. The Cranfield Institute of Technology was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1969, giving the institution its own degree-awarding powers.
The new School, 'Cranfield Health' interior
then the former National College of Agricultural Engineering established at Silsoe near Luton, Bedfordshire, during the 1960s, was incorporated. An academic partnership with the Royal Military College of Science (RMCS) at Shrivenhammarker was formed in 1984. RMCS, whose roots can be traced back to 1772, is now a part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and now forms the Defence College of Management and Technologymarker, known as 'DCMT' and from 2009 as "Cranfield Defence and Security". In 1993 the Royal Charter changed the institution's name to Cranfield University.

The first 50 year history of Cranfield University is described comprehensively, but concisely, by the book Field of Vision.

In 2006, it was decided that activities on the Silsoe site would be relocated to the main campus at Cranfield. As a result, a substantial building program was undertaken on Cranfield campus, including the provision of departmental buildings and additional accommodation (Stringfellow Hall), and Silsoe-based staff were transferred to Cranfield.

Location

Army helicopter display team, graduation 2004.
RAF Red Arrows display team, Shrivenham graduation, July 2003.


Cranfieldmarker campus is approximately north of central London and adjacent to the village of Cranfield, Bedfordshire. The nearest main towns are Milton Keynes and Bedford, the centres of which are both about away. Cambridge is about east.

Shrivenhammarker is about west of London, adjacent to Shrivenham village, from the centre of the nearest town, Swindonmarker, and around from Oxfordmarker.

Bedford, Milton Keynes, Oxford and Swindon all have fast rail services to central London termini, good access to the main Motorway network and London Heathrowmarker airport.

In 2007, Cranfield established a school specialising in defence studies in Adelaide, South Australiamarker, becoming the first British university to operate in Australia.

Organisation

From 2007 the five academic Schools are:
  • School of Engineering, known as SoE and incorporating the original College of Aeronautics;
  • School of Applied Sciences, known as SAS and formerly the School of Industrial and Manufacturing Science;
  • Cranfield School of Managementmarker, known as SoM;
  • Defence College of Management and Technologymarker (DCMT), Shrivenham, since 2009 known as "Cranfield Defence and Security" (CDS);
  • Cranfield Health, opened in 2008 by Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, currently the Chief Medical Officer for England and an honorary graduate of the university.


Ranking and evaluation

As the university is entirely postgraduate, direct comparison with undergraduate institutions is difficult. However, some key facts and figures are as follows:
  • Cranfield’s staff:student ratio is second among UK universities .
  • Cranfield School of Management is ranked 2nd best European Business School within the UK and 13th within Europe.
  • Cranfield’s MBA is ranked 11th in the world according to the Economist Intelligence Unit - above such competitors as Harvard, LBS and INSEAD. The Financial Times ranked Cranfield's MBA 30th best in the world and 13th best in Europe in 2008.
  • 54% of all aerospace engineering postgraduates and 25% of all agricultural and environmental sciences postgraduates in the UK graduate at Cranfield .
  • Over 10% of the UK’s engineering and sciences PhDs are awarded by Cranfield .
  • Cranfield was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2005 for Further and Higher Education for its Fellowship in Manufacturing Management programme. It was awarded the prize in 2007 for its role in humanitarian demining
  • Students on the Cranfield Global Security programme were awarded the Imbert Prize in 2006, 2008 and 2009 for the development of ideas for the advancement of risk and security management in the UK.


Honorary graduates

A number of prominent public figures have been awarded Honorary Graduate status including the following:
Staff, honorary graduates and dignitaries, Shrivenham graduation 2003.




Technology Park

There are a number of companies located on the Cranfield University Technology Park (see external link) ranging from large international companies to small start-ups. Major companies on the park include:
  • The Nissan Technical Centre Europe, which designs and develops cars for the European market. The NTC Europe facility occupies 19,700 square metres (212,050 sq ft) of the Technology Park, representing an investment of £46m by Nissan.
  • Io Systems Limited, a major supplier of Warehouse Control Systems and Warehouse Management Systems to clients in the UK, Europe and USA. The company occupies modern air-conditioned offices with excellent facilities for clients and staff.
  • Trafficmaster plc occupies a site for its European Headquarters. A leading company in telematics Trafficmaster's advanced technology enables cars and roads to be used more efficiently.
  • Innovation Centre: the Technology Park is also the location for a large number of smaller companies.


An extension to the Technology Park was currently completed in 2008. A new Aerospace Park on the northeastern part of the campus is projected as at 2009.

See also



References

  1. Barker, Revel; Field of Vision - The First 50 Years, Cranfield University Press, 1996, ISBN 1-871315-60-3,
  2. Coalition courses - The Guardian, August 7, 2007
  3. The Queen's Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education
  4. Visit of His Royal Highness to the Royal Academy of Engineering Soiree, 22 June 2009
  5. RAE Soiree details
  6. Barker, Revel, Editor; From the Stringbag to the Jumping-Jet, Rolls Royce lecture by John Fozard, Cranfield University Press, 1996, ISBN 1-871315-61-1,


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