#24 University of Birmingham

OPEN DAY:	VIRTUAL OPEN WEEK 22-26 JUNE
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The University 

One of the largest universities in the country, the University of Birmingham is a Russell Group public research university located just outside the Birmingham city centre. Currently ranked as the 13th top university in the country, Birmingham was founded in 1900 as the first civic university by Royal Charter, and has proved to be a university of innovations; the first university built on a campus model, the first to incorporate a medical school, and the first to create a women's hall of residence. A research university at heart, Birmingham has stood strong as a centre for research, as the Research Excellence Framework proved in History (1st in the country), Dentistry (1st), Sports Science (3rd) and Chemical Engineering (5th), to name a few, confirming that 81% of the research undertaken at the university is "internationally excellent or world leading".

UoB is one of the top sporting universities in the country, ranked 7th overall in BUCS rankings last year, and this evidently crosses over into the academic side. The university is currently ranked as the 6th best in the world for sports-related subjects, and the best in the country for physiotherapy. The university also offers sports scholarships between £4,000 and £10,000 in value, for both incoming and existing students to apply for. Alongside the new £55 million sports centre, which features a 50m pool, state-of-the-art gym and sports science laboratories, and the new local student gym in the centre of the student area, sport at the university is on the rise.

With the university's own train station making the city centre a 10 minute journey, students are never far away from the famous Bullring shopping centre, canals and nightlife which makes Birmingham such an exciting place to stay. First year accommodation is guaranteed in student halls, while Selly Oak offers a tightly-knit student population for second years and older just outside the university, with a two-minute walk to campus. The £1 billion worth of development projects being invested in the university between 2016 and 2026 including a new school of engineering and new library means there is no better time to join the University of Birmingham.

Click here for details on how to apply.

The Boat Club

The University of Birmingham Boat Club (UBBC) is one of the largest sports clubs at the university (140 members), and has a strong history as a leading centre for rowing in the West Midlands. The club is split in two, with our beginner programme centred at the Edgbaston Reservoir, and the senior programme operating out of a dedicated boathouse in Worcester. The beginner programme is almost entirely volunteer-led as the beginners start from scratch, taught by senior students, to learn sculling and sweeping proficiently with aims to race at BUCS regatta and merge successfully with the senior squads. The senior squads row at least three times a week out of the boathouse in Worcester on the banks of a beautiful 7km stretch of the River Severn, shared with Worcester Rowing Club, who the club has a strong history of affiliation with.  

The club has established itself with an incredibly social and friendly atmosphere, with the many socials and events throughout the year working alongside work to allow members to fully enjoy their university experience. This is not at the expense of performance, as the university has produced and nurtured some exceptional athletes through recent years. The boat club has been to EUSA twice in the past three years (with a Gold medal from one of them), sent athletes to the Power8 sprints last year, regularly sends beginners and senior squad members to the British Rowing Talent ID camps and is a presence at all major regattas throughout the year. The university also regularly performs at regional events, and picked up 3 medals each at the University of Bristol Head Race and University Indoor Rowing Series in 2019, before season cancellation.

The land training alongside the water is just as important, and the new sports centre has provided a dedicated S&C programme and coaching to the athletes, to help educate about correct form and injury prevention and to increase base power and strength.

UBBC aims to allow its members to enjoy their rowing at university, be that through training and racing at a high level or rowing more recreationally alongside friends, the welfare and satisfaction of the club members is always the priority.

If you are interested in joining the University of Birmingham, please email universitybirminghamrowing@gmail.com

Achievements

• Gold Medal at EUSA 2017 in the Men's 2x
• Three athletes have gone on to represent their countries at an U23 and national level since 2017, with one winning silver at U23 Worlds 2019.
• Recent qualifications at both Henley Royal and Henley Women's Regatta
• Notable alumni include Tokyo 2021 qualifiers and U23/Paralympic champions.

Facilities

• New £55 million Sport & Fitness Club.
• Dedicated S&C training and fleet of 30 Concept2 Ergos.
• 7km stretch of River Severn with personal boathouse.
• Well-maintained modern Filippi fleet alongside Empacher and Wintech small boats.
• Recent purchase of 2 CoxBox GPS.
• Free triage and injury assessment with UBSport, and discounted physiotherapy sessions.