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Students at the RAU are among the
happiest in the country, according to
the latest National Student Survey
(NSS) 2015.
Ranked within the top 25% of 160
UK universities, the RAU recorded
89% student satisfaction in 2015 and
leapt a staggering 81 places up the
NSS leader board.
Results showed that 89% of
students were satisfied with their
learning resources, 92% felt staff
were good at explaining things, and
87% feel confident in tackling
unfamiliar problems.
The University continues to be
recognised for its ongoing investment
in student and staff facilities. Ranked
in the top 10 in the UK for academic
and facilities spend by
The Complete
University Guide 2016
, it was also
named University of the Year for
Student Retention by
The Times
Good University Guide 2016
.
LANDMARK 2016
Lewis Steer, final year BSc (Hons)
Rural Land Management student, won
Best New Rural Start-up at the Rural
Business Awards held in Leicestershire
in October 2015, with his innovative
wool company Lily Warne Wool.
Lily Warne Wool was also named the
Rural Business Awards Champion
of Champions, which is particularly
impressive considering the big farms and
established companies it was up against.
Lily Warne Wool was set up by Lewis Steer
and his mother Paula in 2012, and named
after Lewis’ great-great-grandmother who
was a sheep farmer at the beginning of
the 20th century. They offer high quality
and fashionable wool products, spun
from their own flock of Greyface Dartmoor
sheep and hand knitted by a team of
local ladies, all within 40 miles of the farm.
Lily Warne Wool products are stocked
by the National Trust and have hit the
shelves of John Lewis stores nationwide.
Lewis was also nominated for Young
Farmer of the Year in the Devon Farm
Business Awards, but impressed the judges
so much that they created a brand new
category for him; Best Young Entrepreneur.
They were particularly impressed with his
creative and imaginative methods of adding
value to the wool and marketing it online.
On 2 June 2016, Lewis was named
‘Grow it’ winner at the RAU’s annual
Enterprise Awards, winning £2,000
to invest in to his business.
Read more about the Enterprise
Awards on page 32.
Best New
Rural Start-up award
Lewis Steer at the Rural Business Awards
Student
satisfaction soars
Did you catch Lewis on
Countryfile
earlier this year
(8 May)? Anita Rani paid a visit
to the Lily Warne Wool farm in
Dartmoor, Devon, to meet the
sheep and find out more about the
business. Lewis also featured on
Escape to the Country
on 6 April.
We're thrilled to be ranked
in the top 10% in the UK for
job prospects, according to
the Whatuni Student Choice
Awards 2016. A fantastic
result for our debut entry.