Loughborough University

Loughborough University   (University)
Formation	1966
Headquarters	Loughborough, England, UK
Subpage	•Loughborough University/Chancellor
Opened a Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies in 2003.

Loughborough University is a public research university in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England. It has been a university since 1966, but the institution dates back to 1909, when the then Loughborough Technical Institute began with a focus on skills and knowledge which would be directly applicable in the wider world. In March 2013, the university announced it had acquired the former broadcast centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which opened as a second campus in 2015.

It was a member of the 1994 Group of smaller research intensive universities until the group was dissolved in November 2013. The annual income of the institution for 2017–18 was £300.8 million of which £41.9 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £295.5 million.

Department of Politics, History and International Relations

The Department of Politics, History and International Relations (PHIR) is a department of Loughborough University located in Leicestershire. PHIR evolved from the Department of European Studies, which was established in 1972. In 2001 in the Research Assessment Exercise PHIR was awarded a grade of 5B and in the same year it scored 23/24 in the External Subject Review. It was not until 2003 that the Department took the decision to invest in the study of Politics and International Relations and began to offer undergraduate degrees in International Relations. It was after this that the Department had a change of name and became the Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies. In 2005 the Department greatly expanded in size and added a further three members of staff. It added a further three lecturers to its number in 2007.

As of 2009 PHIR now offers History as one half of a selection of joint honours degrees. As History has become a major component of the department it was renamed to reflect this fact. European Studies was dropped from the name and replaced by History, the Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies (PIRES) becoming the Department of Politics, History and International Relations or 'PHIR'.

The Department currently offers seven undergraduate courses, three Masters courses and provides research possibilities (with the Department being recognised by the ESRC). PHIR is the center for the University-wide Languages Programme. This programme offers the chance to include French, German or Spanish as part of an undergraduate degree. After hours tuition is also available as part of the Extra-curricular Language Programme. Languages provided for as of 2007 include: Arabic, Chinese, Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Russian. The Schofield Building on campus houses the Mathematics Education Centre. Here students can get support and guidance regarding mathematical skills. In particular the staff have in depth knowledge of statistics and the statistics research based programme SPSS.

The Department of PHIR focusses its research primarily on three main areas: Politics and Public Policy (an area which the University won the Queen's Anniversary Prize for in 2005), International Relations and European Studies. Within these broad areas aspects of particular interest include the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU; EU-Asia relations; political thought and theory; security studies; intelligence studies; sexual politics; human rights.

As of 2007 there were 21 academic, 9 teaching and 6 support staff all working within the department of PHIR. Notably, Ruth Kinna is Professor of Political Theory. Notable alumni include Paula Radcliffe, Tanni Grey-Thompson and James Gibson.

 

Employee on Wikispooks

Employee	Job	Appointed
Ruth Lister	Emeritus Professor of Social Policy	1994

 

Alumni on Wikispooks

Person	Born	Nationality	Summary	Description
Tobias Ellwood	12 August 1966	US UK	Spook Politician	Neocon UK MP, Chairs the Defence Select Committee.
Lorna Fitzsimons	6 August 1967	UK		Spooky UK MP
Christine Hodgson	November 1964	UK	Banker Accountant Executive	UK multi-executive
Kathryn Stone	8 August 1963

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