The University of Essex is one of the UK's leading academic institutions. Founded in 1964, it has grown in both reputation and size, developing worldwide renown for top quality teaching and research. In the most recent national assessment Essex was ranked tenth out of 136 institutions for research quality, while teaching quality was ranked eighth in the UK in the 2007 Sunday Times University Guide.

The University now has more than 8,000 students studying at three campuses across Essex and is worth more than £200 million annually to the local economy. It has a thriving international community with more than 130 countries represented amongst the student body. Academic departments, plus research institutes and centres, span the humanities, social sciences, science and engineering, and law and management.

The Colchester Campus, based at Wivenhoe Park on the outskirts of Colchester, is the University's largest and original campus. Set in over 200 acres of attractive parkland, much of it landscaped in the eighteenth century, the Colchester Campus is a mixture of 1960s buildings and more recent additions like the 1,000-seater Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall.

Academic departments based at the Colchester Campus are housed in a series of bustling squares, designed to be interlinked by architect Kenneth Capon. This close proximity of departments was designed to reflect, and nurture, the inter-disciplinary nature of teaching and research at the University. The Colchester Campus is also home to numerous student facilities including the Albert Sloman Library, Students' Union's bars and restaurants, a sports centre, shops, banks and student accommodation.

The Southend Campus is based in the heart of Southend-on-Sea. Three academic departments run courses here with students benefiting from modern lecture rooms, rehearsal studios with panoramic sea views and high-tech medical skills labs. It also has a Business Hub that provides support for start-up businesses and an iLab.

The Loughton Campus, near historic Epping Forest on the outskirts of London, is home to East 15 Acting School students and provides professional training for those wishing to work in theatre, film, TV, radio and related fields.

The University of Essex's mission is to be a globally competitive, research-intensive, student-focused university that takes seriously its economic, social and cultural responsibilities to the Eastern region, the UK and the world.