10 reasons to choose Harper Adams University

“Coming to Harper Adams is the best decision I have ever made – I’ve made friends for life and made so many great memories here.” – Richard Fraser, Business Management with Marketing student at Harper Adams University

Since it was established in 1901, Harper Adams University has enjoyed a reputation of excellence in agriculturally-focused teaching, working beside the UK’s rural sector to add meaning and relevance to its research and teaching activities. Guiding more than 4,000 students through distinguished undergraduate, postgraduate, research degrees and professional courses, Harper Adams helps every scholar recognise their own unique ambitions and apply the tools needed to succeed.

“The friendly and caring environment we provide for our students is reflected in many ways, perhaps most particularly in the strength of the student community and the way in which students contribute to the development of the University,” says Dr David Llewellyn, Vice Chancellor of the University. “We have achieved, and work hard to maintain, the highest educational standards, and are widely recognised for the quality of our provision.”

But the renowned ‘Harper Spirit’ does not solely revolve around high-quality academics; it’s also about forging lifelong friends, working hard and playing harder(er), and of course shaping precious and truly unforgettable memories. So, if you’re looking to further your expertise in the diverse agricultural field, here are 10 reasons why you should choose to study at Harper Adams University…

1. The University has recently been named Modern University of the Year AND WhatUni? University of the Year…

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…and boy, does that mean it’s been a good year! To earn these prestigious titles, Harper Adams triumphed over serious competition, overtaking a number of influential institutions who have long-held such awards. Granting the Modern Uni accolade, Editor of The Times University Guide, Alastair McCall, described Harper Adams as “a high-class educational establishment with engaged, dynamic students”.

2. It’s set on a real-life working farm in the stunning Shropshire countryside…

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…and this sprawling 550-hectare estate harbours dairy, sheep, pig, poultry and a rich scattering of crops. Since this site encompasses the University’s central campus, students are able to investigate the entire food chain, straight from farm to fork!

3. It’s the UK home of Entomology…

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…yup, you read that right! Students come from all over the globe to receive instruction from the expert team at Harper Adams, home to an extensive insect collection and dedicated entomology labs.

4. It’s home to the UK’s first – and only – student Rally Racing team…

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…and these students hit the headlines this month after they secured M-Sport as their racing partner and car provider in the Junior Championship race. Pretty cool, huh?

5. It hosts pioneering ‘no-hands’ farming (HandsFreeHectare), and they do great things with drones…

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…and that’s not only a UK, but a world first! Here, members of the University’s Engineering Faculty are attempting to grow and harvest a hectare of cereal crops, without setting a single foot into the experimental field! If the project is successful, the barley that’s grown will be turned into beer…now there’s an experiment we’d gladly swallow!

6. Harper Adams is the UK’s only agricultural engineering university…

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…so, if tractors are your ‘thing’, you’ll feel right at home! And the University holds strong ties with some of the industry’s most powerful companies, so the institution’s engineering participants never fall short of shiny new kit to play with.

7. The University Chancellor is a real-life Princess…

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…seriously! Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, daughter of Her Majesty the Queen, stepped into the shoes of official figurehead for Harper Adams back in 2013, and now regularly visits the University to open cutting-edge buildings and thank all its supporters. The Queen herself, and the Prince of Wales, have also visited over the years.

8. Scientists from Harper Adams helped prove the UK’s new £5 note is three times less dirty than the old…

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…go team! And the Professor who proved it also worked on interesting research into Britain’s favourite love-it-or-hate-it food: Marmite, of course!

9.The University’s social scene is simply LEGENDARY…

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…because that rural location doesn’t stop the dedicated Harper Adams student from working hard and playing hard…(er)! Whenever they’re not getting down to business in class, the lab or the library, member of team Harper can be found playing footie, rugby, shooting or polo. They also take part in clubs like off-road driving, gaming or even outdoor pursuits. Newport, the local town, is packed with pubs, SU-run club nights at least once a week and flamboyant gala balls a few times a year – including the famous 7pm-7am Summer Ball, known to be the most exciting event in the Harper student calendar.

10. Ed Sheeran LOVES it…

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…See? That’s him up there, thinking out loud in the Harper student bar, wearing a Harper gilet, drinking Harper-made coffee and having the time of his life!

Need we say any more?

Find out more about studying at Harper Adam’s University here, and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn

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