Universitas 21| (U21) is the leading global network of research intensive universities. The University of Birmingham is not only proud to be a member of such a group but also to be a founding member.
Professor Michael Sheppard, U21 Manager "There are numerous ways in which staff and students can engage with U21. The network provides them with amazing opportunities to collaborate and share experiences on the international stage"
The University is strongly committed to the underlying principles of U21. These are
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a global focus and perspective
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a commitment to excellence in all we do
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a commitment of those involved to collaborative and co-operative work and spirit while ensuring there are clear outcomes
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a determination to achieve added value
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a constant striving for innovation and the creation of multilateral opportunities for members
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sustainability of activity
The U21 network facilitates collaboration and co-operation between member universities on a scale that none of them would be able to achieve through operating independently or through traditional bilateral alliances.
We have taken a leading role in the network throughout the 12 years of its existence and have steadily increased our involvement for the benefit of our staff and students, encouraging increasing numbers of students to spend some time studying at U21 partner institutions, and enabling staff to increase their international perspective through involvement in U21 strategy meetings and events.
U21 nurtures collaborative initiatives and has established a number of international academic groups that support this.
The University has engaged with many of these including the Health Sciences Group, the Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies, Heads of Administration, International Operations, Marketing, Museums, Teaching and Learning, Deans of Education, Deans of Engineering, Information Services, Heads of Geography and Student Mobility. These groups offer staff the opportunity to network amongst peers and to share best practise through conferences, workshops and projects.
|The most recent example of a collaborative project is a new Advanced Intensive Module designed and delivered collaboratively between Universities of Birmingham, Melbourne |andDelhi|. This intensive MA module delivered recently in Delhi explored the evolving international security agenda and encouraged students to consider if security and insecurity have fundamentally transformed in recent decades. The module included 24 students in total from across the three universities.
U21 Member Universities
Australia
Canada
China
Hong Kong
India
Ireland
Japan
Mexico
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Singapore
South Korea
Sweden
United Kingdom
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University of Birmingham
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University of Edinburgh
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University of Glasgow
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University of Nottingham
United States of America
U21 jointly-awarded PhD project
The University has signed a memorandum of understanding along with thirteen other Universitas 21 institutions to establish a unique framework for jointly awarded PhDs.
The project aims to foster the internationalisation of graduate research programmes and enhance student mobility and exchange. This exciting programme will enhance considerably students’ research and employment opportunities on an international scale.
Collaborative degree programmes lead to a more sustainable type of relationship than many other internationalisation strategies and bring important academic benefits, including: knowledge transfer and sharing of research, learning and resources; international research collaboration; improved employment prospects for students; enhanced recruitment of excellent graduate students, and access to additional sources of student financial support. For students of these jointly awarded PhDs this means an academic research programme enhanced by the collaboration of two different high-quality research environments and cultures, training and facilities of two research-intensive universities, the added value of international networking and a head start in future career planning and professional development
Under this scheme, two partner universities create a tailor-made programme of study for the student, taking their specific research needs into account and enabling collaboration with another U21 university. Each institution will allocate the student a minimum of one supervisor whom the student will have actual or virutal joint meetings with. The student will also enjoy access to the same facilities as other students enrolled at that institution.
A jointly-awarded PhD is a qualification given to a student on completion of a collaborative programme established by the partner institutions and is characterised by:
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meeting the academic requirements of both universities
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agreement regarding a lead university
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joint supervision
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a single degree awarded for one PhD thesis
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parchment(s) issued which indicate that there has been joint supervision
Queen Elizabeth II Scholarships
This scholarship is for graduates of U21 institutions wishing to come to Birmingham to study for a Masters. The award available is worth £7,000.
In order to be eligible for consideration, you must:
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Be classified as ‘overseas’ for fees purposes
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Be in your final year of a bachelor’s degree at a partner Universitas 21 institution* or have graduated from a partner Universitas 21 institution within the last five years of the proposed date of entry to the University of Birmingham
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Be embarking on a one-year taught Masters degree programme at the University of Birmingham in September 2011
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Have submitted the Scholarship Application Form and supporting documentation by the closing deadline of 28 May 2011
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Have sufficient funds to cover the costs of your study over and above those covered by the scholarship
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Not be in receipt of a full fees scholarship from any other source
For information on how to apply for this scholarship please visit the international student funding| webpages.