An outstanding place to study

The University of Hertfordshire brings the transformational impact of higher education to all.

With its heritage in Britain’s pioneering aeronautical industry, the University has been an innovative force in education since the early 1950s. Today, it hosts a thriving community of more than 25,000 students who study 550 degree options, across seven academic schools of study at a vibrant, inclusive, campus-based institution, which is also home to nearly 3000 staff. Herts is also proud to boast a global network of over 270,000 alumni.

Alongside high- quality teaching, the University’s strong relationships with industry and award-winning careers services ensure students gain the knowledge and skills they need to match their ambition and succeed.

Academics are experts in their field, delivering research which is having a meaningful social and environmental impact in the UK and across the globe. From safe guarding older people's food security and public health, to using a pioneering technology to deliver critical insights into climate change, staff drive forward cutting-edge research which powers progress.

The University partners with institutions in countries all over the world, as well as welcoming 4,000 students from over 100 countries to its campus in the UK. Home students are also encouraged to take the opportunity to experience studying abroad at one of over 170 universities worldwide.

At the University of Hertfordshire students, staff and businesses consistently reach their full potential. They continue to think bigger, stand out and positively impact local, national and international communities.

A hub for Enterprise

The University of Hertfordshire has been an anchor institution for the regional economy and community since its beginning. Through its all-campus incubator ethos, and status as one of only 20 University Enterprise Zones in the UK, Herts gives hundreds of businesses access to world class academic expertise, research, people, facilities and skills to help them successfully bring ideas to market, to get started, and to grow.

In 2021, Hertfordshire Business School was awarded the Small Business Charter, for championing the SME community.

Since 2016, through Exemplas, part of the University of Hertfordshire group, 19,000 SMEs have been supported to expand their international trading capacity. This represents over £4.5bn in export revenue to the UK.

In 2018, the University created the Hertfordshire Science partnership, opening up opportunities for small businesses in the AgriTech and life sciences sectors, to benefit from University facilities, technology and expertise.

In 2020, the University launched the Volunteer Business support scheme, which provided over 1000 hours of free support from expert mentors, to help businesses bolster, pivot or rebuild during the pandemic.

Over 150 regional employers have benefited from partnering with Herts, strengthening their workforce with graduate placements, professional development, and around 850 active apprenticeships. Collaboration via eight active Knowledge Transfer Partnerships provides businesses with over £1.7m worth of expertise led support, helping open doors for new ideas, new vision and new enterprise, making a positive difference and stimulating the economy.

Transforming Lives

Herts focuses on transforming lives and is committed to actively celebrating and seeking out diversity, with the ethos that inclusion of different voices and unique perspectives is what makes the University community thrive, enhancing research, enriching teaching and strengthening the teaching and learning experience. 60% of its students and 19% of its staff are from ethnically diverse communities. The University has an ongoing programme of initiatives and commitments focused on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion including societies, campaigns, training programmes and University wide action plans.

Equality of opportunity is also a key focus, ensuring every staff member and student has the chance to achieve their potential. This has been recognised in a recent report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies in partnership with the Sutton Trust and Department for Education – with The University of Hertfordshire ranked 16th in England for social mobility impact.

Approach to learning

The University of Hertfordshire’s academics are experts in their field, and many are focused on researching solutions to the biggest societal challenges of our time. From developing a humanoid robot that can support children with autism, to using pioneering technology to deliver critical insights into climate change, their staff drive forward and deliver cutting-edge research that has real-world impact.

Herts will always be a campus-based university with in-person activities at its heart. However, offering flexible online learning during the pandemic delivered many benefits. It allowed those who commute or who have other responsibilities to engage with learning at a time and pace that suited them. It gave students who wouldn’t normally speak up in a session the platform to contribute, and it allowed students to watch classes again where information needed to be reviewed, and made many resources available 24/7. As such, the University has now introduced ‘Herts Learning’, a blended and flexible approach to learning, which will be a part of every student’s programme by 2025.

The University is also committed to providing students with the skills, knowledge, experiences, and support they need to launch rewarding careers. Over 50% of courses are accredited by professional bodies and teaching and learning is enhanced by strong relationships with industry. In the 2021 National Student Survey (NSS), the University performed in the top quartile for Student Voice and Learning Community, and above the sector average for Learning Resources and Academic Support, while the overall satisfaction score is 74.14%.

In addition to excellent teaching, outstanding support can be expected at the University alongside access to a wide range of on-campus wellbeing support, award-winning careers services, and online learning materials. Students also receive a unique on-campus community experience.

Strategic Plan

The University’s strategic plan for 2020 – 2025 was launched at the start of 2020, with a vision to transform lives and open up horizons. It reflects on the ambitions and inspiration that are central to the University and is built on the belief that whatever a student’s background, wherever they are from, the University will drive their potential, powering them to succeed. The strategic plan focuses on five key areas:

People: The University fosters a supportive and friendly environment to support both staff and students to transform lives by providing opportunities to attract, retain and develop individuals, building a diverse and inclusive community, and responding with flexibility to the challenges of the changing world.
Education and student experience: The University delivers high-quality and distinctive education that transforms lives.
Research: The University carries out research that transforms lives, addressing fundamental global and societal challenges.
Global engagement: The University is globally engaged, transforming lives by providing international opportunities for staff and students, building a diverse community on their campuses, and increasing flexible programme delivery for their overseas markets.
Enterprise: The University creates transformative benefits for the economy and their communities through world-class expertise in business, innovation, and skills.

Find out more

Click HERE for more information about the University of Hertfordshire
Click HERE to see how the University supports enterprise growth
Click HERE for more information on the University’s Schools of Study
Click HERE to get in contact with the University of Hertfordshire