FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX

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That this House congratulates the University of Essex on the fiftieth anniversary of the admission of its first students, in September 1964, at Wivenhoe Park, Colchester; notes with approval that its number of students has grown from 122 in its first year to the 11,000 from over 130 countries who are now studying at its three campuses in Colchester, Southend and Loughton; further congratulates it on being in the UK's top 10 for research, the leading university for social science research and joint second in the country for student satisfaction; welcomes its £200 million contribution to the region's economy; applauds the achievements of its alumni, one of whom is Speaker of this House, another the youngest and first female Speaker of Bangladesh's Jatiyo Sangshad, and a further two are Nobel Prize winners, Professor Christopher Pissarides and Dr Óscar Arias; recognises the achievements of its academics; and wishes the University of Essex continued success in the years ahead.