You Don’t Have To Be A Full-time Student To Enjoy Benefits Of University of Surrey

Published on: 27 Dec, 2014
Updated on: 27 Dec, 2014

By Anna Valentina

Every year lots of us take vows to better ourselves starting on January 1st – to learn some new skills, to start doing sports, to spend more time with the family – the possibilities are infinite.

Way too frequently these decisions do not hold for longer than a few weeks or days (just ask those who have ever tried to stop smoking). So very soon there comes the time when lots of us will wish for a little help from someone. What it is not generally known is that there is a place in Guildford where you can get that help – the University of Surrey.

It is hardly a surprise that at the university you can learn something new. But even if you cannot embark on full-time studies, there is still a plenty of other possibilities. For example, at the University’s School of English and Languages you can brush up your conversational French for a holiday, or to have ‘one-on-one’ training to improve your Mandarin for business.

Or, if your business requires deeper knowledge of medicine or law, and so on, try the university’s standalone continuing professional development courses. If you dream of success like JK Rowling’s, there is a creative writers’ group. And, you can just become a member of the university library or sign up for a painting or pottery class.

Enhance your cultural side.

If you are not interested in modern art as a creator and you would rather become a connoisseur of arts, then the Stag Hill campus is still the place to go. One of the most highly regarded British theatre schools is the Guildford School of Acting (GSA) – part of the university. You can meet its alumni in the majority of West End shows, and the famous names like Brenda Blethyn OBE, Bill Nighy and Michael Ball studied at the GSA. So if you want to be able to say proudly “I have spotted this star way before it became a supernova”, you better check a playbill of the Ivy Arts Centre. What you may find there is a diverse programme of music, dance, theatrical and musical performances – all open to the general public.

The Lakeside Restaurant.

What about having exquisite lunch for a reasonable price? You may enjoy it at the university, at the Lakeside. This is a proper à la carte restaurant which is open to the public; at the same time it provides a vital training environment for international hospitality management students. You will probably see for yourself why the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management awarded the University of Surrey number one in the UK and Europe – and the fourth best higher education institution in the world – for hospitality and tourism research.

Surrey Sports Park.

If you enjoy the artisan breads and other delicious food served by the Lakeside a bit too much, the place to shed a few inches off your belt is not too far away. A health and fitness centre, 50m swimming pool and racket sports areas are all open for you at the University’s Surrey Sports Park. You might work it out in a nice company of the players of Premiership rugby team Harlequins, Netball Superleague team Surrey Storm, British Basketball League club Surrey United and new National Badminton League side Surrey Smashers. They all have a permanent training base at the park.

The University of Surrey is the eighth in the UK for student satisfaction. But it is not at all mandatory to enrol as a full-time student to make yourself better and happier.

The university has just published a new A to Z guide that is being delivered to Guildford households over the festive and new year period.