1.0 Our University
1.5 A tradition of innovation
Birmingham has been challenging and developing great minds for more
than a century. Characterised by a tradition of innovation, research at
the University has broken new ground, pushed forward the boundaries
of knowledge and made an impact on people’s lives. Read more….
The University grew out of the radical vision of our first Chancellor, Joseph
Chamberlain. Founded in 1900, Birmingham represented a new model for
higher education. This was England’s first civic university, where students
from all religions and backgrounds were accepted on an equal basis.
Birmingham has continued to be a university of firsts. It was a founder
member of the National Union of Students and the first university in the
country to –

be built on a campus model

establish a faculty of commerce

incorporate a medical school

offer degrees in dentistry

create a women’s hall of residence

have a purpose-built students’ union
Over 100 years of ideas
For over 100 years, innovative research at the University has influenced
society and made an impact on people’s lives. This is where pacemakers and
plastic heart valves were developed, where the first artificial vitamin (Vitamin
C) was synthesised, and where microwaves were developed, leading to
applications such as radar and the microwave oven. In addition, allergy
vaccines were pioneered, the key components of artificial blood were
synthesised, and the first clinical trials of the contraceptive pill outside the
USA were carried out.
Today, the University continues to build on this pioneering heritage. We are
still at the forefront of research, leading the field in many of the emerging
disciplines of the 21st century, such as nanotechnology, gene therapy,
robotics and the use of virtual reality in the study of archaeology. We are
continually developing new initiatives to enrich our teaching and learning.
Inset box
Our Nobel Prize winners
From revealing the structure of DNA to developing new treatments for
heart disease and cancer, the research and work of our Nobel Prize
winners has made an impact worldwide. Read about them here…Link to
Alumni section: Nobel Prize winners 5.6.2
Inset box
Crossing boundaries
The University was established to be ‘a school of universal instruction’, in the
words of Joseph Chamberlain. This interdisciplinary approach remains a
distinctive feature of research and learning at Birmingham today. We
encourage dialogue across traditional subject boundaries and enable students
to explore the links between the many different disciplines that co-exist here.
This can lead to a broader understanding of a subject area, a quality
appreciated by employers and in later academic life.
Inset box
Building great minds
Our graduates embody Birmingham’s tradition of innovation and achievement,
and many have risen to the top in a wide range of fields. See our Alumni
section (link to alumni pages)
Inset box: power statement
Birmingham is a pioneering university, founded on a tradition of
excellence and invention, yet with a dynamic vision of the future.
Inset box
Alta Innovations Ltd
The University’s technology transfer company links academic research with
business to generate new ideas, technologies and processes required to
achieve competitive advantage.
Find out more hyperlink: http://www.alta.bham.ac.uk/
1.5.1 Our past present and future
The University of Birmingham was established by Royal Charter in 1900
and was the UK’s first civic university. The first phase of building work
on the campus was completed in 1909, and we celebrated our centenary
in July 2009.
Read more about our history…
Birmingham grew out of Mason College, which can trace its roots back to the
medical education seminars of Mr John Tomlinson in 1767–68. He was the
first surgeon to the Birmingham Workhouse Infirmary and his 28 weekly
lectures on anatomy were the first ever held outside London or south of the
Scottish border. The late 19th century was a period of great regeneration for
Birmingham, establishing it as a city of architectural significance.
What is a civic university?
A civic university is one of six regional universities established during the
Victorian and Edwardian eras designed to meet the higher education needs of
local people, especially in terms of business and industry. They offered a very
different experience to the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge, both
in terms of their location within large provincial towns and the socio-economic
backgrounds of their students. They also operated differently; concentrating
on scientific research, practical professional training, regional service and
more open access to higher education for ordinary working people who were
not from academic families. Some civic universities developed from colleges
founded by individuals, others from colleges formed as a result of local
pressures.
Who are the six original civic universities?
The six civic or ‘redbrick’ universities are –

The University of Birmingham – 1900

The University of Liverpool – 1903

The University of Leeds – 1904

The University of Sheffield – 1905

The University of Bristol –1909

The University of Manchester – formed in 2004 with the merger of Victoria
University (1880) and UMIST (1956)
The term ‘red brick’ or ‘redbrick’ is a more informal term used to refer to the
six civic universities.
Did you know?
All six of the original civic universities are members of the Russell Group
Mason College
Mason Science College was founded by Kidderminster-born Josiah Mason in
1875.
From humble beginnings, Mason made his fortune by making key
rings, pens, pen nibs and electroplating. He became one of the country’s
most esteemed industrialists and philanthropists and was knighted for his
generosity in establishing a great orphanage in Erdington – not bad for
someone who was almost entirely self-taught. The College became Mason
University College in 1898 with the Right Honourable Joseph Chamberlain
MP becoming the President of its Court of Governors. Thanks to
Chamberlain's tireless work, the University was granted a Royal Charter by
Queen Victoria on 24 March, 1900 – and with the generous donation of land
and funds, the University of Birmingham was born.
Chamberlain’s vision
‘A great school of universal instruction’
Read more….
In 1900, great institutions of higher learning in the UK existed in Cambridge,
Oxford, London, Durham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow
and Belfast. While compulsory education had been introduced in 1880 for
children between the ages of 5–10 years old, the majority of the population
entered work by the age of 14.
Joseph Chamberlain, the great Birmingham-born politician, was well aware of
these limiting factors when he proposed the establishment of the University of
Birmingham, to complete his vision for the city.
Chamberlain sought to provide ‘a great school of universal instruction’, so that
‘the most important work of original research should be continuously carried
on under most favourable circumstances.’ It was his ambition that ‘the
individual trades of the new University [would] forever associate their name
and their industry with this new institution.’
Many aspects of Chamberlain’s vision continue to inspire and guide the
University today, including our continuing responsibilities to our region,
providing a skilled, professional workforce and groundbreaking research to
inform regional industries.
Built on benevolence
From its beginning the University was built on the good will and benevolence
of its associates. Donors included many former students of Mason College,
along with industry leaders who supported Chamberlain’s vision for a
University to serve the city and region.
Who gave what? Read…

Lord Strathcona, the Scottish born Canadian financier, railroad baron and
politician – donated £50,000

Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish born American steel magnate, – donated
£50,000

Sir Charles Holcroft, Black Country mine owner, – donated £100,000

Lord Calthorpe – donated the initial 25-acre plot of land from his estate and
provided the University with the beautiful campus we are still proud of
today
<Link to alumni ‘Giving’>
Then and now
See how we have changed since 1900…
In 1900 the University had:

678 students (189 undergraduates and 489 postgraduates)

1,297 individual undergraduate and postgraduate courses

28,000 volumes in its Library
In 2010 the University has

30,415 students (18,480 undergraduates and 11,935 postgraduates)

1,128 individual programmes (478 undergraduate, 525 postgraduate and
125 continuing professional development)

Over 2.5 million books and over 3 million manuscripts, including 80,000
rare and important items in our Special Collections dating back to 1471
(THIS COULD ALSO BE AN INSET BOX)
Did you know?
The University of Birmingham has only had six Chancellors since 1900.
Find out who they are…
1. The Rt Hon Joseph Chamberlain 1900–1914
Great Birmingham politician; recognised as our founding father
2. The Rt Hon Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood 1918–1944
Prime Minister’s son and Nobel Peace Prize winner
3. The Rt Hon Anthony Eden, Earl of Avon 1945–1973
Conservative politician, foreign secretary and British Prime Minister
4. Sir Peter Scott 1973–1983
Son of Scott of the Antarctic; a renowned ornithologist, conservationist and
painter
5. Sir Alex Jarratt 1983–2002
British businessman and senior civil servant
6. Sir Dominic Cadbury 2002–present
British businessman and member of the Cadbury chocolate dynasty
INSET BOX
Joseph Chamberlain was the first commoner (without title or rank) in 240
years to hold the post of Chancellor of a British university, and the first not to
have been a member of the Established Church.
Historical trivia
Find out more historical facts about the University of Birmingham…
PERHAPS WE COULD DO THIS AS A TIMELINE

1847:
Dr Langston Parker is the first person to use ether as an
anaesthetic

1880: The Lapworth Museum of Geology opens; it is now one of the oldest
specialist geological museums in the UK and has been formally designated
as being ‘of outstanding National and International Importance’

1891: John Henry Poynting, Professor of Physics, calculates the weight of
the Earth

1900: The University of Birmingham receives its Royal Charter

1900: Florence Price becomes the first woman to matriculate and take a
medical (MBChB) degree

1902: Sir William Ashley founds the Faculty of Commerce; the first of its
kind in Britain

1905:
Edward Elgar becomes the Peyton Professor of Music; he is
succeeded in 1908 by his friend, Granville Bantock, who became
instrumental in founding the City of Birmingham Orchestra

1908: The Birmingham Law School is established

1909: The Aston Webb Building is officially opened by King Edward V11

1909: The 325 foot clock tower named ‘Old Joe’ in honour of our founder,
was completed; it can still be seen for miles around

1914–1918: The University’s Great Hall was used as the First Southern
General Hospital with 520 beds

1922: Francis William Aston receives Nobel Prize in Chemistry for
inventing the Mass Spectrometer

1932: The opening of the Guild of Students Building

1937: Sir Norman Haworth receives the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his
work on carbohydrates and Vitamin C

1937: Lord Robert Cecil is awarded the Noble Peace Prize for his work
with the League of Nations

1937: The University acquires the 18th Century bronze equestrian statue
of King George 1

1939: The magnificent Barber Institute of Fine Arts, designed by Robert
Atkinson, was opened; it remains one of the finest Art Deco buildings in the
country

1939–1945: The University Great Hall is used as a gymnasium

1940: The cavity magnetron (microwave technology and radar) was
developed in the Physics Department by John Randall, Harry Boot and Jim
Sayers

1944: John Macdonald Nicholson donates Winterbourne House and
gardens to the University

1945: The Barber concert hall opens to the public for the first time

1946: Sir Peter Scott founds the Severn Wildfowl Trust (later to become
the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) in 1946; he is knighted in 1973, the same
year he becomes Chancellor of the University of Birmingham

1946: Birmingham offers the first ever sports-based degree

1947: The School of Education is established; it is now one of the largest
schools of education in the UK

1949:
Birmingham-born Dame Hilda Rose becomes the first female
professor of the University Medical School

1951: The Shakespeare Institute is established in Stratford-upon-Avon

1956: The first MSc programme in Geotechnical Engineering began; it was
entitled ‘Foundation Engineering’ and continues to run to this day: in the
same year, the MSc programme in Physics and Technology of Nuclear
Reactors also began

1958: Birmingham offers its first programmes in Biochemical Engineering

1960: Sir Peter Medawar is awarded the Nobel Prize (jointly) in Physiology
or Medicine for his pioneering work in transplant surgery

1960: After groundbreaking research at Birmingham, the first heart
pacemaker is fitted by surgeons at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

1962: Professor Maurice Wilkins was awarded the Nobel Prize (jointly) in
Physiology or Medicine for his contribution to the discovery of DNA.

1968: Professor Charlotte Anderson demonstrates the role of gluten in
celiac disease, leading to the introduction of gluten-free diets

1972: The University begins work on the Raymond Priestly Centre, for
outdoor pursuits and field studies, on Coniston Water in the Lake District

1973: The University railway station was opened: Birmingham is one of
very few universities to have their own railway station

1973: Alta Biosciences was founded; today it is recognised as a leading
manufacturing laboratory

1980: Post-punk band Joy Division performed their final gig at the
University; they later reformed as New Oder

1982: Sir John Vane is awarded the Nobel Prize (jointly) for Medicine for
his work with aspirin and related painkillers

1982: The Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound theatre (BEAST) is founded
by Professor Jonty Harrison

1982: The Ironbridge Institute offers postgraduate courses in Industrial
Archaeology and later (1987) in Heritage Management

1985: The Astrophysics and Space Research Group develop and
manufacture the X-ray telescope used on board the space shuttle
Challenger

1990: The University offers Britain’s first ever course in Playwriting

1995: Former student, Lisa Clayton, is the first British woman to sail singlehanded and non-stop around the world in her thirty-eight foot yacht Spirit of
Birmingham

1997: Birmingham becomes a member of Universitas 21: in 2002,
Birmingham is home to the new, centralised U21 Secretariat

1998: The University becomes one of the first universities in Europe to be
awarded the prestigious Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence title; this was
reaffirmed in 2006

2000: Birmingham celebrates its centenary and prominent modern artist
Eduardo Paolozzi donates his sculpture Faraday as a gift

2001: Sir Paul Nurse is awarded the Nobel Prize (jointly) for Physiology or
Medicine for his work on cell cycle regulation

2002: Birmingham students are the first top get handheld learning
organisers

2002: Birmingham researchers develop new urine test to help fight against
the rise in TB

2002: Birmingham’s oldest student, 71 year old Sheila Hopkinson, is
awarded her doctorate after nine years part-time study

2003: Birmingham is one of only four leading UK universities to join forces
with a major communications corporation to launch a U21 Global Online
MBA

2003: Birmingham is awarded Fair Trade status

2004: The University works with Birmingham children’s Hospital to pioneer
the diagnosis and treatment of children’s brain tumours

2005: Birmingham is designated as a ‘centre of science expertise’

2006: Researchers at the Medical School develop the worlds first over the
counter home fertility test for men.

2007: Professor Peter Bullock is awarded the Nobel Prize (collectively) for
his work on treating soil as a sustainable resource

2007: The Department of Theology and Religion hosts an international
conference on the Dead Sea Scrolls

2008: The Research Assessment Exercise reveals that 89.9% of
Birmingham’s research activity has international impact

2008: Birmingham unveils the only gas fuelling station in England and five
hydrogen powered cars, making it the only UK university to run a fleet of
vehicles powered in this way

2008: Birmingham opens its first overseas office in New Delhi

2008: Birmingham reorganises into five Colleges

2009: Professor David Eastwood becomes Vice-Chancellor

2009:
Birmingham becomes the first link in a unique chain of Cancer
Research UK centres

2009: University of Birmingham Sport staff member Norman Beech, and
his son James, become the first British father and son team to row across
the Atlantic

2009: The University launched its Circles of Influence campaign to raise
£60-million for projects that include research into brain injury, cancer,
healthy ageing and practical clean energy, as well as a new concert hall, a
targeted scholarship programme, and a centre for heritage and cultural
learning

2010: Scientists discover that a gene called DAF-16 is involved in
determining the rate of ageing and average life span in laboratory worms;
with implications that it may open up new avenues for altering ageing in
humans

2010: Researchers create ‘healthy’ chiocolate

2010: The University of Birmingham and the city are honoured for
promoting international collaboration

2010: Work begins on the new 450-seat concert hall, which will complete
the red brick semi-circle of buildings that have been at the heart of the
University since 1909
Jean Monnet
Jean Monnet (1888–1979) was a French civil servant who became an expert
on international collaboration and served as a consultant at the Paris Peace
Conference in 1918. He was nominated deputy to the secretary-general of
the League of Nations. At the outbreak of the Second World War he moved to
Washington where he chaired a committee promoting Anglo–French
economic collaboration. He later became president of the Action committee
for the United States of Europe.
Vice Chancellors of the University of Birmingham
Find out who has been Vice-Chancellor of this prestigious university
since 1900.
Charles Gabriel Beale (1843–1912)
Birmingham’s first Vice-Chancellor from 1900 until 1912
A politician and ornithologist, he was also Lord Mayor of Birmingham between
1897 and 1899 and again in 1905.
Sir Gilbert Barling (1855–1940)
Vice-Chancellor from 1913 until 1933
An eminent physician, he was instrumental in the development of what is
today known as Cancer Research UK.
Sir Charles Grant Robertson (1869–1948)
Vice-Chancellor from 1919 until 1938
A British academic historian, he had once been a tutor to the Prince of Wales,
later to become King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1936.
Professor Humphrey Francis Humphreys (1885–1977)
A professor of dental surgery, he was Vice-Chancellor from 1952 until 1953
Raymond Priestly (1886–1974)
Vice-Chancellor from 1938 until 1953
Sir Robert Aitkin (1901–1997)
Vice-Chancellor from 1953 until 1968
New Zealand born, he was one of the most influential figures in medicine in
post-war Britain. Under his leadership, the University doubled its annual
intake of students.
Professor Michael Sterling (1946–present)
Vice-Chancellor from 2001 until 2009
Professor David Eastwood (1959–present)
Vice-Chancellor since 2009
< LINK TO PROFILE OF CURRENT V-C >
<INSET BOX>
Did you know?
British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin (in office 1935–1937) was sent to
Mason Science College by his father. Baldwin was eventually succeeded as
Prime Minister by Neville Chamberlain, another pupil of Mason Science
College, and the son of Joseph Chamberlain, our first chancellor!
1.5.2 Innovation today
Innovation today
The University of Birmingham has always had a central role in the life of the
West Midlands region, having been founded with the purpose of training the
city’s – and the world’s – future business leaders. We continue to be at the
forefront of technological innovation today, with our wealth of global expertise
and excellence in teaching, and remain the university of choice for many
students.
With a diverse range of subjects researched and taught across the whole
spectrum of the arts, humanities, social sciences, engineering, and the life
and physical sciences, the University of Birmingham is the leading university
in the West Midlands and we strive to maintain our position as one of the best,
broadly-based institutions in the UK.
We have always sought to educate our students in ways that will best equip
them for the world of work. As a result, our graduates have always been much
in demand by employers, who recognise the quality of a degree from the
University of Birmingham. In addition, we have been particularly successful in
attracting external funding, having been awarded more than £70 million in the
past five years for new buildings, state-of-the-art equipment, and in
establishing this University as the UK leader in the delivery of web-based
teaching. Thus, we are combining the traditions of our first century with the
vision required to take us forward into our second.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Birmingham, part of the
Careers and Employability Centre aspires to encourage and promote
enterprise, innovation and entrepreneurship amongst students, staff and
alumni. It offers a range of programmes and services from giving support for
business start-ups to competitions, for example:
(Link following to text below)

SPEED WM programme

Talent Pool programme

B-SEEN programme

Plan B competition

Enterprise Skills Series

Postgraduate Enterprise Summer School

1:1 business readiness coaching

Online learning

Personal Skills Award

SPEED WM programme – providing students with the opportunity to turn
a business idea into reality by developing business skills, availability to
funding and incubation facilities in a supportive environment
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/speedwm.shtml

Talent Pool programme – a unique programme for postgraduate
students providing customised training and access to practical, ‘real-life’
opportunities to develop the next generation of academics, business
consultants and entrepreneurs
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/talentpool.shtml

B-SEEN programme – the Skills for Enterprise and Employability Network
will provide business start-up support to recent graduates across the city of
Birmingham: together with Birmingham City and Aston universities, we will
be providing incubation facilities and training to 90 graduates
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/b_seen.shtmlBirmingham

Plan B competition – a University-wide competition to uncover the best
talent, the best ideas and the new generation of entrepreneurs: ideas
should address one of the University's key research themes of saving
lives, influencing society and creating sustainability
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/planb/index.shtml

Enterprise Skills Series – providing help with starting a business, going
freelance, running a charity, society or social enterprise, and enterprise
skills to boost your employability
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/ess.shtml

Postgraduate Enterprise Summer School – a great opportunity for
postgraduate research students to learn about Enterprise and
Entrepreneurship: topics covered include innovation, marketing, business
planning, financing, commercialisation and presentation skills
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/pess.shtml

1:1 business readiness coaching – providing guidance and support for
those with a business idea: these one-to-one meetings can be just the right
thing to get you started
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/121surgeries.shtml

Online learning – EI WebCT self-enrol courses can help if you want to
know more about entrepreneurship or business start-up: videos, course
notes and self-analysis tools can help you discover whether you or your
idea are ready for success
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/webct.shtml

Personal Skills Award – providing students with the opportunity to earn
points towards the award through enterprising activities and contributing to
two Enterprise modules
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/programmes/psa.shtml
Innovation and enterprise at the University Graduate School
Birmingham entrepreneurs can be found running every kind of enterprise and
in many sectors. A number of students from the University have gone on to
become successful entrepreneurs. Read about past and present successes
here: (current hyperlink: http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/ei/success)
Research involves innovation
All academic research aims to add something new to existing knowledge or
ways of doing things. Therefore all researchers must be innovative as this is
one criterion by which they are judged.
Innovation
Innovation generates new value that may create wealth or enrich the culture
of our society. Being aware of the innovations you are responsible for is
important. This may generate personal wealth or ensure that the innovation is
used in the way intended.
Enterprise
Enterprise is having the confidence and courage to take charge and make
something happen. It can be complementary to innovation and may be what is
needed to ensure that an innovation really has the impact that it has the
potential to.
Inset box (design as a formula)
I + E = NB
The combination of Innovation and Enterprise equals New Business
For further information:
Telephone: 0121 414 8775
Email: eic@contacts.bham.ac.uk
www.eic.bham.ac.uk
Inset box
Innovation & Technology Observatory
Regions that are able to fully exploit their capacity for innovation enjoy rapid
economic growth and high living standards. Through our partnership with the
HEROBC (higher education reach out to business and the community)
initiative, we’ve supported the creation of an Innovation and Technology
Observatory. The Observatory is a key regional resource, analysing
innovation in different industrial sectors across the region, examining
technology trends and the take-up of new technologies. These results enable
a regional innovation strategy to be implemented.
Find out more hyperlink: currently at:
http://www.industry.bham.ac.uk/services/innovation.shtml
Current research triumphs
1.5.3 We are changing the world… we are Birmingham
We are changing the world… we are Birmingham
Research at Birmingham combines creative thinking with practical
application. Our partnerships with industry, government and the public
sector ensure that our research contributes to developments on a
regional, national and international level. Read more…
The following examples demonstrate the impact of our research on the city
and society generally:

Adult Social Care in Need of a Radical Overhaul

Medical research to improve quality of life for diabetes patients

Cancer Research UK Launch National Children's Cancer Trials Team in
Birmingham

Birmingham Archaeology uncovers the largest hoard of Anglo Saxon Gold
ever found

Scientists Celebrate First Physics Results from the Large Hadron Collider
(Link to the text below)

Adult Social Care in Need of a Radical Overhaul
In February 2010, researchers from the University called for a radical overhaul
of the adult social care system in the UK. The Case for Social Care Reform –
the Wider Economic and Social Benefits, which was produced by the
University of Birmingham’s Health Services Management Centre, concludes
that without a radical rethink of current priorities the real cost of providing
social care will double in the next twenty years. An improved social care
system could generate significant savings by reducing the number of hospital
admissions and the pressure on emergency hospital beds. The report also
argues that helping social care users into paid employment could reduce
social security spending whilst also providing a significant boost to the
economy.
Find out more hyperlink currently at:
http://www.newscentre.bham.ac.uk/press/2010/02/Social_Care_Reform_8_2_
10.shtml

Medical research to improve quality of life for diabetes patients
University of Birmingham scientists are carrying out pioneering research that
aims to improve care for diabetes patients in south Birmingham where more
than 14% of all deaths are related to the condition. Consultants are working
with people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes to evaluate education and
support packages and discover better ways of reaching the community’s
diverse social and ethnic groups. The study will measure the benefits for
those taking part, determine why others are not taking up the care on offer
and identify how barriers can be overcome to improve patients’ quality of life.
(Find out more hyperlink currently at:
http://www.newscentre.bham.ac.uk/press/2010/02/Diabetes_research.shtml

Cancer Research UK Launch National Children's Cancer Trials Team
in Birmingham
Birmingham will be at the forefront of developments in childhood cancer
research thanks to the launch of a new centre which will co-ordinate
groundbreaking clinical trials across the UK.
The Cancer Research UK
Children’s Clinical Trials Team at the University of Birmingham will play a
major role in the development of new treatments for childhood cancers.
Clinical trials are essential to develop new treatments for cancer by testing the
latest drugs and discovering the best ways to use both new and existing
treatments. Currently around 60 per cent of children with cancer are on a trial
in the UK and this high level of participation in clinical research has had a
major impact on the development of successful treatment strategies used
today.
A combination of research and clinical trials has made a huge
difference in the number of children surviving cancer. Today, three quarters of
children are successfully treated, compared with just a quarter in the 1960s.
Find out more hyperlink currently at:
http://www.newscentre.bham.ac.uk/press/2010/04/Cancer_Trials_Press_Rele
ase_15_4_2010.shtml

Birmingham Archaeology uncovers the largest hoard of Anglo Saxon
Gold ever found
Thursday 24 September 2009 marked an unprecedented announcement of
the largest ever discovery of Anglo Saxon Gold, investigated by Birmingham
Archaeology, part of Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity in the University's
College of Arts and Law. The hoard was discovered by Terry Herbert, who
was detecting on private farmland with the written consent of the landowner.
Following the initial find, Staffordshire County Council invited Alex Jones,
Director of Birmingham Archaeology and colleagues to excavate the site.
What emerged will surely redefine the dark ages.
A hoard comprising in
excess of 1,500 individual items, consisting mostly of gold, many decorated
with precious stones. The find is set to alter our perceptions of Anglo Saxon
England. It is the equivalent of discovering a new Book of Kells or the
Lindisfarne Gospels.
Find out more hyperlink currently at:
http://www.newscentre.bham.ac.uk/press/2009/09/Anglo_Saxon_Press_Rele
ase_28_09_09.shtml

Scientists Celebrate First Physics Results from the Large Hadron
Collider
Birmingham physicists played a key role in producing the first results from
CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a 27km underground tunnel near
Geneva, where scientists are colliding together particles to discover what
happened a millionth of a second after the Big Bang. These results have
come out of the ALICE collaboration’s detector which will study the physics
from ultra-high energy proton-proton and lead-lead interactions.
Protons were collided at the LHC for the first time at relatively low energies.
Physicists from the University of Birmingham played a key role in analysing
these collisions and producing the first results from the atom-smasher near
Geneva. ‘I’m immensely proud of the team who have worked so hard’, said Dr
David Evans, head of the University of Birmingham’s ALICE group at the
School of Physics and Astronomy. ‘They have been working around the clock
at CERN in order to get these results out so quickly.’
The Birmingham group have also designed and built the vital ALICE trigger
electronics which instruct the detector to record data after a collision, making
decisions in less than a tenth of a millionth of a second.
Find out more hyperlink currently at:
http://www.newscentre.bham.ac.uk/press/2009/12/01Dec09LHCfirstcollisions.
shtml
1.5.4 Birmingham heroes
NB: I have rewritten the introduction to avoid the repetition of the words
‘research’ and ‘world’, which were in the original intro. CW
Birmingham heroes
Research at Birmingham has had a global impact for over 100 years.
From world-class cancer studies to the development of a new
generation of fuels, our academic expertise continues to address
today’s key national and international challenges.
Quote style statement
We undertake the kind of groundbreaking research that creates
solutions to existing and future problems; that ultimately has an impact
on real life issues – on you.
Bulleted list linking to text below

Research areas

Our heroes: the people behind the research

Invest with us – be a ‘hero’
(Links to text below)

Research areas
Our research areas are extensive and diverse; embarked upon by recognised
world-leading experts in their field.
There are four major areas in which we play a lead role: social affairs;
education; the urban environment, and global security.
1. Social affairs – our research in this field is varied and far reaching,
spanning topics from the reform of the health and social care systems
through to the increased need for socially responsible business, in the light
of the recent banking crisis.
2. Education – our pioneering research and evaluation of education is used
to inform policy-makers, assist practitioners and enhance opportunities for
all learners: it covers a broad spectrum of topics from special needs
education (SEN), international education, the history of education and
practical teacher training.
3. The urban environment – developing social, economic, psychological,
environmental and infrastructural resilience is critical for the long-term
survival of the human race, and Birmingham’s new research initiative will
have far-reaching influences on understanding and enhancing resilience.
4. Global security – our outstanding research covers a huge range of topics
from the challenges of state-building in Africa to the politics of post-Soviet
Russia: we are also involved in major projects to assess the impact of new
security technologies on our personal rights.
Quote style impact statement
We ask questions. We create impact. We use our research expertise to
solve tomorrow’s problems today.

Our heroes: the people behind the research
University of Birmingham research is carried out in key specialist areas by
experts who, by definition, are highly qualified, skilled and outstanding leaders
in their fields. You can find out more about their individual research interests
below. (Links needed for all)
NB: I suggest we do these (areas and names) in alphabetical order to avoid
any suggestions of a hierarchy of research/researcher importance. We link to
people’s profiles as on our current site.
Ageing

Professor Glyn Humphreys

Professor Janet Lord

Professor Chris Miall

Dr Anna Phillips
Cancer

Professor Jon Frampton

Dr Pam Kearns

Professor Paul Moss

Dr Daniel Palmer

Professor Lawrence Young
Creating a fairer society

Professor Jon Glasby

Professor Karen Rowlingson

Professor Isabelle Szmigin
Education

Professor James Arthur

Professor Stephen Gorard

Professor Ann Lewis
Fuels

Dr Waldemar Bujalski

Professor Martin Freer

Professor Lynne Macaskie

Dr Bruno Pollet

Dr Joe Wood
Global security

Professor Paul Jackson

Professor Tom Sorell
Health service

Professor Jon Glasby

Professor Richard Lilford
Other medical research

Professor David Adams

Professor Laura Piddock

Professor Paul Stewart
Shaping communities

Dr Jenny Phillimore

Dr Basia Spalek
Urban resilience

Professor Jon Coaffee

Professor Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy

Invest with us – be a ‘hero’
We continually accomplish exciting breakthroughs and invest in the
future in areas such as energy, engineering, heritage, materials,
medicine, and social policy – then we make them available to the people
who will benefit most. That could be you.
As a world-leading research University we offer a wide range of services to
help you invest with us, including:

Access to licensing and intellectual property

Access to our graduates and postgraduates

Consultancy

Contract research

Funded support

Spin-out companies
We conduct cutting-edge research in sectors such as: cancer research and
clinical trials; hydrogen energy; nanotechnology, and other equally important
areas of study. Our research influences public and government policy, and
our clients include some of the leading global players, such as:
Can we have bullets in three columns of five?
 AirBus
 Defra
 Joseph Rowntree
 Astra Zeneca
 Epson
 Alston
 Ford
 Kodak
 BP
 GKN
 Nestle
 British Gas
 GlaxoSmithKline
 Pfizer
Foundation
 Rolls Royce
To find out more about how you can work with our experts and be part of our
future success, visit www.industry.bham.ac.uk.
CAN WE KEEP THE ROLLING HEROES STATEMENTS
AND STATIC
STRAPLINE? Tara: over to you on this.
WE ARE
1. Developing robots to retrain the ageing brain
2. Harnessing viruses in the fight against cancer
3. Investigating the realities of health, wealth and happiness
4. Shaping the cities of the future
5. Showing that society is evolving not breaking
6. We are making sure there is life after oil
Birmingham Heroes: Solving tomorrow’s problems today
CAN WE DO SOMETHING WITH THIS: MORE PROMOTIONAL
THAN
ANYTHING? Right-hand tabs of screen
Birmingham Heroes are everywhere! Use one of posters for picture
Not only can you see our Heroes on the University website and in our
publications, but you can find them on posters and billboards throughout the
city, on Virgin trains and even on the London Underground!
Send us your feedback on our Heroes campaign – or tell us when and where
you spot one of our campaign posters – by emailing:
alumnicommunications@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Watch and listen to our Heroes on You Tube >>
Keep existing media (You Tube video) content
1.5.5 The next five years
The next five years
As a research-intensive university, we are committed to carrying out
research that is world leading in terms of its originality and
distinctiveness, significance and rigour. Read more…
Research will build upon our international connections; will set international
agendas rather than follow them; and capitalise and expand upon our existing
distinctive multi- and inter-disciplinary research strengths to address key
national and global challenges.
Our Colleges will promote research of originality and impact
We will identify novel partnerships with national and international commercial
and charitable bodies to ensure a diversity of income sources to compensate
for the reduction in public funding, and to enable us to continue to grow our
community of scholars.
We will attract the best research students, both nationally and internationally,
and provide a supportive and dynamic intellectual community to attract and
develop high quality research faculty.
We will undertake significant enrichment work, reaching out to attract world
leading researchers from any discipline, with innovations that will add a global
dimension to our innovative thinking.
We will measure our success in this goal by reference to our market share of
competitively awarded research grant income; and by the rate of growth of
citations of our academic faculty.
Link to Strategic Framework document
We could also make links to our Historic Timeline
Inset statement
In an environment where knowledge innovation is prioritized by governments,
hard-won intellectual capital and intellectual property must be properly
transformed into benefits for the University, the community in which it
operates and the wider economy, policy and society.
Inset statement
Engagement with business and government partners will open new avenues
for innovative research and provide opportunities to translate blue sky
research born of our culture of innovation and enquiry into practical solutions
in industry, cultural projects and healthcare.
Inset box
More than a century of groundbreaking research
Our partnerships with industry, government and the public sector ensure that
our research contributes to developments on a regional, national and global
level.
1891 John Henry Poynting, Professor of Physics at the University, calculates
the weight of the Earth
1940
University of Birmingham scientists invent a device to produce
microwaves, which lead to the development of radar and the
microwave oven
2001
Researchers at the University develop the first male home fertility test
2004
Birmingham develop micro engines that carry 300 times more energy
than batteries, but are a fraction of the size
2008 A zero-emission, environmentally friendly car powered by hydrogen,
the world’s first hydrogen-hybrid canal barge and a £2 million house
with utilities powered by hydrogen are examples of our work in
developing a viable alternative to fossil fuels
2009 The University’s prominence in energy research is recognised through
its co-hosting of the national Energy Technologies Institute
2009 Birmingham researchers are using a genetically modified version of the
common cold virus to kill cancer cells
2009 Birmingham named as Cancer Research UK's first national Cancer
Centre, leading the battle against this life-threatening condition
1.5.6 Did you know?
Did you know?

Out of over 8,000 universities in the world, we are ranked in the top 100 in
both the academic ranking of world universities and the Times Higher
Education world university rankings (Link out to ‘League tables’
information)

4,000 international students from 150 different countries, make
Birmingham one of the largest international student communities in the UK
(Link out to ‘International’ section)

The University owns more than 2.5 million books including its Special
Collection of over 80,000 pre-1850 books and 3 million manuscripts dating
from 1471 (Link out to ‘Facilities and Special Collections’)

The University still employs a glass blower to make specific items for
precise experiments (Link out to ‘Research’ and ‘Colleges’ information)

A nest box has been placed at the top of the clock tower where a pair of
peregrine falcons nest every year (Link out to ‘Beautiful campus’)
From the inspirational to the bizarre, you can find 100 fascinating facts about
us by downloading our publication ‘Fact.’ from here (Provide link to PDF)
Show picture of it, too (maybe an open spread rather than the front cover).
NB: CAN WE SUPPLY ADOBE READER DOWNLOAD?
Note
This was going to be an online version of the University’s publication ‘Fact.’,
which contains a selection of images and information about Birmingham –
from our motto to the kinds of groundbreaking research we undertake.
I have had a PDF created of the publication.
I may strip the text out of the PDF at a later date, so we can use the material
across the University in other ways.
In the meantime, I have chosen a few facts, showing the breadth of
information the publication contains, with a link to the downloading of it.
CW