Excellence in computer science recognised in global rankings

Essex has entered the global top 200 universities for computer science thanks to our ongoing growth and investment in new facilities and staff.

Essex is now ranked in the 175-200 bracket of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2019 for computer science. 

Head of our School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Professor Anthony Vickers, said: “This is fantastic news, and is a result of great work by a dedicated team of academics, technical staff, and administrators, as well as a collaborative student body. 

“As the Head of School I am immensely proud of this result. We have a great team spirit that puts in the effort required to aim for the highest results.”

We have invested significantly in our computer science facilities over the last three years. Fifteen new academic staff have joined the team to expand our teaching and research. New laboratories provide an outstanding student experience, including a new computer lab that is never booked out for classes, so students have unrestricted 24/7 access.  

Our computer scientists are involved in many collaborative projects with business, developing innovative commercial solutions. These projects include: 

• Strengthening blockchain network security 
• Developing strawberry-picking robots for fruit farms 
• Transforming sports broadcasting 

Essex is top 10 in the UK for its number of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships – joint projects with business awarded government funding – and many of these involve our computer science experts. 

Professor Vickers said: “We work closely with business and that informs our teaching. We produce graduates with the skills employers are looking for. At the same time, we’re at the forefront of blue sky research in artificial intelligence and communications.”