Heriot-Watt is one of the oldest higher education institution in the UK, and gained university status by Royal Charter in 1966. The university originated as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, founded in 1821 as the world's first Mechanics Institute. Named after George Heriot, 16th Century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th Century inventor and engineer. Campuses in Edinburgh and in the Scottish Borders at Galashiels, with the International Centre for Island Technology Campus in Orkney. The Edinburgh Campus combines a beautiful parkland site with all the attractions offered by one of the world's great cities. The university has a further growing campus in Dubai based at the purpose-built Academic City with over 3,000 students. Heriot-Watt University's first premises in Putrajaya, Malaysia opened to students in January 2013 when it launched their global MBA programme from the Edinburgh Business School.
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia will open in 2014 with a purpose-built campus. Admission to courses is by individual assessment where experience and skills are valued alongside formal qualifications. Guidance on undergraduate entry requirements is available online. Students with particularly good grades may be offered the opportunity for second year entry into degree courses. Heriot-Watt consistently outperforms its national benchmarks for percentage of entrants from state schools and areas of low HE participation.
Over 34% of students studying in Scotland come from outside the UK – the largest proportion in Scotland. Each year Heriot-Watt University disburses over £6 million in the form of fee and stipend scholarships to more than 400 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Places are in demand with around a 20% overall conversion rate of applications to places for first degree courses. The ratio of applications to places varies for different disciplines.
Flexible modular teaching with opportunities for transfer between courses and learning modes. Teaching is supported by virtual learning environments which add value to the student learning experience. The Virtual Campus is exemplified by the popular SCHOLAR programme, a learning resource for first year courses. The Enhancement-Led Institutional Review held in 2011 awarded Heriot-Watt the highest possible assessment. A well developed Learning and Teaching Strategy focuses on employability and professional career readiness, and the student learning experience. Student representation is included on key strategy/policy making committees which set the standards for learning and teaching and student support.
Research Standards
The university offers the advantages of a research-led teaching environment where advances in relevant fields are reflected in the syllabus. In the 2008 RAE, 50% of the University's research was rated as internationally excellent. Heriot-Watt had one of the highest RAE staff submission rates among Scottish universities. The University plays a leading role in a number of Scottish research pooling initiatives including in the areas of Engineering (Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering), Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics and Marine Science.
The University has an extensive portfolio of research collaborations and is expanding this through the development of strategic alliances with key industry partners.