University snapshots
Each university snapshot gives you some key information about the university (age, size, location, subjects taught etc.) plus a short opinion piece about the university.
I’ll attempt to give you a flavour of the university, identifying what makes it distinctive, so you can work out whether it might be somewhere you might consider studying.
The universities themselves have no input into these snapshots, nor can they pay to be included or highlighted. I will, of course, remedy any factual errors that are drawn to my attention.
I’ll add new snapshots every week!
University of Edinburgh
The Edinburgh I studied at all those years ago was quite a different place from the one you might be thinking about studying at. I haven’t been able to find figures for student numbers in 1989, but I’d be surprised if it was even half the current figure of 40,000. Buildings have changed, some for the better, some not so. And while the university has never lacked confidence in its own importance, it is only with the rise of international university rankings that it has become a genuine world-wide draw for international students.
University of Stirling
Created as a brand new university in the late sixties, the University of Stirling set out to be innovative in its teaching right from the start. They adopted a US style semester system (two 15 week semesters separated by the Christmas break), and enabled students to study modules from any faculty during their early years of study. Together, these result in the most flexible academic structure available at any UK university; ideal if you are unsure exactly what you want to study.