New degrees and degree apprenticeships offered in Peterborough span business and marketing, computing and games development, education, engineering, food and environment, health and social care, nursing and midwifery, law, construction and surveying.

The university’s degree apprenticeship numbers have already reached about 2,000 in 25 programmes training students for roles in policing, business and management, building, digital, data and technology, and nursing and healthcare.

Anglia Ruskin’s world-leading research in music therapy for patients with dementia was recognised in February 2022 with the award of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, presented by (the then) Prince Charles. The honour — the highest in UK further and higher education — singles out innovative work that delivers significant public benefit.

Nine subject areas at Anglia Ruskin were judged to have a world-leading impact, according to results from the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021): allied health professions; business and management studies; communication; cultural and media studies; language and literature; history; music; drama; dance; performing arts; psychology; social work and social policy; and sociology. The university rises five places in our research quality ranking this year to 84th place.

Anglia Ruskin’s strong tradition in healthcare education is backed up by simulated hospital wards and clinical skills facilities at the Young Street Building in Cambridge. The university was shortlisted for the Nursing Times pre-registration Provider of the Year award in 2019 and 2020.The £20 million medical school, opened in 2018, is at the riverside Chelmsford campus. The Cambridge campus is the base for students taking degrees from the Cambridge School of Art. Hands-on learning facilities at the Cambridge site include crime scene rooms in the Science Centre, a mock law court and gaming laboratories.

Anglia Ruskin also has two London bases — in the City and Docklands — mainly for business and law students.

Even before ARU Peterborough opened, there had been a spike in applications to Anglia Ruskin. Applications exceeded 19,000 in the 2021 admissions cycle and enrolments were at their highest level since 2016.

As well as the new courses at Peterborough, the university introduced degree courses in creative writing; fashion communication and branding; computer games (both design and programming); media production; television production and biological sciences with sustainability in September 2022.

Rated silver in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), Anglia Ruskin was commended for its strong support for students at risk of dropping out. More students complete their courses than expected, when the background of students and the subject mix is taken into account.

Ruskin Modules were incorporated into most degree courses from September 2021, teaching skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and creative thinking. For students whose degree structure does not include a formal work placement, Anglia Ruskin makes sure students have real-world experience through industry links and live briefs. However, the university has fallen from 63rd to 104= in our analysis of the Graduate Outcomes survey comparing the proportion of students in highly skilled work or further study 15 months after leaving university.  

Widening access is part of the university’s mission. A contextual offer scheme operates in most undergraduate subjects — including medicine, which accepts applications from the most disadvantaged students with two grades lower than standard. In 2021 almost 23 per cent of offers made by Anglia Ruskin were contextual, a proportion expected to be similar in 2023. Unusually, Anglia Ruskin does not require maths A-level for some of its engineering programmes as part of its efforts to diversify its intake.  More than half of Anglia Ruskin’s students are the first in their family to go to university and more than two-thirds are over 21 (the sixth-highest proportion). Although the university has fallen seven places year-on-year to rank joint 24th in our overall analysis of social inclusion, it remains in the top 25 for its record on recruiting students from underrepresented backgrounds.

At the university’s foundation year centre, ARU College, Navitas, students develop study skills and aim to progress to a degree programme. There are courses available in computing and digital technology, business, animal sciences, health and medical sciences, art and design, psychology and public health.

Anglia Ruskin’s financial support includes the ARU Bursary of up to £300 per year for UK and eligible European Union students from low-income households and international merit scholarships of £1,000-£2,000 for international students.

Accommodation in Cambridge and Chelmsford is guaranteed for all first-years who apply by the July deadline. The Chelmsford campus has the new Old Factory gym, featuring fitness mod cons including sled tracks and a spin studio. The Cambridge campus has a gym, fitness studio and tennis court. Students also get discounted membership at the Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre near by.A Welcome Buddy scheme links new undergraduates with existing students before freshers week and beyond.