Loughborough University

Overview

Loughborough University is a public research university in the town of Loughborough, Leicestershire County, England. It was founded by Dr. Herbert Schofield and was chartered in 1966. Loughborough boasts of being one of the top universities in the UK with a stellar track record in sports achievements. The university’s mission is to advance knowledge through research, creating work-ready graduates, influence the economic and social development of people and industries, and to guide national and international policies.

Loughborough offers over 100 undergraduate courses and more than 100 master’s degree courses. These courses are taught in nine schools. They also offer Ph.D. opportunities in over 100 research centers, groups, and institutes.

Before it was chartered, the university started as a technical institute offering courses in art, science, and technical subjects. This institute became the predecessor of what would later be the first technological university in the country. When it was awarded its charter in 1966, it was known as Loughborough University of Technology.

After World War I, the university was separated into four colleges. However, in 1977, the Loughborough College of Education and Loughborough College of Art were reabsorbed into the university. In 1996, it was renamed Loughborough University. In 2015, a second campus was opened at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

Loughborough stands out for its sports offerings. As such, most of its alumni are distinguished sports personalities. These include former track and field athlete and Olympic medalist Sebastian Coe; long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe; former wheelchair racer Tanni-Grey Thompson; and former rugby player and coach Clive Woodward.

Loughborough has been consistently named the University of the Year at the WhatUni Student Choice Awards. It has been included in the top 10 research-intensive universities in England by the Research Excellence Framework, a higher-education evaluation body in the UK. For four consecutive years, its sports subjects were top-ranked in the QS World University Rankings by subject. Globally, it ranks within the top 200 to 600 universities according to various academic ranking publications.

The current focus of the university is divided into five strands: gaining a global reputation for excellence, providing the best student experience, forming partnerships to spur progress, maintain high standards for research and learning, and develop inspiring communities in its two campuses.

On the other hand, Loughborough’s strategies revolve around four central themes. They want to invest in their staff, educate students for success, broaden their capacity and influence in teaching, research and enterprise, and lastly, raise the bar higher for international research and student experience.