[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]For general information about Coventry: [EBOLD]see [ULNE]Coventry University[EULNE]. [PARA]Warwick University isn't actually in Warwick. In fact, Warwick, [PARA]just over 9 miles south, isn't even the nearest town. Royal [PARA]Leamington Spa is bigger than Warwick and only 7 miles away. [PARA]Coventry, bigger still, is just 3 miles north, or there's Kenilworth [PARA]about 11/2 miles west. But they decided to call it Warwick [PARA]University and [ITAL]it's earnt a very good name for itself[EITAL]. It's on a [PARA]500-acre site hiding from Leamington Spa and Coventry amidst [PARA]rolling hills and [ITAL]seeming deceptively remote[EITAL], although [PARA]Birmingham and Stratford are both within 25 miles. [ITAL] The campus [PARA]looks extraordinary: wildly[EITAL] modern with lots of sculptures and 3 [PARA]man-made lakes, all surrounded by nature. The buildings are [PARA]white or [ITAL]as brightly coloured as children's crayons and just as [PARA]weirdly shaped.[EITAL] [ITAL]It's not unpleasant, so long as you don't mind [PARA]living in an episode of 'The Jetsons'. [EITAL]The smaller Westwood [PARA]campus is about 10 minutes walk away and houses the Institute [PARA]of Education and some halls.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Unlike many of the other 'green field' campuses which also can't [PARA]accommodate all their students, the atmosphere is not muted, [PARA]but focussed. Arts are flaming with energy and the Union's so [PARA]kicking it wears Doc Martens. The students are full of fashion [PARA]and fun and almost devoid of pretension.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]COVENTRY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 322,573 [BULL] London: 88miles [BULL] Birmingham: [PARA]16miles[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA][ITAL]Rebuilt, Coventry's a new city with an old spirit which doesn't let [PARA]the modern design interfere with the ancient heritage. [EITAL]There are [PARA]archaeological digs on view close to the campus and in the city [PARA]centre. There's a mile-long pedestrianised shopping centre, big [PARA]enough to provide more shops than a student grant can withstand[PARA](including several bookshops and a number of stores open after [PARA]10pm). The local heritage can be viewed in the city's museum [PARA]and tourist attractions ([ITAL]although Coventry is hardly what you [PARA]might call 'a holiday resort'[EITAL]), notably the Herbert Art Gallery, the [PARA]Toy Museum, the Museum of British Road Transport, the [PARA]Cathedral (restored and built anew by Basil Spence), the olde [PARA]world shops, Lunt Roman Fort and statue of Lady Godiva (you [PARA]may not recognise her with her clothes on).[HDNG]LEAMINGTON:[EHDNG][PARA]Many Warwick students live in Leamington Spa - more than in [PARA]Coventry, although this trend is changing as Coventry gets [PARA]cheaper. [ITAL]Leamington Spa is an attractive little town, belonging [PARA]more to the Cotswolds to the south than to the Midlands, which [PARA]might be a more accurate geographic description.[EITAL] It has enough [PARA]by way of shops for daily fodder, but foraging for clothes or [PARA]major purchases, Coventry or even Birmingham would be a [PARA]better bet. It's not too hot on local entertainments either. [ITAL]The [PARA]University is an unearthed live wire.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] Coventry Station is about 1 mile from the Coventry [PARA]campus and on the main London (1:10mins, 3/hr) to Birmingham [PARA](20mins, 3/hr) line. It has other services to Bristol, Edinburgh and[PARA]elsewhere.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express services all over the place, including [PARA]London (ú9, 2hrs, 9/day), Newcastle (ú22.50, 5:30 hrs, 3/day), [PARA]Liverpool (ú8, 3.20 hrs, 6/day). Other services from Bharat, [PARA]Harry Shaw and Flights.[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] The usual Midlands ease of accessibility, via the M6, M69 [PARA]and M45/A45, and just a few miles from the M1, M40 and A5. [ITAL][PARA]The one-way systems aren't good for the blood pressure.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Coventry Airport isn't terribly helpful[EITAL], but Birmingham [PARA]International is a big one, 91/2 miles away.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] Apart from the student park'n'ride scheme (shared lifts),[PARA][ITAL]Coventry is excellent for roving thumbsters, with all them big [PARA]roads and jumping junctions.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] There are 3 BR trains stops within the confines of [PARA]Coventry, but the [ITAL]reliable [EITAL]local bus services are [ITAL]more useful for [PARA]getting to places students haven't got the welly to walk to.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] Coventry's small enough to mean ú2 will get students a [PARA]worthwhile whack across town by taxi.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] The roads are busy, the thefts frequent. But it's flat.[PARA][BOLD]Others: [EBOLD]Summer brings 'Lady Godiva Topless Tours'; for ú3.50, [PARA]you can tour Coventry in an open-topped bus.[PARA][PARA]LEAMINGTON:[PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] The nearest main station is 21/2 miles away in Coventry, [PARA]but there is a line that runs south through Kenilworth to [PARA]Leamington Spa.[PARA][BOLD]Cars:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Cars are not the answer to Warwick's isolation.[EITAL] As the [PARA]University is quick to point out, they're less environmentally [PARA]friendly than public transport. [ITAL]This is a genuine concern, but it [PARA]also happens to coincide conveniently with a need to reduce [PARA]pressure on the campus' limited parking[EITAL]. Only 70 students are [PARA]allowed permits for overnight parking, but during term, up to 1,000[PARA]cars can park on campus during the day.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] The Union runs an efficient hitching scheme - [ITAL]more a [PARA]matter of organised lifts than real rules of the road stuff. [EITAL] The [PARA]driver gets to charge passengers between 50p and 80p to [PARA]Leamington or, more rarely, Coventry.[PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] From the bus stops on campus, the numbers 12, 12A, 12B,[PARA]12C and 112 run into Coventry centre via the train station every 15 [PARA]mins until 11pm (50-72p) and other services go to other parts of [PARA]town. There are similar services to Leamington (ú1.35) and [PARA]Kenilworth (70p). late night services during term time.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] At some point as a student living out at Warwick [PARA]University, most students are likely to get caught on campus [PARA]after the last bus and without a lift. Then it's time to dig deep in [PARA]the pocket for ú5 to Coventry or ú9 to Leamington.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Quite handy for getting around the campus, especially [PARA]for livers in, but think of that ride twice a day for the students [PARA]living in Leamington.[EITAL] [ITAL]A big lock's a good idea, as are big legs[EITAL]. [ITAL] [PARA]Another good idea is the bike hire scheme (ú2/week).[EITAL][HDNG]FACULTIES and STUDENT NOS:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Social studies[EBOLD] 2,111[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 2,617[BOLD][PARA]Education[EBOLD] 1,004[BOLD][PARA]Arts[EBOLD] 1,424[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 750,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 5,000 [BULL] Study places: 1,400[PARA][BULL] Computer workstations: 900[ESTAT][PARA]There are 5 libraries on campus, including 3 science libraries, the [PARA]Westwood Library (about 15 minutes walk from the main part of [PARA]the campus and next to a set of halls) and the Central Library. [PARA]There are clustered Apple Macs and a PC network, with 24-hour [PARA]access.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 15 [BULL] Unemployed after [PARA]6mths (1993): 9%[ESTAT][PARA]A service attempts to arrange sponsorships for new students.[HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]The University does a roaring trade in conferences which [PARA]means there are some [ITAL]excellent [EITAL]facilities and accommodation [PARA]manages to be better at a cheaper rate. [ITAL]It also means students [PARA]can feel like they're an inconvenience stuck between the real [PARA]business of time-share salesmen's piss-ups and navel-gazing [PARA]hoards of academics.[EITAL][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Adorable (one-time NME faves); David Davis MP (Lab); Timmy [PARA]Mallett ('entertainer'); Simon Mayo (Radio 1 DJ); Sheila McKechnie[PARA](director, Shelter); Dave Nellist (Militant ex-MP); Stephen Pile [PARA]('Heroic Failures' writer); Jeff Rooker MP (Lab); Frank Skinner [PARA](comedian); Gary Sinyor and Vadim Jean (creators of 'Leon the [PARA]Pig Farmer'); Tony Wheeler (author, 'Lonely Planet' guides. Sting[PARA]dropped out after 1 term.[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads. Alternative [PARA]prospectus free from SU.[PARA][PARA]
