Anglia Ruskin University

Age: 20 years as a university (previously a polytechnic)

History: Parts of it go back to the 19th century. The most ancient part opened in 1858 as a school of art founded by the Victorian art critic John Ruskin. In 1989, two well-established colleges, the Essex Institute of Higher Education and Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, came together to form the first regional poly. Became a university in 1992 and changed its name from Anglia Polytechnic University (APU) to Anglia Ruskin in 2005.

Address: The two main sites are at Cambridge and Chelmsford.

Ambience: Flat (this is East Anglia). Otherwise difficult to pinpoint because the university is split into two sites and accredits degrees at 11 associate colleges in the region. Cambridge is busy, lively, academic. Students enjoy a sometimes uneasy, sometimes mutually rewarding relationship with those at Cambridge University. Chelmsford has a friendly feel and hosts a lot of mature students and part-timers.

Vital statistics: Almost 23,000 undergrads, just over ten per cent of whom are part-time. 45 per cent of undergraduates are over 21 at the start of their course. All courses modular. The last university to drop the dreaded "p" word from its name.

Added value: Strong links with industry. There's been lots of investment on both campuses into modern facilities (more than £60m in the last few years). The degree courses are designed to be vocational and relevant to the needs of industry and the professions, and some of them are developed in alongside employers.

Easy to get into? Courses ask for 160-320 UCAS points. Keen on widening participation. The highest entry requirement is for optometry.

Glittering alumni: Pink Floyd members Syd Barrett and David Gilmour; Patricia Scotland, Britain's first black woman QC; Harry Potter illustrator Thomas Taylor; Ronald Searle (creator of St Trinian's).

Transport links: Frequent trains to London, good road links with both campuses. Stansted, London's third largest airport, is a half hour drive from either Cambridge or Chelmsford.

Who's the boss? Professor Michael Thorne, previous vice chancellor at University of East London and chair of the government's Advisory Committee on Libraries.

Teaching: Ranked 110th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide in 2011.

Research: In the Government’s 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) for Higher Education institutes, around 30 per cent of its submissions were rated 'internationally excellent' or 'world-leading'.

Overall ranking: 107th out of 117 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Cambridge has a lively student nightlife of bars, restaurants and clubs. The city is home to several famous venues including the Corn Exchange, The Junction, the Cambridge Arts Theatre, the ADC Theatre, and Anglia Ruskin’s own Mumford Theatre. There is an annual programme of events from the Film Festival and the Folk Festival to the Bumps and the Beer Festival. Chelmsford has a vibrant, cosmopolitan nightlife of clubs, bars, cafés and restaurants; you will never be short of ideas. There are two theatres, a multi-screen cinema and its own Film Club/Film Festival, as well as unique live music venues including: Barhouse, The Fleece and The Basement.

How green is it? Good - was ranked joint 26th out of 145 universities in People and Planet's Green League 2012, an assessment of environmental performance.

Cheap to live there? Not too bad, private flats started at £75 a week in Cambridge and £72 a week in Chelmsford in 2011.

Sports ranking: 88th in the BUCS league.

Any accommodation? Yes. From £105 a week in Cambridge, from £95 per week in Peterborough, and from £93.80 a week in Chelmsford.

Fees: £8,300 per year for UK and EU starting in 2012/2013. For overseas students, fees start at £9,800 a year.

Bursaries: The university offers several scholarships and bursaries, dependant on various factors. For more information see the university's funding guide.

Prospectus: 0845 271 3333 / www.anglia.ac.uk

UCAS code: A60