Cranfield University

From unique cabin evacuation research to finding life on Mars, from a frost blanket for racecourses to zero-emission cars, and from the next generation of anti-landmine devices to a new blood glucose monitor, Cranfield’s focus is squarely on the application of its research.

Cranfield has a global reputation for inspirational teaching and research, industrial-scale facilities and superior links with industry and commerce

And as a wholly postgraduate institution, Cranfield is the first choice for ambitious and skilled individuals wishing to enrol on Masters’, Doctorate and professional development programmes.

Our passion for the areas of expertise we operate in - aerospace, automotive, defence, energy, environment, healthcare, management, manufacturing and security – makes us uniquely placed for both students and corporate partners alike.

Positioned between traditional universities and business and industry, we combine the academic rigour and long-term perspective of a university with the commercial and business focus of industry.   Cranfield operates in a global context. Our competitive advantage is based, primarily, upon three characteristics:

• our focus upon sectors, private, public and charitable, rather than traditional academic disciplines: hence all Schools embrace staff from a wide range of academic disciplines
• our concern for and delight in the practical outcome of our work
• our willingness to address defence.

We educate students at postgraduate level on both professional development and degree-awarding courses; they come either to enhance an already chosen career, or to move to a new one.

We bring a range of multidisciplinary skills to bear in addressing a number of fields including:

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Energy
• Environment
• Healthcare
• Manufacturing
• Security and defence

We undertake a full spectrum of research from basic through to application in order to serve society and inform our teaching.

Cranfield’s aim is to transform all its knowledge to practical application. This is mainly achieved through the work of its students and through its work for sponsoring clients.

In order to achieve its aim and deliver its mission, the University has a number of wholly-owned subsidiary companies that provide flexibility and return on investment to the University.

Cranfield has two basic criteria for performance which are interdependent – academic excellence and financial viability. Financial health is essential to support the academic work of the University.

The prime financial objective is the generation of cash sufficient to sustain present operations and provide ongoing investment for the future.

Cranfield’s organisational style is one of devolution and empowerment, within an overall collective vision and strategic direction. Devolution of decision-making is to a level at which decisions can most appropriately be made by those who fully understand their consequences, recognising that such empowerment will on occasions lead to mistakes which are inevitable in a learning process.

Cranfield is one of a kind – we stand for quality and specialist expertise, and aim to be flexible and contemporary, with a real-world, industry focus.  Educating students is an important part of our role, but we also develop products, conduct world-class research and provide consultancy and short courses for business through our five schools – Health, Applied Sciences, Engineering, Defence and Security, and Management.

In these uncertain economic times, you need to know you are choosing the right postgraduate university, whether as a research partner or as a student.  Choosing Cranfield means choosing a university that is both stimulating and contemporary.  Here are our top 10 reasons why Cranfield should be first on your list:

We are different
Cranfield is wholly postgraduate, specialising in science, technology and management. In this regard, we are unique in the UK.

Our industrial partners
Our business is driven by industry needs and we work with some of the most recognised names in the business – Airbus, Boeing, GlaxoSmithKline, Rolls-Royce, Shell and BP to name but a few.

Industry-relevant courses
With a real-world, multi-disciplinary focus, our courses are driven by our research and are constantly monitored and updated by Industry Advisory Panels to ensure they meet the needs of employers.

And in the 2008 Financial Times rankings, clients rated Cranfield’s School of Management as the UK’s Number One Business School for customised executive development.

Industrial research is our lifeblood
Cranfield’s outstanding facilities give our students a unique opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge and research to a practical, industrial-scale setting.

Amongst our world-class facilities, we have the largest icing wind tunnel in the UK, a crash testing centre and one of the best equipped multi-phase flow rigs in the UK.  We are the only university with its own executive airfield.  

Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)
Cranfield excels in strategic and applied research.  In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (designed to evaluate the quality of research in UK higher education institutions), 85% of our research submitted for assessment was internationally recognised in terms of originality, significance and rigour, with 50% being ‘internationally excellent’ and 15% being ‘world-leading’.

Our academics are world class
Our world class academics, with proven research records, are in constant touch with industry through research, consultancy and product development.

Top for student:staff ratios
The 2008 Times Higher World University Rankings identifies Cranfield as top in the UK for staff to student ratio (taking 11th place in the world).

Courses to make our students employable
93% of Cranfield students are engaged in relevant work or research within six months of graduation.

Our students are diverse
3,800 students from over 100 countries study either full- or part-time, or in parallel with their career.  We have 14,500 continuing professional development delegates, and 43% of our students study part-time.

Strong alumni network – supporting our students after graduation
Our students’ networking opportunities don’t stop at graduation – we continue to support our students throughout their working career.