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Research

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The international dimension

At Essex, we value highly the international dimension of university life in providing a transformational education to students.

We encourage our students and staff to broaden their world outlook through study, work or volunteering at one of our partner institutions around the world.

We have students from more than 140 countries and over a third of our students are from outside the UK. This makes us the most international mainstream university in the UK outside London
(The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018).

14% of our students are from the rest of the EU.
22% of our students are from the rest of the world.
We also attract many 'home' students with 64% of our student community from the UK.

Global opportunities

We were named University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards in November 2018.
We welcome students from around the world for a period of study at Essex and aim to offer them an outstanding international experience.
We encourage our students to grasp opportunities to work and volunteer abroad, and take advantage of the opportunities we offer around the world.

Prosperous partnerships

We have a range of different partnership arrangements with institutions around the world.

Progression and friendship agreements

Our University has links with almost 120 institutions around the world. Friendship agreements allow us to formalise cooperation with another institution, while progression agreements allow partner students to be considered for admission to courses at Essex.

Dual award partnerships

We have dual award partnerships with Kobe University in Japan. We also have a network of dual award partnerships in Germany with Universität Hamburg, Universität Bamberg, Universität Konstanz, and the Universität Mannheim. These links allow students to gain two Masters awards in the time it would take them to complete one in their home country.

Double degree programmes

Through our prestigious, jointly-developed double degree programme with Northwest University (NWU) in China and our own School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CSEE) at Essex, successful students from NWU will be awarded qualifications from both institutions; a BSc in Electronic Systems Engineering from Essex and a BSc in Electronic Information Science and Technology from NWU.

Through our English and French double degree programme, students are able to qualify for legal practice in both France and the UK. Currently, Essex has three partner institutions in France; Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense and Université Toulouse 1 Capitole.

Validation arrangements

Our partnership with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) offers their students the opportunity to complete a one year undergraduate top-up course validated by the University of Essex. Successful students will receive either a BA in Creative Arts Management or a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Essex,.

Franchise arrangements

Through our partnership with Kaplan Singapore, we offer a number of our undergraduate Essex Business School courses in Singapore. These are closely modelled on the courses offered by Essex Business School at Essex.

Study abroad and student exchanges

We currently have study abroad partnership agreements with some 155 institutions globally, and each year around 300 Essex students take up this ideal opportunity to broaden their horizons and earn a credit towards their degree. View our students' study abroad video stories from Italy, Czech Republic, Germany and France.

We welcome students from around the world for a period of study abroad at Essex and aim to offer you an outstanding international experience. You can also join our international community of original thinkers and gain something unique within an academically-challenging environment.

Study Abroad information

We hold an Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education 2014-20 (.pdf)
View our Erasmus Policy Statement (.pdf)
IIE GSA Commitment Partner
UUK Go International Commitment Partner

Work and volunteer abroad

We encourage our students to grasp opportunities to work and volunteer abroad, and take advantage of the opportunities we offer around the world that will broaden their horizons personally and academically.

Each year we offer rich extra-curricular activities to Essex students the world including in South America, China, Australasia and Southeast Asia. These include charity and conservation work with UmPhafa and Colchester Zoo in South Africa, a sea turtle conservation project with Wildlife Sense in Greece, and Buenos Aires Municipal Government Internships in Argentina.

When our students consider working, volunteering or taking part in any opportunity abroad, we provide guidance on what direction to take and where they can go. We also help organise their your time abroad, and help students get prepared through pre-departure workshops.

Explore our current volunteering opportunities.

Internships

Each year we offer rich extra-curricular activities to Essex students wishing to pursue internships in countries including Argentina, China, Australia and other regions in Southeast Asia.

Hamza Kazmi (pictured right) graduated in July 2017 after studying Modern History and International Relations - and studied abroad at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada in 2015/16. A weekend trip with other students saw Hamza explore the Rocky Mountains with a stop at Lake Louise.

Malin is Norwegian and studies International Business and Entrepreneurship at our Southend Campus, in 2017-18 she’s studying abroad as part of her degree in Nijmegen, Netherlands

In June 2017 a group of Essex students spent two weeks volunteering in Greece on a sea turtle and wildlife conservation programme

Antonia Vladut graduated in 2017 after studying Creative Writing. During 2015-16, Antonia spent the year studying abroad at La Trobe University in Australia.

Nicolae Radulescu (pictured left) graduated from his degree in Liberal Arts in 2017 after completing a summer school at Tokyo Kasei University.

In June 2017, a group of Essex students spent two weeks volunteering in Greece on a sea turtle and wildlife conservation programme.

Iulia Popescu is studying International Relations, taking her year abroad at the University of Hong Kong. Here she is pictured on Cheung Chau Island, the first island she visited in Hong Kong after taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.’

"I was intrigued by the challenge of studying abroad - I was intrigued by the challenge, I like learning new things, I like exploring different places."

Marissa Anderson BA Financial Economics

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