With normal studies being disrupted due to COVID-19, UK-based University of Essex today announced Essex Preparation Programme (EPP), a special and free online course to help incoming students become university-ready. The online course, which is offered at no cost to students, is especially designed to get students from India and around the world ready for their university studies. Over six weeks, students explore independent learning, critical thinking, academic integrity and many more areas. The course is open to anyone applying for undergraduate study at the University of Essex, and if they complete the course and register to study at Essex for the 2022-23 academic year, they will qualify for a £250 (INR 24,000) financial assistance. Completion of the EPP is optional, but University of Essex believes it will give students a great start to their studies.
University of Essex launched EPP last year to help incoming students. The course was enthusiastically welcomed by school and college students, as well as had positive feedback from teachers and school advisors, and had a positive impact on student success.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Lorna Fox O’Mahony said: “We were delighted with the level of engagement in this programme last year, the enthusiasm students had for starting university after the disruption to their studies, and their determination to succeed on their new courses. Following hugely positive feedback from students and teachers alike we have built on the success of the EPP platform to give this new cohort of students a helping hand. We are determined to make sure they feel confident and ready for the challenges of university.”
“We recognise that these students had a difficult time during the pandemic, and we want to do everything we can to help them to succeed,” added Professor Fox O’Mahony. “We already have over 500 students enrolled in this year’s programme, so it promises to be even more impactful this year.”
Last year more than 1,750 students enrolled in the six-week programme, which involved 12 live Zoom workshop sessions coupled with an online course. This year University of Essex is expecting more students will take part in the EPP, which has been further developed following student feedback and will be integrated with other student preparation programmes and activities during Welcome Week at Essex.
New for this year, Essex is also offering a MPP (Masters Preparation Programme) for post-graduate students. Essex also offers two other programmes, one for Years 12 and 13 and one for Years 10 and 11, which are designed to be a high-quality source of information, advice and guidance which students can work through independently or teachers can use in the classroom.
Register with ‘Open Essex’ and check the full program details – Essex Preparation Programme
About University of Essex
Founded in 1964, University of Essex is one of the UK’s leading universities, which has grown from 122 students in the first year to 18,000+ now. The University maintains three campuses at Colchester, Southend and Loughton. Essex has three faculties which lead on delivering excellence in teaching and research: the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Science and Health, and Faculty of Social Sciences. It has close to 1,000 active researchers and 18,000 students from over 140 countries with an alumni strength in excess of 100,000. It was named University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2018 and in the top 25 for research quality in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide2 2022