The University of East Anglia, located in Norwich, was founded in 1963, and in the 6 decades it’s been in operation, it has become a significant hub of research and development. It has an undergraduate population of approximately 13,000 and a postgraduate population of approximately 4000. If you’re considering applying to UEA, one question that might come up is whether it’s a Russell Group University. Beyond that, of course, lies the more significant question of whether it’s a good university. While that is dependent on many factors, we’ve compiled all of the most crucial information about UEA, from statistics to student opinions.
Is University of East Anglia a Russell Group University?
The University of East Anglia is not a Russell Group University. However, that doesn’t mean that UEA doesn’t ‘measure up’. The Russell Group is simply a conglomeration of some of the most prominent universities in the UK, sharing a focus on research and academic achievement.
The Russell Group contains these universities:
- University of Birmingham
- University of Bristol
- University of Cambridge
- Cardiff University
- Durham University
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Exeter
- University of Glasgow
- Imperial College London
- King’s College London
- University of Leeds
- University of Liverpool
- London School of Economics & Political Science
- University of Manchester
- Newcastle University
- University of Nottingham
- University of Oxford
- Queen Mary, University of London
- Queen’s University Belfast
- University of Sheffield
- University of Southampton
- University College London
- University of Warwick
- University of York
While Russell Group universities have a good reputation for academic achievement and high quality research, there is no benchmark for entry or definitive measure of quality in the group. Rather than the best of the best, it’s more accurate to look at Russell Group universities as a set of institutions with shared standards and communication pathways. In other words, a university not being part of the Russell Group doesn’t make it a low quality university. It simply means that university is not part of this particular network.
See also: How Many Students Are At Cambridge University?
Is UEA a good university?
Whether a university will suit your needs depends on what your plans are, the course you want to study, and a variety of different factors. Even if all of these elements are perfectly suited to you, a lot of whether or not you enjoy university can boil down to individual experience. With that in mind, here is what UEA students have to say about the institution.
‘Great university, facilities are outstanding, more than adequate, lots of options for spending time and usually not enough minutes in the day to physically do everything you want to do. Wifi is questionable but currently being upgraded, or so we’re told,’ one student weighed in on StudentCrowd.
‘These last three years have been some of the best of my life. The campus is beautiful, the number of clubs and societies available is insanely extensive, and the atmosphere is incredibly welcoming. I can quite honestly say that I can’t imagine myself studying anywhere else, said another student on StudentCrowd.
‘Overall, UEA is a very solid uni with good teaching, engaging lessons and good quality teaching labs. A particular highlight of the services UEA provides is the outstanding Student Services department which has helped me immensely throughout my course (doubtless it has helped many others too) with problems ranging from personal to academic. Another standout is the maths helpdesk as everyone there is incredibly friendly and helpful and can help you learn any maths topic,’ a student wrote on WhatUni.
In terms of accomplishments, UEA has many. Three nobel laureates number among their staff and alumni, along with three Booker Prize winning authors. UEA also has some impressive research behind it, including the discovery of Hepatitis C and D genomes, as well as a significant role in the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine.
The University of East Anglia is known for its highly respected Master of Arts in creative writing course, which many successful authors have come out of. It’s also known for its excellence in climate change research in its Climatic Research Unit. So, students who are interested in these fields may take special interest in UEA.
Where is University of East Anglia ranked?
If you’re considering applying for UEA, it’s natural to wonder how it ranks compared to other universities. It’s worth noting that rankings are not a definitive measure of how good a university is. Each ranking system evaluates universities differently, with different criteria being weighed differently. While these numbers don’t paint a full picture on their own, they can still be useful, and there’s no harm in considering them.
US News puts the University of East Anglia at #330 in the world, #133 in Europe and #30 in the UK. QS ranks UEA at #342 in the world. The Guardian places UEA at #27 in the UK. This ranking improved significantly from its place at #41 last year, which puts UEA in a favorable position.
See also: Is Durham a Good University?
