Chelmsford and Anglia Ruskin University in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution in Essex19/12/2019
Anglia Ruskin University has also a campus in Chelmsford, Essex, which is only 40 kilometres away from London to the North East. From the London city centre, it takes only 30 minutes to reach Chelmsford by train. Many people may have heard the name before, but the city remains distant. Nowadays the most knowns global brand might be the reality television show The Only Way Is Essex, which showcases the luxurious lifestyles of young Brits. But Essex has more to offer. During the industrial revolution, Chelmsford was a global innovation hub, and its position remained important to the 1990s, and then came a slight decline. Nowadays Chelmsford is living a new phase in the fourth industrial revolution. The Marconi Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company opened its doors in 1899. During those years, the company was a pioneer by introducing new technologies. This is the reason why Chelmsford is called the birthplace of radio but there are of course several claims that who made the first radio signal but this does not affect Guglielmo Marconi's innovations. However, Marconi opened the world's first radio factory in Chelmsford. Radar, British Broadcasting Service (BBC), transatlantic radio broadcasting, television, short wave beam, avionics, the diode vacuum tube, and many others are all affected by Marconi's company. In 1999, some functions of the company merged British Aerospace and BAE Systems, and the rest with Ericsson in 2006. Rookes Evelyn Bell Crompton is also an important figure in Chelmsford. He founded Crompton & Co. during the late 19th century. Crompton installed electric lightning in Windsor Castle. In 1887, Crompton designed and installed one of the world's first public electricity supplies using a centralised power station in Kensington Gardens. This was a real breakthrough. As a result, Crompton installed lightning systems for private and public spaces around the British Empire. Both companies lured manufacturers to Chelmsford. Engines, first precision rolling bearings, steam buses, and other innovative products have been designed and manufactured in Chelmsford. However, during the 1990s the industrial base eroded, and the city had to rediscover itself. During the 1990's Chelmsford was on the map because of Virgin's V Festival and Prodigy. Then Anglia Ruskin University came to the city. The Queen opened the new building in 1995, and the Duke of Kent opened the School of Medicine in 2019. The university provides a range of degrees. Specializing in medicine, high-tech, engineering, banking, and finance. Finance students can gain real-life experiences by using the Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab. London is one of the biggest financial centres in the entire world. London lures investors from different corners of the world. Therefore, Chelmsford is one of the best places for finance students, researchers, and entrepreneurs because it is close to London, and Chelmsford has a growing fintech innovation cluster. Nowadays Anglia Ruskin University is protecting the innovation heritage by doing groundbreaking research in the city. Anglia Ruskin University's past and present cooperation partners are Barclays, Russian Railways, Institute of Export, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Specsavers, UPS, Volvo, and many other great brands. The university has also a very vibrant startup ecosystem, which commercialises innovations into the marketplace. Chelmsford is living again a new renaissance because of the fourth industrial revolution. The city is booming once again. Anglia Ruskin is ranked within the top 350 universities in the world. It was awarded the Entrepreneurial University of the Year in the 2014 Times Higher Educations Awards. Its entrepreneurial excellence was nationally recognised when it won the Duke of York Award for University Entrepreneurship at the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards 2016. Notable Alumni are Lord Michael Ashcroft, Baroness Patricia Scotland, Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett and David Gilmour, Television Presenter Sarah-Jane Crawford, Author John Burnside, and many others. Honorary Doctorates include Popstar Kylie Minogue, Actor Stephen Fry, Pink Floyd Member David Gilmour, Television Presenter Katie Piper, Princess Elettra Marconi Giovanelli, Musician Suzi Quatro, and many other great achievers. Anglia Ruskin University has campuses in London, Cambridge, Chelmsford, and Peterborough. |