Study at the University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is a Russell Group University that is situated, rather unsurprisingly, in the English city of Birmingham. Located on a beautiful red brick campus chartered in 1900, Birmingham prides itself on being the first civic university in England, welcoming students of all economic backgrounds.

The University is part of a rich cultural scene, being home to the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, displaying works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Monet, the Cadbury Research Library, which houses the Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern manuscripts, and finally, the Shakespeare Institute, dedicated to its world-famous namesake and to Renaissance literature.

There are 3 campuses at the University, the original and main one being the Edgbaston campus, which is situated 3 miles from the city centre. The most notable building on this campus is a campanile called the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower which draws its inspiration from the Torre del Mangia, a medieval clock tower Siena, Italy. In fact, it has been described as ‘the intellectual beacon of the Midlands’ by the Birmingham Post. It is one of the top 50 tallest buildings in the UK, and the tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. 

The campus has a wide diversity in architecture, with a big building project in the 1960’s having greatly expanded the campus. As a further sign of its commitment to building a student-friendly campus, the University of Birmingham recently completed its redesigned its main entrance, effectively creating a ‘Green Heart’ in the midst of campus.

The second of the 3 campuses is called ‘Selly Oak’. It’s just a stone’s throw away from the main campus and is where the Old Library, George Cadbury Hall 200 seat theatre, and Department of Drama and Theatre Arts are based.