Richmond, The American International University in London

"Richmond University" redirects here. For the school in Richmond, Virginia, see University of Richmond. For the Staten Island institution, see Richmond University Medical Center.
Richmond, The American International University in London
Motto Unity in Diversity
Type Private (Registered charity)
Established 1972 (The original Richmond College, University of London, was founded in 1843)[1]
Chairman Mr. Michael Hoffman
Chancellor Sir Cyril Taylor[2] GBE
President Prof. John Annette
Provost Prof. Phil Deans
Academic staff
83[3]
Students 1,500[4]
Location London, England, UK
Campus Richmond Hill, Kensington
Colors

Navy blue & gold

         
Mascot Stag
Website http://www.richmond.ac.uk/

Richmond, The American International University in London (RAIUL) is a private non-profit, liberal arts and professional studies university established in 1972 in Greater London. It is one of four private universities (and one of two non-profit) in the country. The university's degrees are accredited in the United States by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education,[5] and are validated in the UK by the Open University Validation Services (OUVS).[6] Richmond hopes to achieve taught degree awarding powers (TDAP) in the UK by 2016.

It is one of eight members of the newly formed Independent Universities Group, whose objective is to differentiate between their academic credentials and the more commercial elements of the alternative sector.

History

Richmond was established in 1972 by the American Institute For Foreign Study

Organisation

Governance

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the stewardship of the university's assets, strategic decision-making and ensuring compliance with its objectives. The Board is chaired by Mr Michael A. Hoffman, Co-Founder & Chairman, Palamon Capital Partners LLP while university founder and former chairman Sir Cyril Taylor serves as Chancellor in a ceremonial figurehead role.[7] Day-to-day operational management is delegated to the President and other senior management employees of the Executive Team and University Board. The current President of Richmond is Professor John Annette[8]

Strategy

The current strategic plan lasts until 2017, by which time it aims to have increased FTE student enrolment from all sources, including undergraduate and postgraduate degree students, study abroad and increased retention to a total of 2000 students. It also aims improve the research profile of the university through developing a ‘Research Strategy’ for the University and to establish at least two Research Centres in its two academic schools.[9] Richmond hopes to replace its OUVS validation in the UK taught degree awarding powers (TDAP) by 2016 on top of its existing accreditation in the US by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. In the longer term by 2020 it hopes to open a Shanghai study centre on top of its existing ones in the UK and Italy.

Staff

Richmond had an average of 83 full-time equivalent academic staff during the year ending 5 May 2015.[10] The faculty members are supported by a large number of management and administration staff in property services, student affairs, marketing and admissions along with IT and catering.

Academic Profile

Schools

Richmond, The American International University in London is composed of four specialist schools.

Curriculum

Richmond offers a wide range of Majors and Minors at undergraduate level in Business, Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Media, the Arts and Humanities.[11] Undergraduate fees are currently about £7,900 for UK/EU students and between £14,500 and £23,800 for International and US students per annum.[12] Standard degrees are four-years long though may be completed earlier through either transfer credits from US Advanced Placement classes, UK A-Levels and International Baccalaureates or through optional Summer sessions.

All degrees at Richmond follow the liberal arts curriculum that encourages students to reach across disciplines and build connections between different academic areas. Richmond degrees offer the flexibility to learn about what interests individual students while still maintaining an organised structure. In their first year students takes a variety of classes in math, writing and research, the sciences and creative arts before specializing in their Major. Despite the specialization students will continue to take elective liberal arts classes outside of their majors at each academic level to provide a rounded education.[13][14] Each student has a dedicated academic advisor who guides them through course selection, declaring Majors and Minors and how to get the best out of their time in the classroom while at Richmond.

In addition it offers postgraduate degrees in business (MBA), Journalism, International Relations, Art History, Visual Arts Management and Public Relations & Adversing.[15] Its MA and MBA degrees currently last one year September to September. Postgraduate fees currently range from about £7,000 for MA courses and £12,000 for the MBA to UK/EU students and between £12,000 and £15,000 for International and US students.[16]

Accreditation

Institutions that have degree-awarding powers in the UK are known as "recognised bodies". There are also "listed bodies" which do not have degree awarding powers but provide complete courses leading to recognized UK degrees, validated by institutions which have degree-awarding powers.[17] The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has Richmond University as a "listed body".[18] The degrees granted at Richmond are validated by the Open University Validation Services.[19]

Richmond is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools,[20] an institutional accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. Richmond is licensed to award Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master and PhD of Arts, and the Master of Business Administration degrees by the Department of Education in the State of Delaware.[21] Its awards in the United Kingdom are overseen by the Open University, which is a recognised body.[22]

Library Services

Richmond's library facilities across both the Hill and Kensington Campuses include over 60,000 books and DVDs, 39,000 e-journal titles and 36,000 newspapers and newswires. There are PCs and networked printer-copiers for producing works located in both. The Hill Campus Taylor Library offers a range of space for study including an open space for group work on the ground floor and both public and private individual study stations upstairs. The Kensington campus library offers a large number of public study spaces across both floors. In addition to its library facilities both campuses offer extensive PC and Mac computer Labs. The PC Labs are located in the Main Building (Hill Campus) and Atlantic House (Kensington) while Macs are available in Red House (Hill Campus) and Asa Briggs Hall (Kensington).

Campuses

RAIUL Richmond Hill campus

The university's main hub is split between two campuses, both in the Greater London area: the Richmond campus, located near the crest of Richmond Hill and approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Richmond station, and the Kensington campus, located at a point equidistant between Kensington High Street and Cromwell Road.

Atlantic House Kensington campus

Richmond Hill

The Richmond campus is the primary residence of undergraduate students in their first two years of student and its facade is a major symbol of the school promotional literature. The school's headquarters and admissions department are also located here. The Castle and its surrounding buildings occupy the site of the former Richmond College, University of London when it was purchased by Sir Cyril Taylor. It features a multi-purpose sports court, spacious front lawns and a variety of historic forest land. It sits right at the gates to the Richmond Park. The Richmond campus is served by the London Buses 371 route. Access to the town of Kingston can be made using this route.

RIASA Soccer Academy

Kensington

The Kensington campus is a closely grouped set of buildings located between Kensington High Street and Gloucester Road, with further buildings in Earls Court. It is where many of the upper-level undergraduate students reside during their last two year along with all postgraduate programmes. The campus is equipped with state of the art facilities for media production and graphic design including a video studio, edit suites, Macintosh computer lab and photography studios. Asa Briggs Hall features a psychology lab with several interview rooms for various experiments. Kensington is the housing location for many study abroad students at the university.

Richmond Soccer Academy and Italian Study Centers

In addition to its London Campuses Richmond also maintains three specialist study centres in Leeds, Florence and Rome. The Leeds centre, located on the campus of Leeds Beckett University focuses on a combination of soccer training and sports management[23] while Florence and Rome specializes in the study of history along with the studio and fine arts.[24]

Student Life

Student Government

The RAIUL Student Government organises a range of events on both campuses throughout the year and orientation weeks and lobbies senior faculty and management staff on behalf of students. It is currently made up of eight undergraduate officers including the President, two Vice-Presidents (one each for the Hill and Kensington Campus), Academic Chair, Lead Student Representative, Secretary, Treasurer and Events Manager and one Postgraduate Representative. Members of the Senate are elected for one year terms by the student body.

Clubs and Societies

Richmond's Student Affairs Department offer a variety of clubs and societies for students to get involved in ranging from Model United Nations, Gaming, Film production, journalism, Art Appreciation, Theatre, Finance and Investment. Throughout the year the Office of Student Leadership and Resident Life Team also organizes social events on and off campus such as Movie Nights, Comedy Nights, theatre trips, sports competitions and more.[25] Students may also join the Student Union of Richmond's partner institution Imperial College Union as associate members for £4.50 a month. They have access to all Imperial societies and facilities.

Sports

Sports facilities at the Richmond Hill campus include a gym and fitness studio and multi-purpose soccer, basketball, tennis and volleyball court. The University also hires out local gymnasiums throughout Richmond where volleyball and football (soccer) matches are held. It is free of charge to University students. Students on the Kensington campus may use either local private gyms or the nearby Imperial College gym at a discounted student price. Student sports teams currently include male and female soccer teams, a men's basketball team and the Mixed Martial Arts society open to both.[26]

Notable Alumni

References

  1. "Richmond Admissions, Top London University for International Students - Richmond University". Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  2. "Board of Trustees (Richmond website)".
  3. "View all Faculty(Richmond website)".
  4. "Admissions FAQ (Richmond website)".
  5. Middle States Commission on Higher Education Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  6. Open University Validation Services Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  7. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/about-richmond/board-of-trustees/
  8. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/about-richmond/presidents-executive-team/
  9. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/about-richmond/strategic-plan/
  10. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/faculty-research/
  11. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/undergraduate-programmes/
  12. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate-tuition-fees/
  13. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/undergraduate-programmes/the-art-of-liberal-study/
  14. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/undergraduate-programmes/richmond-core-curriculum/
  15. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/postgraduate-programmes/
  16. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate-tuition-fees/#tab-id-2
  17. "About UK degree awarding institutions". Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
  18. Listed Bodies. UK Department for Universities, Innovation and Skills. Accessed April 27, 2008
  19. "Centre for Inclusion and Collaborative Partnerships". Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  20. Institution Directory, Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Accessed April 27, 2008
  21. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/cms/pdfs/RICHMOND-Viewbook-pp24-40.pdf
  22. "Centre for Inclusion and Collaborative Partnerships". Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  23. http://www.riasa.org/academics/program
  24. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/study-abroad-at-richmond/
  25. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/student-life/student-activities/
  26. http://www.richmond.ac.uk/student-life/student-activities/sports/
  27. http://www.biography.com/people/bill-paxton-20825057
  28. http://www.hotelresortinsider.com/news_story.php?news_id=2017&cat_id=9
  29. http://www.wort.lu/en/panorama/richmond-american-international-university-prince-louis-princess-tessy-celebrate-graduation-in-london-5376388fb9b39887080262bc
  30. http://www.independent.co.uk/student/into-university/az-uni-colleges/richmond-the-american-international-university-in-london-459031.html

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Coordinates: 51°27′08″N 0°17′48″W / 51.4523°N 0.2966°W / 51.4523; -0.2966

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