University College Falmouth is a vibrant and forward-thinking specialist multi-arts institution that is a key player in the national and international creative scene. Our justifiable international reputation for excellence in Art, Design, Media, Performance and Writing has grown from over a century of nurturing original thinking, with some impressive results.
We are currently ranked 40th overall (and joint 2nd for student satisfaction) out of 118 institutions in the Guardian’s influential University Guide 2010, and 9th in the Times Higher Education’s Student Experience poll for offering the best teaching and learning experience. The Sunday Times 2011 Subject Tables place us 9th out of 76 in Art & Design, 14th out of 76 in Media and 33rd out of 90 for Performance.
But we continue to strive towards our ambition to develop into the Arts University Cornwall by 2014 and become one of the top five specialist creative institutions in the world.
There has never been a more exciting and opportune time to join our team, as we have just passed a key milestone on this journey. The students, staff and researchers from our Dartington Campus have just moved into the high-specification facilities in our brand new £19 million Performance Centre for the new academic year; and the establishment of our new £10 million Academy for Innovation & Research (AIR) marks the next significant milestone.
AIR will bring together expertise in the areas of sustainable design and the digital economy, embodying the University College’s research ambitions and ensuring that, as a specialist arts university, we make a valuable and lasting impact on some of the grand challenges and opportunities facing both Cornwall and the wider world.
We are firm believers in the economic value of the arts in training graduates for the creative industries – the fastest growing sector in the UK economy. Cornwall’s creative industries saw a 29% increase between 2000 and 2004 alone, and with £132 million being invested into next generation broadband in Cornwall over the next three years, this growth is only set to continue. We expect AIR to play a leading role in stimulating this growth, providing the intellectual capital and professional expertise to boost Cornwall’s creative economy to new levels of success.
Highly talented, ambitious, motivated and entrepreneurial people converge here to study, work and find inspiration in a unique and stunning environment – thriving in a creative and intellectual space not easily found in metropolitan settings. The community, connections, resources and potential you’ll find here are stronger than ever before. We hope you’ll find Falmouth is the beginning of an exciting new chapter in your intellectual and professional life.
