University of Birmingham

University

The University has been challenging and developing great minds for more than a century.

It was established by Queen Victoria by Royal Charter in 1900 and was England’s first ‘civic’ university, where students from all religions and backgrounds were considered and accepted on an equal basis. The University is consistently ranked within the top 100 by the QS world rankings and, to date, has produced 11 Nobel Prize winners from amongst its students and staff.

Birmingham’s 250-acre campus, listed in the top ten most beautiful universities in Britain by The Telegraph, provides a safe, friendly environment with outstanding facilities including cafes, restaurants, shops, an impressive and recently redeveloped sports club, banks, ten different libraries, the famous ‘Barber Institute of Fine Arts, the Lapworth Museum of Geology and a botanical garden. With a student body of over 35,000, including 10,000 international students from over 120 countries, the University community is truly global and vibrant.

Birmingham is a founding member of the world famous Russell Group, an exclusive association of some of the UK’s major research-led universities. For over 100 years, innovative academic research at the University of Birmingham has influenced society and made an impact on people’s lives. Birmingham is where pacemakers and plastic heart valves were developed, where the first artificial vitamin was synthesised, and where the cavity magnetron was developed, leading to applications such as radar. The University is also home to one of only a handful of specialist departments in the UK devoted to research and teaching in the field of international development. Characterised by this 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.

Chevening and the University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham welcomes applications from all Chevening-eligible countries for any one-year taught master’s degree offered by Birmingham. This includes ten awards under the partnership scheme in addition to standard Chevening Scholarships.

Which subjects areas/degree programmes does the partnership support?

Applicants can choose from the full range of masters programmes offered across Birmingham’s five Colleges including many specialist programmes that attract significant interest annually from Chevening candidates. Such programmes include our MSc International Development (and other Development masters programmes), MPA Public Administration, MA International Diplomacy, MSc Conflict, Statebuilding and Development and many more. Visit our website to start exploring our extensive course offering.

Why does your organisation partner with Chevening?

The University of Birmingham is a long standing and proud partner of the Chevening scholarship programme and over the years has welcomed some of the largest cohorts of Chevening scholars. The Chevening mission, to seek out and support future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers from around the world, is complimented and reinforced by the University’s own international mission. Birmingham seeks to welcome the most able students from across the world, and celebrate diversity in culture and perspective and seeks to educate students to become informed and responsible citizens and to support them as alumni to make leading contributions internationally.

The University actively seeks to maximise the diversity of the students it admits through its international student recruitment activities. Chevening’s reach and network ensures that the University welcomes a great diversity of nationalities within the scholar cohort each year.

The scholar experience

Name: Welma Kladé Neufville
Country: Liberia
Course: MSc Occupational Health, Safety, & Environment Management (2019-2020)

How did you first find out about the University of Birmingham?

The University of Birmingham has actually been one of my top 5 since high school. It’s growing research ability and continuous consistent elite academic delivery and ranking cannot go unnoticed.

What do you enjoy most about studying here?

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, studying at the University of Birmingham has been intense and exciting. From the organisation of the taught modules to thought provoking field trips, learning was enhanced both practically and theoretically.

What is/was your favourite thing to do on campus?

I loved sitting in the Green heart watching the Old Joe clock tower chime. Sitting in the middle of campus provided such serenity that enhanced calmness and triggered the urge to read. That’s what a campus is suppose to do.

What do you think of the facilities on campus?

Coming from a developing country like Liberia in West Africa, I must say everything here is so far advanced in technology than back home. The ease of accessing every and any academic file, be it journals, reports or books online via the campus library is extremely helpful to one’s academic journey. The study spaces and libraries are all architecturally amazing, clean and welcoming. The fitness and sports arena could balance off any kind of activity that suits you.

What do you like most about your course?

The practical experiences I received doing almost each module is exciting! We were at least able to cover a bulk of our field trips to processing plants of sorts, stadiums and natural habitats to understand how health, safety and environment works are carried out within in work environment.

What do you think about the city of Birmingham?

I love Birmingham! It’s perfect for student life. Not so busy to overwhelm you and not so calm to bore you. Walking along the waterways or just a stroll in the Bullring shopping centre takes some study stress away from all the content jammed lectures.

How have you found the experience of moving to another country?

I enjoy moving here for my postgrad studies. So many avenues are made available by the University to assist whenever there’s a need and the Students Guild are so helpful! Moving was made easier than expected.

What advice would you give to other international students coming to the university?

The University if Birmingham should be your first, second and third choice if you wish to study in the UK. Not only because of its commitment to excellence, but also the commitment to your wellbeing, the acceptance of your recommendations and a complete access to all your study materials in one of the many libraries or just on the ‘myBham’ app.

How is your scholarship going to help you achieve your goals?

Being in the field of Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Management for over eight years already, Chevening has enabled me to strive for independence within my career by firstly achieving a degree and most importantly with Birmingham, an entry into the Graduate Membership body of the International Occupational Safety and Health organisation. Achieving a work placement now will become easier with an academic qualification as well as the genuine know-how that comes along.

University of Birmingham notable alumni

Stanley Baldwin, Former British Prime Minister 1923–1924, 1924–1929 and 1935–1937
Neville Chamberlain – Former British Prime Minister 1937-1940
Raymond Priestley, Former VC 1938-1952 and explorer, joined Shackleton & Scott’s arctic expeditions
Perry Christie, Former Prime Minister of the Bahamas
Kenny Anthony, Former Prime Minister of St. Lucia
Sir Nick Young, Former Chief Executive of the British Red Cross
Geoffrey Ma, Former Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong
Sandie Okoro, Senior Vice President Legal, World Bank
Dixon Kwame Afreh, Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana
Robert Kisanga, Former Justice of Appeal, Tanzania
Femi Oke, Television presenter and journalist, Al Jazeera
Nanjala Nyabola, Kenyan writer
Gita Gutawa, Indonesian singer
Baroness Valeria Amos, Former United Nations Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
Thomas Adeoye Lambo, Former deputy director general World Health Organization
Rodolfo Neri Vela, Mexican astronaut and only second Latin American scientist to travel to space

‘Fun fact’ about the University of Birmingham

Birmingham’s tradition of sporting prowess continues as the University is the official partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – During the 2012 London Olympics the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, chose the University of Birmingham as training home to prepare with Team Jamaica!