< back to the homepage

Introduction

Reflecting on our achievements in 2008, I am proud to say the University of Wolverhampton has made a significant impact in many notable areas.

Our work goes beyond transforming the lives of our students; we are developing business activity in the region, undertaking excellent research and increasing our international partnerships.

We have undertaken many successful enterprises which have led to national accolades and increased recognition, particularly regarding research activity and learning and teaching.

We achieved a very successful outcome in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Eight of our 11 submissions had research rated four star, which is equivalent to the best in the world.

That is something we are very proud of. A tremendous amount of effort went into our submissions and the results are a testament to this.

In addition, the University has retained its strong position for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and continues to be in the top 10 UK universities for delivering economic development and regeneration programmes with companies.

We are maintaining our programme of investment in our learning environment. A new £12 million Education and Teaching building at our Walsall Campus was opened by Jim Knight MP. However, it is the teaching and support that takes place within our buildings which is at the heart of our successes.

With the exciting development of the Wolverhampton Online Learning Framework (WOLF), we continue to expand our virtual environment, using the latest technologies to enrich our students’ overall experience.

In the most recent National Student Survey, we were once again rated as one of the best universities for the quality of our learning resources and access to specialist equipment.

There have been many successes over the past year. We were delighted when one of our lecturers, John Hay, was made an MBE for his work with the Deaf community. We were also very pleased to be awarded official Fairtrade status and I look forward to more innovative future initiatives.

These examples are just some of our 2008 highlights. I hope you will enjoy reading more about our achievements as we look forward to the challenges and opportunities for the year ahead.

Professor Caroline Gipps, Vice-Chancellor

I take great pleasure in learning about the success stories of people at the University of Wolverhampton, particularly when individuals progress in their lives and reap the rewards of their hard work.

2008 saw many such examples, with award-winning students and staff, as well as high-profile initiatives and developments which benefit both the University community and the region. Our links with business and education partners continue to be strong, and the maintenance of these is vital to the economy and to ensure the University’s continued success.

The University plays an important role in the regeneration of the region, providing businesses with solutions through applied research, and in training graduates who are intrinsic to a successful future workforce.

We provide extensive opportunities for students to benefit from being part of a dynamic learning environment. Wolverhampton is an exciting place to teach and learn and I am proud to be able to share in its achievements.

John Sharples, Chairman of the Board of Governors