Anglia Ruskin University

I chose Anglia Ruskin as its Faculty of Science & Technology has a very good reputation and the campus and city had such a friendly atmosphere when I visited during an Open Day.

The equipment available in the clinic sessions is particularly helpful because these are the tools I will be working with when I qualify as dispensing optician.

I really enjoy the practical side of the course. The equipment available in the clinic sessions is particularly helpful because these are the tools I will be working with when I qualify as dispensing optician. Being able to find out how to do things hands-on has been a definite advantage.

The course has made me aware that there is so much that can be done to spectacle lenses, as well as in the other observations of the patients' eye, in order to ensure that they have the best quality of vision possible.

I have been appointed as UKA's (United Kingdom Athletics) Apprentice Coach - Paralympic, Sprints and Wheelchair Racing, to help our top athletes to prepare for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I am based at UKA's National Performance Centre at Lee Valley, Edmonton, North London.

I'm over the moon to have been offered this amazing opportunity; not only will I get to learn from Peter Eriksson, my master coach, I will also have the opportunity to work with some great coaches including Jenny Archer. This role will enable me to further enhance my skills, and coupled with my passion and enthusiasm for coaching will enable me to continue along the course towards becoming a world-class coach.

A year before graduating I felt the course had already given me the skills and confidence to be able to walk on to a set and make my start in the industry as a runner while continuing the BA.

Simply, I would not be in this position without the learning and support I received throughout the course.

My graduation film received the award for Best Cinematography at the International Watersprite Film Festival. Now just over a year since then I have established myself in London as a freelance camera assistant working on feature films and commercials; with any spare time I'm left with I carry on shooting and lighting my own short films.

Simply, I would not be in this position without the learning and support I received throughout the course.

I chose to study Operating Department Practice with the Faculty of Health & Social Care at Anglia Ruskin University due to the diverse course content, the opportunity to undertake practice placements during the course and because the University offers the best support to students.

The facilities offered are great with a specific health library at Fulbourn as well as a mock operating theatre that gives you the opportunity to improve your individual operating practice skills.

Thus far my placements have been great and really beneficial in linking the theory and practice. I have been working on a variety of different surgery specialities in particular ophthalmic surgery; breast surgery; upper gastrointestinal surgery; gynaecological surgery; orthopaedic surgery and plastic surgery.

The facilities offered are great, with a specific health library at Fulbourn, as well as a mock operating theatre that gives you the opportunity to improve your individual operating practice skills. As a student ODP you need to take responsibility of your own education and reading is everything and having good library support is essential to understand all perioperative practice modules.

As well as studying I work as a student ambassador for the Faculty covering events such as Open Days and Taster Days. This is a great experience and allows me to give something back to those interested in studying ODP.

I'm nearly half way through my course but already the University is giving me the opportunity to become an excellent professional and to provide the best holistic care to all my patients.

I would recommend the ODP course at Anglia Ruskin University as the course gives you the opportunity to enter an exciting profession whilst continually improving your personal and professional skills.

I'm Dean Legg, a 3rd Year Student Business Management at the Cambridge Campus. For my 4th semester I went abroad to Sweden to study on the ERASMUS scheme. This really helped to develop my personality and allowed me to gain some valuable thinking time. It was a great experience and I would recommend the ERASMUS scheme to all students.

The great thing about setting a company up whilst at University is you can give it time to mature, alongside your studies.

The ERASMUS experience gave me more guidance in my life and helped me realise what I would like to do in the future. I have always felt that I was destined to own my own company. During the summer of 2011 I decided to make the move. With all the free time we have as students, it was feasible. I strongly recommend making a move at a time like this when you have no other significant commitments. This enables you to dedicate plenty of time to your new venture and should help you save on costs.

I incorporated Purely Natural Skin at Companies House. I am now trading as a Limited company, selling 100% natural products online. Please check out my website to see what you can do with no website building experience: www.purelynaturalskin.co.uk.

The great thing about setting a company up whilst at University is you can give it time to mature, alongside your studies. Many new companies fail within the first 2 years. If you can keep your expenses down and let your company mature slowly without any reliance on it for your income then you may be on to a winner. Also, with time the website will climb up the Google search rankings because Google trusts websites that have been around longer than others. Customers will also trust companies that have been around longer. The first 2 years will also be a learning curve, where you pick up lots of tips and information to improve your company.

The reason that I chose to study BA (Hons) Performing Arts at Anglia Ruskin University was due to discovering the exciting elements that the Performing Arts degree entailed such as, dramatherapy and individual instrumental tuition. Also, because the course is a fusion of drama, music and movement. Something newly constructed to cater for students that didn't want to study just Drama.

We collaborate with students from many different pathways, giving me an opportunity to learn about many different skills and create diverse and interesting pieces of work.

The main aspect I enjoy of my course is the fact that we collaborate with students from many different pathways, giving me an opportunity to learn about many different skills and create diverse and interesting pieces of work. I also like the fact that there is so much scope within each and every module to explore and express your own creative freedom, each module is designed to be exciting and intellectually stimulating. With such a great variety of modules on offer it is certainly an enriching course.

We are often emailed regarding opportunities and I successfully auditioned for a lead female role in a play called "The Mirror", performing in a London theatre at a Fringe Festival in Summer 2011. I have also gained skills in dance and movement since being on the BA (Hons) Performing Arts and I auditioned to dance in the Olympics. I have recently heard that I have been accepted and I will be dancing in the Opening Ceremonies of London 2012 Olympics. In my 2nd year, I undertook an internship with NIE theatre company, an opportunity gained through the course. Thanks to Anglia Ruskin I have developed many skills that have helped me get involved in these amazing opportunities.

The support of the teaching staff is fantastic. Each and every one of the lecturers in my pathway will go out of their way as much as possible to help you, no matter how big or small the problem may be. It is thanks to my lecturers that I have developed and come on well in my written work through constructive feedback.

I was initially attracted to the BA (Hons) Music at Anglia Ruskin because of the opportunities to gain experience and knowledge of different fields of music, such as world music, composition and improvisation, gospel and choir singing, as well as leading the orchestra and supporting this with theoretical knowledge. Furthermore, I found the interdisciplinary aspect attractive as different modules are offered in collaboration with students from different areas such as Performing Arts and Drama.

Being part of different ensembles creates special relationships between players as we all enjoy doing something we love the most - music.

I would recommend Anglia Ruskin to study music because of range of facilities and opportunities offered and mainly because of the support from your lecturers about your ideas, creativity and hard work.

Being part of the Department of Music and Performing Arts brings together hard work and a social life, which is the most beautiful thing. Being part of different ensembles creates special relationships between players as we all enjoy doing something we love the most - music.

Practice rooms are always available, especially if you book them in advance, as well as the use of studios, rental of different instruments, and use of computers. Also there are always technicians who are happy to help with aspects of staging such as lighting and sound balance.

In the final year we have to find a work placement and work there for about 35 hours. That was very useful as it made us think about our future, helped us to improve our CV, and deal with career-orientated questions. However, the most important aspect is that we had a chance to gain experience in the area that we were interested in.

The graphic design course at Anglia Ruskin is complemented by the lecturers' specialist knowledge of typography, which has always been a fantastic foundation in my job.

My job is as a graphic designer with SCEE Cambridge Studio (Sony Computer Entertainment Europe) I work on a varied amount of content and this is quite reflective of the course at Anglia Ruskin, with the opportunity to try out different areas of graphic design over the first 2 years through different modules and then working on specialities in the 3rd year, whilst also preparing you for the professional start in the industry. It's always been known that the graphic design course at Anglia Ruskin is complemented by the lecturers' specialist knowledge of typography, which has always been a fantastic foundation in my job.

Working with layout is a typical day-to-day task, from designing menus and interfaces to laying out packaging or manuals, so having the knowledge of what looks right on the page and understanding what will be most legible for the end user is incredibly important. The same applies to having a contextual knowledge of what design and type styles are suitable for which target audience, and understanding why.

I began my journey into higher education without formal qualifications. I aspired to become a good role model to my son and to secure an enjoyable and rewarding professional career. The first step of this journey began on an Access to Higher Education Course and this course enabled me to fulfill a lifelong dream and apply to University.

The Sociology tutors and lectures were extremely approachable, friendly and most importantly, they were supportive towards my studies and my future career ambitions.

I started my Sociology degree at Anglia Ruskin University as a very nervous, anxious and excited new student in 2008. My nerves and worries regarding the degree were very quickly overcome. The Sociology tutors and lectures were extremely approachable, friendly and most importantly, they were supportive towards my studies and my future career ambitions. As a mature student and a single mother, I feel that this support was an essential component towards my success on the course (along with, of course, lots of hard work).

The range of modules on the Sociology degree helped me to gain an understanding of society as a whole and I find myself using this knowledge on a daily basis. The modules within my degree, along with my own volunteering work have enabled me to confidently choose my future career path. As a result, I will be starting a Masters degree in Social Work this year and I couldn't be happier.

Studying English Literature at Anglia Ruskin has given me the confidence to investigate exactly what I love about Literature. My passion for books developed over the 3-year course and led me, along with invaluable advice from the Faculty, to pursue a career in publishing.

I am now working for Cambridge University Press in their Academic and Professional Books department and am thriving in my new environment. I can't thank the English Department enough for their help in getting me to the career of my dreams.

I find the lectures and seminars very motivating and the teaching second-to-none, with all features of the course proving thought-provoking and relevant.

As a mature student, studying at Anglia Ruskin University has been an excellent decision. During my time as a student at Anglia Ruskin I have developed new skills and knowledge that offered me the opportunity to further my academic career or to seek employment in a variety of fields relating to crime. I have been lucky enough to be a Criminology student at the Cambridge campus undertaking an honours degree course that far exceeded my expectations. I am constantly encouraged to embrace new challenges whilst being actively supported, directed and mentored within the department. I find the lectures and seminars very motivating and the teaching second-to-none, with all features of the course proving thought-provoking and relevant.

The University Library is extremely helpful with access to all relevant and related books, journals, databases and websites. I have had the full support from all my tutors who are willing to help with all aspects of the course. I would definitely recommend Anglia Ruskin University to anyone contemplating embarking on a Criminology degree as it not only covers the core subjects but a wide range of elective subjects as well.

Throughout the 3 years of my degree, studying at Anglia Ruskin University has given me not only great facilities, lectures, teachers and friends, but also great opportunities. The Film Department were always willing to help out and I would always get some invaluable experiences thrown my way.

Being given the opportunities that I have, throughout my degree, I feel that I have a newfound confidence and ability which I owe to my time at the university.

One such opportunity came to me at the end of my final semester, when local filmmakers approached the University to find crew for their latest project. The project turned out to be an independent feature called Dimensions and, through the aid and recommendation of the Film Department, I was given the opportunity to work on it as a camera operator. Taking the experience I'd acquired from my course, I worked for the entirety of the 4 week shoot (which was very tiring!) and met some fantastic people.

Currently, I am in the planning stage for a series of short documentaries with an international charity. Being given the opportunities that I have, throughout my degree, I feel that I have a newfound confidence and ability which I owe to my time at the University. Without the 3 years of study, the great help and encouragement from the staff and the contacts they have shared, I would never have come even close to working in film. With all this, I feel I am getting closer every day.

I am an international student from Hungary and I am enjoying my 3rd year studying Tourism Management at Anglia Ruskin.

The course attracted me as I have always been interested in travelling, foreign languages and different cultures. The skills I have developed so far include research skills and teamwork - both skills that will be essential in the workplace. My course tutors are very helpful and I also spend a lot of time in the library which is always busy with students.

Following my graduation, my career ambition is to work for a national, or an international tourism organisation.

I always attend the Game Jams that my tutor organised for us. Game Jams are gaming events where teams are given a brief and compete to make the best game in a short amount of time. Afterwards, industry professionals usually come and check out the results, and Frontier saw my work on display.

Next thing I know, I'm opening up an email from Frontier's Director of Production, and being offered an interview for the role of Visual Effects Artist within the company! I couldn't believe my eyes!

The IBM University Business Challenge Winning Team: (from 3rd from left) Stefan Ewald, Anna Mowka, David Gruenbaum, Pia Dewenter and Matthias Pust

The IBM University Business Challenge (UBC) offers undergraduates a unique opportunity to improve their knowledge of the business world, put theory into practice and develop their team-working, leadership and employability skills. The Challenge gives participants the chance to work as a board of directors in a series of realistic, simulated companies, making all the critical business decisions that affect the company's performance.

The Challenge is a true learning experience for all those who enter. It helps students to improve their decision-making skills, develop their team-working abilities and increase their knowledge in key business areas such as marketing, finance and production.

The Lord Ashcroft International Business School has a long tradition within this competition - starting in 2006 when we came second, and then winning in 2007-2008. We entered 11 teams in the 2011-12 competition.

304 teams, over 1,500 students, from 68 universities registered and competed in the 1st round. Only 80 teams got to go through to round 2 - so we were thrilled to find that 5 of our teams secured a place. One of our teams representing Anglia Ruskin / Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht (HWR)(Berlin School of Economics and Law) won a place in the Grand Final. The team consisted of BA International Business students David Grunbaum, Pia Dewenter, Stefan Ewald, Anna Mowka and Matthias Pust.

There were 4 closely contested rounds of a business simulation in the finals. Our Anglia Ruskin / HWR team started in 4th place then advanced to 2nd place for the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Our team went on to win with a profit of £15,803,610.

An important part of this year's competition has been the emphasis on a wider view of business success than traditional profit maximisation. The student teams had 2 imperatives: to be the most profitable but to balance this with responsibilities to a wider range of stakeholders - and the scoring took account of both objectives. Our team devised a simple plan to invest long term, with David, Anna, Stefan and Matthias working on the classic business strategies while Pia worked on the corporate social responsibility perspective, modifying the team's plans when necessary. This combination of accurate spreadsheet modelling with the social perspective paid off.

I love how the course continues to challenge me, and the active style of teaching has continued to keep me captivated.

Being a new student who wasn't familiar with Cambridge, at first I was sceptical on how easy it would be to socialise. However, the vast amount of clubs and societies that Anglia Ruskin offers has provided me with a great opportunity to meet new people who share similar hobbies. The trips and tutor meetings within the course also helped to support this. I'm now in my 2nd year of studying the course and have thoroughly enjoyed it so far.

Currently I am deciding upon my chosen dissertation question and am looking forward to researching it. I love how the course continues to challenge me, and the active style of teaching has continued to keep me captivated.

I have wanted to become a midwife for many years, I chose the BSc (Hons) Midwifery at Anglia Ruskin University because I liked the structure of the course, the modules we would be undertaking and the staff who would be teaching it.

I am learning the skills that I will need to begin a lifelong career in midwifery, and I have met some truly wonderful people who I shall hopefully work with upon qualifying and who I am also sure will be lifelong friends of mine.

I have loved studying at Anglia Ruskin so far. I am still able to live at home so I do not have to travel far to University or placement, and I therefore still get to see my family and friends outside of University. I am learning the skills that I will need to begin a lifelong career in midwifery, and I have met some truly wonderful people who I shall hopefully work with upon qualifying, and who I am also sure will be lifelong friends of mine. I have also enjoyed the adult learning experience at Anglia Ruskin; the relationships that you build with the lecturers and other members of staff throughout the university; the general sense of you being in control of your own learning; and the feeling that your input and opinion matters. The course also enables you to become qualified in the UNICEF BFI training, which is another great qualification to have alongside your degree.

I would recommend my course to other people who wish to become a midwife because it is a well structured and organised course that encourages you to be an independent learner. The health and social care facilities at the University are still very new and have lots to offer, as well as the overall campus being within walking distance of Chelmsford city centre, the train station and park and ride schemes.