Our Essex story

Our story is proof of the values we uphold, the conviction of our community, and the spirit that sets us apart.

We learn how, then challenge why.

We defy convention to push powerful ideas.

We unite the courageous and the energetic to make change happen.

Rooted in our founding ethos, all about being different. Sir Albert Sloman had a vision that Essex would be: ‘freer, more daring, more experimental’ and these ideas are at the core of our Essex identity.

We are a place where curiosity prevails and where change happens.

Setting us apart

If you are creating communications, marketing, or general content for the University, it helps if you understand our Essex story. This is all about how we position ourselves and what is called internally ‘our narrative’.

So, it’s all about what sets us apart and why we express ourselves in a particular way, essentially sets up why choose Essex over our competitors…
…to study
…to research
…to work for
…to partner with
…to invest in

Committed to transformational research-led education

Inspiring curiosity is profound in creating positive change. Essex is where change happens; where our students don’t just learn how but ask why.

From changes to the curriculum to the type of student experience we want to offer, our Essex identity continues to inform and impact how we think about the best way to deliver the goals of excellence in education and research, as well as how we describe what we do and who we are.

Our determination to make a difference in society means we’re 58th in the global Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024, which ranked more than 1,400 universities around the world.

Making an impact through our research is at the heart of our university. We're in the UK top 10 for research quality in four subjects (Grade Point Average, REF2021) and in the UK top 10 for research power in five subjects (Times Higher Education 2022). Find out more about our REF2021 performance.

Our strategy sets out our ambitions for 2025 and how we plan to achieve them.

Where change happens

Essex is a university for the brave, energetic and eager to learn – where ideas are shared, and initiative valued. Essex has never been about keeping quiet or toeing the line.

It’s about taking action. Making a difference. Creating change.

Our strapline encapsulates this ethos. Simple yet bold, it emphasises the adventurous attitude that has kept this university thriving for 60 years. It reflects the progress of our students when they learn at Essex, and the difference we make by tackling difficult questions in research. It underlines the wider impact we can - and are having - on the world around us.

What we believe a university education is all about

We believe a person’s potential is not simply defined by grades or background but by an attitude of mind: a willingness to question, to collaborate and to push at the frontiers of knowledge.

University should be about more than just passing exams. By living and learning in our global academic community, our students enjoy a richness of experience that extends far beyond the lecture theatre.

We believe that knowledge should be created together, not just handed down. By actively participating in research, our students learn how to think, not what to think.

By contributing to their Essex experience, they discover who they are and how they can realise their full potential and opportunities throughout their lives.

At Essex, we’re big believers in the power of change to create hope for a brighter future.

It’s what inspired us at the start, drives us today, and shapes our future.