Cranfield University

Cranfield University
Cranfield University Crest
Motto	Latin: Post Nubes Lux; "Out of darkness, light"[1]
Established	1993 - gained University Statues by Royal Charter 1969 - Cranfield Institute of Technology incorporated by Royal Charter 1946 - College of Aeronautics
Type	Public
Chancellor	Lord Vincent of Coleshill
Vice-Chancellor	Prof Sir John O'Reilly[2][3]
Visitor	HRH The Duke of Kent
Staff	1,800
Students	4,350[4]
Undergraduates	0[4]
Postgraduates	4,350[4]
Location	Cranfield, Beds. and Shrivenham, Oxon. England
Campus	Rural (both)
Former names	Cranfield Institute of Technology; College of Aeronautics
Affiliations	ACU
Website	http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/

Cranfield University is a British postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire; the other is at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. A third campus at Silsoe was relocated to the Cranfield campus and closed for teaching in 2007^[5].

The main campus is unique in the United Kingdom for having its own operational airport (Cranfield Airport) next to the main campus. The facilities at the airport are used by Cranfield University's own aircraft in the course of aerospace teaching and research.

History

The new School, 'Cranfield Health' prior to official opening, May 2008, viewed from the Library

The University was formed in 1946 as the College of Aeronautics on the former Royal Air Force base of RAF Cranfield^[6] which opened in 1937. (See also entries on Harold Roxbee Cox, Sir Stafford Cripps and Roy Fedden, all individuals associated with the foundation of the original College of Aeronautics). Between 1955 and 1969 a period of diversification took place. In 1967 the college presented the Privy Council with a petition for the grant of a Royal Charter along with a draft charter for a new institution to be called Cranfield Institute of Technology. The Cranfield Institute of Technology was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1969, giving the institution its own degree-awarding powers.

The new School, 'Cranfield Health' interior

Since then the former National College of Agricultural Engineering established at Silsoe near Luton, Bedfordshire, during the 1960s, was incorporated. An academic partnership with the Royal Military College of Science (RMCS) at Shrivenham was formed in 1984. RMCS, whose roots can be traced back to 1772, is now a part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and now forms the Defence College of Management and Technology, known as 'DCMT' and from 2009 as "Cranfield Defence and Security". In 1993 the Royal Charter changed the institution's name to Cranfield University.

The first 50 year history of Cranfield University is described comprehensively, but concisely, by the book Field of Vision.^[7]

In 2006, it was decided that activities on the Silsoe site would be relocated to the main campus at Cranfield. As a result, a substantial building program was undertaken on Cranfield campus, including the provision of departmental buildings and additional accommodation (Stringfellow Hall), and Silsoe-based staff were transferred to Cranfield.

Location

Army helicopter display team, graduation 2004.

RAF Red Arrows display team, Shrivenham graduation, July 2003.

Cranfield campus is approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of central London and adjacent to the village of Cranfield,^[8] Bedfordshire. The nearest main towns are Milton Keynes and Bedford, the centres of which are both about 8 miles (13 km) away. Cambridge is about 30 miles (48 km) east.

Shrivenham is about 55 miles (89 km) west of London, adjacent to Shrivenham village, 7 miles (11 km) from the centre of the nearest town, Swindon, and around 15 miles (24 km) from Oxford.

Bedford, Milton Keynes, Oxford and Swindon all have fast rail services to central London termini, good access to the main Motorway network and London Heathrow airport.

In 2007, Cranfield established a school specialising in defence studies in Adelaide, South Australia, becoming the first British university to operate in Australia.^[9]

Organisation

From 2007 the five academic Schools are:

• School of Engineering, known as SoE and incorporating the original College of Aeronautics;
• School of Applied Sciences, known as SAS and formerly the School of Industrial and Manufacturing Science;
• Cranfield School of Management, known as SoM;
• Defence College of Management and Technology (DCMT), Shrivenham, since 2009 known as "Cranfield Defence and Security" (CDS);
• Cranfield Health, opened in 2008 by Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, currently the Chief Medical Officer for England and an honorary graduate of the university.

Ranking and evaluation

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As the university is entirely postgraduate, direct comparison with undergraduate institutions is difficult. However, some key facts and figures are as follows:

• Cranfield’s staff:student ratio is second among UK universities^[5] .
• Cranfield School of Management is ranked 2nd best European Business School within the UK and 13th within Europe.^[10]
• Cranfield’s MBA is ranked 11th in the world according to the Economist Intelligence Unit - above such competitors as Harvard, LBS and INSEAD.^[11] The Financial Times ranked Cranfield's MBA 30th best in the world and 13th best in Europe in 2008.^[12]
• 54% of all aerospace engineering postgraduates and 25% of all agricultural and environmental sciences postgraduates in the UK graduate at Cranfield^[5] .
• Over 10% of the UK’s engineering and sciences PhDs are awarded by Cranfield^[5] .
• Cranfield was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2005 for Further and Higher Education for its Fellowship in Manufacturing Management (FMM) programme. It was awarded the prize in 2007 for its role in humanitarian demining^[13]
• Students on the Cranfield Global Security programme were awarded the Imbert Prize in 2006^[14], 2008^[15] and 2009^[16] for the development of ideas for the advancement of risk and security management in the UK.

Honorary graduates

A number of prominent public figures have been awarded Honorary Graduate status including the following:

Staff, honorary graduates and dignitaries, Shrivenham graduation 2003.

• HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - DSc(Hon), former University Visitor^[17][18]
• HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent - DSc(Hon), current University Visitor
• Mr Neil Armstrong - DSc(Hon), astronaut
• Sir Roger Bannister - DSc(Hon), athlete
• Sir Roy Fedden - DSc(Hon), deceased, designer, Bristol aero engines
• Prof. John Fozard - DSc(Hon), DCAe(Cranfield, 1950), deceased, Chief Designer, Harrier Jump Jet.^[19]
• Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou - DSc(Hon), founder, EasyJet
• Sir Freddie Laker - DSc(Hon), deceased, founder, Laker Skytrain
• Mr David Richards - DSc(Hon), co-founder of Prodrive, former team principal of Benetton Formula and BAR racing teams
• Sir John Rose - DSc(Hon), CEO, Rolls-Royce plc
• Sir Jackie Stewart - DSc(Hon), Formula One World Champion
• Sir Crispin Tickell DSc(Hon) British diplomat, environmentalist, and academic
• Mr Woodrow Whitlow Jr. - DSc(Hon), Director, NASA Glenn Research Center
• Air Cdre Sir Frank Whittle - DSc(Hon), deceased, inventor, jet engine
• Lord Winston - DSc(Hon), medical scientist

Technology Park

There are a number of companies located on the Cranfield University Technology Park (see external link) ranging from large international companies to small start-ups. Major companies on the park include:

• The Nissan Technical Centre^[20] Europe, which designs and develops cars for the European market. The NTC Europe facility occupies 19,700 square metres (212,050 sq ft) of the Technology Park, representing an investment of £46m by Nissan.
• Io Systems Limited,^[21] a major supplier of Warehouse Control Systems and Warehouse Management Systems to clients in the UK, Europe and USA. The company occupies modern air-conditioned offices with excellent facilities for clients and staff.
• Trafficmaster plc^[22] occupies a 10-acre (40,000 m²) site for its European Headquarters. A leading company in telematics Trafficmaster's advanced technology enables cars and roads to be used more efficiently.
• Innovation Centre: the Technology Park is also the location for a large number of smaller companies.

An extension to the Technology Park was currently completed in 2008. A new Aerospace Park on the northeastern part of the campus is projected as at 2009.

See also

• Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements
• Fellowship in Manufacturing Management (FMM)
• Royal School of Military Survey
• Cranfield Experiments
• LandIS, the Land Information System - a substantial environmental information system operated by Cranfield. Has soil and related information for England and Wales including mapping, soil property and agro-climatological data. It is the largest system of its kind in Europe and recognised by government as the definitive source of national soils information.

References

External links

• Cranfield University website
• Cranfield Technology Park
• Cranfield Impact Centre
• Link to Google satellite view of main runway and Cranfield village to the east; at May 2009 view shown is ca.0600, March 2007. Work on the new Cranfield Health building (south side) and Halls of Residence (north side) are visible but ground clearance for the new Sports Hall (north west) had only just begun and Cranfield Health not yet started.

Coordinates: 52°04′24″N 00°37′40″W / 52.07333°N 0.62778°W / 52.07333; -0.62778