[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Okay, no Essex Girl jokes. Well, maybe one... Why is there a university in Essex? So Suffolk Girls can study there. [EITAL]Actually, the University isn't even in the famously maligned part of Essex, [ITAL]full of parked Ford Capris and peroxide blondes. [EITAL]It's 21/2 miles from Colchester, a thoroughly modern Roman town, a bit further from London. It's the smallest university in England and Wales (if you count places like [ULNE]Lampeter[EULNE] as university colleges), set amidst 3 large lakes in 200 acres of [ITAL]scenic[EITAL] parkland designed to hold a much larger institution - the University slowed its ambitious expansion a few years after it was founded. It has remnants of the big plans, though: the campus contains shops, eating places and facilities [ITAL]which betray the grander designs for the place[EITAL]. They're all set in a [ITAL]confusing [EITAL]series of interlinked courtyards and modern concrete buildings, flanked by towering multi-storey residential blocks[ITAL]. [EITAL][HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Being such a small university, based in a big campus (if you include the parkland), there's a big sense of community. This can either be seen as friendly solidarity or as busybody nosiness, close knit groups or cliques. Whichever, most of it is tightly focused on the 2 bars. Less gregarious students can have a hard time. Many of the population have some connection with the local garrison which during the Gulf War, at any rate, led to cold shoulder rubbing with the more right on students. Provided they keep their mutual distance, things are OK now.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]THE TOWN:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 88,847 [BULL] London: 40miles [BULL] Ipswich: 16miles[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA]Like we said, Colchester is a thoroughly modern Roman town - that is to say, the Romans started the place, although they went home some time ago. It's the oldest recorded town in the country -[ITAL] and the town plan hasn't been greatly changed since[EITAL]. But, as when all the bits of a car have been replaced so many times that you have a new car, Colchester has established many modern pockets: shopping centres and light industry, busy roads and modern architecture and now a new leisure centre. There are still many [ITAL]pretty [EITAL]parts, old houses and ancient buildings, not least the original Roman Wall and the castle (built by William the Conquerer) which houses the town Library and Museum.[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] The nearest mainline station to the campus is Colchester North, 3 miles from the campus (there are 2 other stations in town). Direct services run into London Liverpool Street (ú7.05, 55mins, 5/hr). Connections via London are possible all over the country including Birmingham (ú21.80), Bristol (ú24.40) and Edinburgh (ú43.55).[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express services to, among other places, London (ú6.25, 2:10hrs, 4/day), Birmingham (ú16, 4:55hrs, 1/day); Cambridge (ú5.25, 2hrs, 1/day).[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] Colchester is visited by the A120, A12, A133, and A604.[PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Stansted International is 32 miles west on the A120.[PARA][BOLD]Ferries:[EBOLD] To the continent from Harwich and Felixstowe, 16 miles away.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The slip roads of the A12 are the best bet, but trying to get a lift in Essex is like sucking an iron bar.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] Buses are [ITAL]expensive [EITAL](80p to the town centre),[ITAL] but they are reliable[EITAL] and they tour the local villages [ITAL]which can be useful for those living there. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] Some firms are less expensive than others,[ITAL] but we wouldn't use the word 'cheap' for any of them.[EITAL] From ú2.90 from the station to the campus.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] The Romans didn't have bikes and no-one has thought of putting in bike lanes since. Then again, Essex is quite flat[ITAL] and distances are cycle-able.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]FACULTIES and STUDENT NOS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Comparative[EBOLD] 1,002[BOLD][PARA]Soc Sci[EBOLD] 985[BOLD][PARA]Law[EBOLD] 274[BOLD][PARA]Maths[EBOLD] 326[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 677[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 525,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 3,000 [BULL] Study places: 700 [BULL] Computer workstations: 350[ESTAT][PARA]The Albert Sloman Library has a Paternosta lift - just step on and step off while the open lift keeps moving[ITAL].[EITAL] [ITAL]If you ever get bored of that[EITAL], there are computer terminals in the library and in 9 departmental libraries, [ITAL]however access is not always easy. [EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 3full [BULL] Unemployed after 6mths (1992): 8.7%[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BULL]Essex is not usually students' 1st choice, many come here through the clearing system.[ITAL] Although it has a downbeat reputation, it does have a number of prestigious departments.[EITAL][PARA][BULL]There are a lot of ducks on the 3 lakes and around the campus there are more rabbits than students. Each year, much to the distress of the students, the University carries out a bunny cull.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Oscar Arias (former President of Costa Rica and Nobel prize winner); Virginia Bottomley MP (Health Secretary); Brian Hanrahan (BBC reporter); Rudolpho Neri (1st Brazilian astronaut); Ben Okri (writer, Booker Prize winner).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads.[PARA][PARA]
