A popular choice for Scottish students south of the Border is Harper Adams University, which has recently been revealed as joint first university in England and joint third university in the UK for student satisfaction.

Its overall satisfaction rate of just over 90% helped it reach those heights and commenting on the survey results, vice-chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn, said: “We were delighted to see that our students graduating this year had commented so positively about their experience at Harper Adams.

Carwyn Ellis, head of the animal production, welfare and veterinary sciences department, welcomed the positive feedback from students from animal science programmes. “This bodes very well for animal health and wellbeing teaching and learning at Harper Adams,” he said.

“We are working towards the launch next year of the new Harper and Keele Veterinary School, which will offer the West Midlands’ first degrees in veterinary medicine and surgery, but which will also bring together the full range of future animal health professionals with strong emphasis on developing veterinary teams.”

Dr Annette Creedon, head of the food science and technology department, added: “With food programmes at Harper having returned a 100% graduate employment rating last summer and now a 100% student satisfaction rating, it’s pleasing to know that studying food science and technology subjects in an institution dedicated to advancing the agri-food chain is proving to be the right choice for our students and graduates.”

Interested in going to Harper Adams this September through clearing? It is running two special open days on August 16 and 19 for students interested in applying.

These will give the opportunity to speak to academic staff and receive course-specific information; enquire about accommodation, finance, careers and learner support; take part in campus tours led by student ambassadors and have an opportunity to ask existing students questions.

The open days will run from 11am-3pm and visitors can arrive at any time between these times). For further information phone: 01952 820280.

Newcastle looks to next gen

Newcastle University said it was majoring on producing the next generation of leaders in farming, animal and crop welfare, and agricultural policy – but that ‘you can live in the city, but learn on the farm’.

Its wide range of degrees include:

  • Agriculture BSc Honours
  • Agri-Business Management BSc Honours
  • Agriculture with Agronomy BSc Honours
  • Agriculture with Animal Production Science BSc Honours
  • Agriculture with Farm Business Management BSc Honours
  • Applied Plant Science BSc Honours
  • Animal Science BSc Honours
  • Countryside Management
  • Food Business Management and Marketing BSc Honours
  • Rural Studies BSc Honours

Newcastle’s Clearing hotline opens 7am, Thursday, August 15 – and you can call 0800 073 5050 for further details.

It is also holding a ‘clearing and adjustment’ open day – where it will invite any student made an offer during ‘clearing’ to visit the university, where potential students can meet academic staff and to tour the facilities, including accommodation talks, student support information and campus tours.

For more information visit the clearing website: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/clearing/

If you are applying to start university in September, 2020, there are three university open days each year. The next open day is on September 14, 2019 – to find out more and to book a place visit: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/open-day-visits-fairs/open-days

Newton Rigg puts theory into practice

At Cumbria’s Newton Rigg College, the courses are designed for anyone with a love of farming and interest in animal and crop production – and you don’t have to be from a farming background to enrol.

The college has invested heavily in its farm resources across its Cumbrian facilities and in its sister facility, Askham Bryan College, in Yorkshire, where it offers students the opportunity to put theory into practice and gain valuable experience on both arable and livestock farms, in upland and lowland terrains.

Across both colleges more than 650 ha of land is farmed over four units based in two diverse locations, within the Vale of York and in Cumbria. The farms are an integral part of each college and well equipped with a wide selection of machinery and facilities for both commercial and educational purposes.

Students studying at both colleges have access to all five farms enabling them to gain valuable work experience in different upland and lowland farming terrains and alternative farming systems in both high and low rainfall areas.

The college has invested in a brand new £2.2m dairy unit at Newton Rigg’s Sewborwens Farm, which opened in March, 2014. This gives students access to state-of-the-art facilities in addition to a robotic milking parlour facility at Askham Bryan College in York.

Newton Rigg is having two drop in sessions for those who have not yet applied to college – they are on Monday, September 2 and Wednesday, September 4.

For students thinking about applying for either a further education course or considering work-based learning these information-gathering events are designed to help students through the process.

You can drop in anytime between 3.00pm and 6.00pm and to book a place go through https://www.newtonrigg.ac.uk/students/come-and-see-us/late-applicant-event; or call 01768 893400 for further information.