Bringing together an integrated community and a multitude of cultures, Wales reflects a tapestry of different nationalities from across continents. Home to some of the best universities in the world, international students experience all the characteristics of a traditional English education in Wales – and often at cheaper tuition and living expenses.

For aspiring engineers looking for an education in the UK, the scenic country of Wales with its high academic standards is a favourite among Asians. The idyllic country boasts of some of the strongest programmes in the field and the presence of all major companies headquartered in Welsh cities offers valuable internship and job opportunities.

A popular favourite is the College of Engineering at Swansea University. A recognised College among British and international students alike, the College of Engineering boasts strong rankings – first in Wales and 8th in the UK, according to the Research Assessment Exercise 2008. The College is also recognised for its high standards of teaching along with excellent industry networks and collaborations, praised for the same by THES and Guardian league tables in 2008.

The College’s recognition works in conjunction with the University’s global reputation. Founded in 1920, Swansea University enjoys a long history of academic excellence, ranking among the top 20 universities in the UK for teaching quality and student satisfaction, according to recent surveys and leagues. Home to 15,500 students representing 80 countries, the university prides itself on its international culture.

Pic: Swansea University

Professor Olek Zienkiewicz, the civil engineer acclaimed as the father of the “world-changing” computational modelling technique known as the Finite Element Method, made his career at Swansea University.  The method is commonly used by scientists to predict physical phenomena, such as stresses in structures and flow patterns around aircraft, and is cited as one of the top 100 discoveries made in British universities that changed the world. Today, the College of Engineering has a prestigious full PhD scholarship named in honour of Professor Zenkiewicz’s achievements.

Teaching Quality
Swansea University’s distinguished faculty, excellent facilities and its high standards of teaching attract students from the UK and abroad. The university is committed to developing and improving its academic quality. This was recently recognised by a recent independent assessment by the Quality Assurance Agency, which expressed confidence in the academic standards of the university’s awards and the quality of its programmes.

College of Engineering
This excellent College provides a cutting-edge learning environment and pioneers technological progress in both traditional and emerging disciplines in the field of engineering. The College works in partnership with major industrial companies, with more than 70% of the research conducted at the College being recognised as “internationally leading” (4*) or “internationally excellent” (3*).

Famous for its groundbreaking, multi-disciplinary research and innovative teaching methods, the College offers 3-4 years undergraduate qualifications in a wide range of areas. Undergraduate programmes are offered in the subjects of Aerospace Engineering, Chemical and Biological Process Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Information, Communication and Computing Technology, Medical Engineering, and Nanoelectronics Engineering, among others. Several courses provide students with the opportunity for a year in the industry, both in the UK and abroad. Students can also avail of an Industrial Placement during their study.

Postgraduate qualifications are available in taught masters (MSc) and research degrees (MRes, MPhil, EngD, PhD) along with the prestigious Erasmus Mundus MSc in Computational Mechanics, held in association with the universities of Stuttgart, Nantes and Barcelona. The two-year programme is fully funded for non-European union students, and a great incentive for Asian students to experience life in the European continent.

Research at the College of Engineering
Leading the world in innovative multidisciplinary research geared towards making a real difference to our communities,  73% of the College of Engineering academic staff were classed as producing research of world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) quality, according to the Research Assessment Exercise 2008.

Swansea University Engineering

Pic: Swansea University.

From well-equipped modern laboratories, multimedia suites and study rooms, to the creation of the £22 million Centre for NanoHealth, the College of Engineering has the equipment and resources to compliment the innovative developments taking place within the department.

Providing a stimulating and dynamic research environment with access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources, research within the College is focussed on key areas:  Civil & Computational Engineering Centre, Materials Research Centre, and Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre

Postgraduate students who are accepted into this prestigious College often continue onto further education leading to research and other doctoral degrees. Research programmes at the College are funded by research councils, government agencies and a variety of industries.

Swansea College of Engineering in the News
A new ground breaking project from Swansea Engineering which will turn buildings into power stations, bringing significant environmental and economic benefits was showcased at the recent Low Carbon Expo. The SPECIFIC project is the new Innovation and Knowledge Centre and is a partnership between Swansea University and industrial partner Tata Steel. The SPECIFIC project aims to develop functional coated steel and glass products that will transform the roofs and walls of buildings into surfaces that will generate, store and release energy.

In another interesting development, the very first Tsinghua-Swansea Workshop on Computational Mechanics was held successfully in Tsinghua University, Beijing in July this year. From 11th July – 17th July 2011, nine Swansea academic researchers led by the Head of the College of Engineering, Prof Javier Bonet, attended the workshop hosted by the Dean of College of Aerospace at Tsingua. The workshop successfully took the existing research collaborations between researchers from both institutes a step further and initiated a strategic long-term collaboration between the College of Engineering at Swansea and College of Aerospace at Tsinghua in the field of Computational Mechanics and Computational Engineering.

For more news, the first College of Engineering newsletter can be found here.

An International Experience
The international outlook at Swansea University is a driving factor in its excellence in both academic teaching and research. Swansea has forged links with more than 100 partner universities around the world. In 2012, the College of Engineering welcomed students from over 60 different countries. Students who study an engineering course at Swansea University can be certain that they will be taught by some of the leading academics in their fields in a supportive environment, where the emphasis is on preparing them for their ideal career.

International students can also access scholarships of up to £3,000 each, open to all subject areas.

The university also offers a British Council accredited, full-time, year-round English language programme for students who need to improve their language skills before starting their studies; and free academic English support classes are available to all enrolled full-time international students.

Aerial view of Swansea University. Pic: Man Li Lam, Student College of Engineering

Living in Swansea
Swansea University is in the city of Swansea, South Wales – in the Principality of Wales – on the western side of the UK. The campus is situated amidst 46 acres of rolling parkland on the majestic three-mile sweep of Swansea Bay, enjoying a fantastic beachfront location and within easy reach of the bustling city of Swansea. Swansea’s campus lifestyle fosters a welcoming, cosmopolitan community that offers something for everyone.

Swansea is the UK’s fifth safest city, with a friendly, inexpensive and cosmopolitan living environment.  A vibrant student city, Swansea offers a wide range of social, cultural and sporting facilities, including a spectacular waterfront marina, museum complex and Liberty sports stadium, home of English Premier League side Swansea City Football club.

Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is only 50 minutes away and the Brecon Beacons National Park is 45 minutes away.  London is three hours away with direct trains running hourly.  For more information about Swansea and admission to its courses, please contact the International Development Office.

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