Thu, 24 Nov 2011
The University of East Anglia's Creative Writing programme – which has aided the careers of so many contemporary authors – is to be awarded a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education.
Above: Malcolm Bradbury with students at the University of East Anglia, 1983.
This is the UK’s most prestigious higher education award, given to those who can demonstrate outstanding work at a world-class level.
The award comes as the University celebrates the 40th anniversary of its world-renowned Creative Writing MA, which counts Booker Prize-winners Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Anne Enright among its alumni.
Founded in 1970-71 by Sir Angus Wilson and Sir Malcolm Bradbury, it was the first course of its kind in the country and is known worldwide.
The Creative Writing programme has grown to encompass courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and research level, with MA strands in Prose Fiction, Poetry, Scriptwriting and Lifewriting. In 1987 the department launched the world’s first PhD in Creative and Critical Writing.
The news was announced at a special reception at St James’ Palace on Thursday, November 24.
In 2010, the University’s School of International Development and its pioneering charitable company, International Development UEA, received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for more than 40 years’ sustained and highly respected responses to environmental change and poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Edward Acton said: “I am absolutely delighted that UEA has come to be renowned nationally and internationally as a centre of excellence in this now thriving academic discipline. We were the first UK university to offer Creative Writing 40 years ago, and I believe we are still seen as a benchmark for others. It is an honour to be recognised, once again, at this very highest level.”
Director of Creative Writing at UEA, Andrew Cowan, said: “This is a tremendous accolade because it not only recognises UEA's groundbreaking role in establishing Creative Writing as an academic discipline in the UK, and the unrivalled success of our alumni in achieving publication and major literary awards - it also recognises the continuing excellence of what we do. This is a very exciting time in the development of our programme, with many initiatives under way, and this award is hugely encouraging as we continue to innovate and expand.”
Prof David Peters Corbett, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, said: “UEA has long been exceptional among UK universities in its willingness to blend academic and creative work. It is a tradition the university proudly continues to this day, and it owes a profound debt to the Creative Writing programme.
“Over the last 40 years, the programme has been host to a distinguished series of tutors and to a striking number of future successful authors who have come to UEA to study with them. Creative Writing is a jewel in the university's crown and this award is a wonderful acknowledgement of an intellectually dynamic feature of Humanities at UEA.”
A new book celebrating four decades of creative writing at the University of East Anglia, featuring authors connected with the course, will be launched next week.
Body of Work, published by Full Circle Editions, comprises 50 autobiographical contributions from the course’s best known students and tutors - including Malcolm Bradbury, Kazuo Ishiguro, Rose Tremain, Andrew Motion, Tracy Chevalier, Ian McEwan, Lorna Sage and John Boyne.
It will be launched at UEA London on December 1, alongside a New Writing website which has been created by UEA and Writers Centre Norwich to showcase the work of students, tutors and alumni.
The Queen’s Anniversary Prize medal and certificate will be presented by the Queen at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on February 24. Prizewinners are entitled to use the Queen’s Prizes logo for a period of four years.
Listen to creative writing graduates Ian McEwan and Costa nominee Christie Watson discussing the course, and Body of Work, on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.
This is the UK’s most prestigious higher education award, given to those who can demonstrate outstanding work at a world-class level.
The award comes as the University celebrates the 40th anniversary of its world-renowned Creative Writing MA, which counts Booker Prize-winners Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Anne Enright among its alumni.
Founded in 1970-71 by Sir Angus Wilson and Sir Malcolm Bradbury, it was the first course of its kind in the country and is known worldwide.
The Creative Writing programme has grown to encompass courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and research level, with MA strands in Prose Fiction, Poetry, Scriptwriting and Lifewriting. In 1987 the department launched the world’s first PhD in Creative and Critical Writing.
The news was announced at a special reception at St James’ Palace on Thursday, November 24.In 2010, the University’s School of International Development and its pioneering charitable company, International Development UEA, received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for more than 40 years’ sustained and highly respected responses to environmental change and poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Edward Acton said: “I am absolutely delighted that UEA has come to be renowned nationally and internationally as a centre of excellence in this now thriving academic discipline. We were the first UK university to offer Creative Writing 40 years ago, and I believe we are still seen as a benchmark for others. It is an honour to be recognised, once again, at this very highest level.”
Director of Creative Writing at UEA, Andrew Cowan, said: “This is a tremendous accolade because it not only recognises UEA's groundbreaking role in establishing Creative Writing as an academic discipline in the UK, and the unrivalled success of our alumni in achieving publication and major literary awards - it also recognises the continuing excellence of what we do. This is a very exciting time in the development of our programme, with many initiatives under way, and this award is hugely encouraging as we continue to innovate and expand.”
Prof David Peters Corbett, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, said: “UEA has long been exceptional among UK universities in its willingness to blend academic and creative work. It is a tradition the university proudly continues to this day, and it owes a profound debt to the Creative Writing programme.
“Over the last 40 years, the programme has been host to a distinguished series of tutors and to a striking number of future successful authors who have come to UEA to study with them. Creative Writing is a jewel in the university's crown and this award is a wonderful acknowledgement of an intellectually dynamic feature of Humanities at UEA.”
A new book celebrating four decades of creative writing at the University of East Anglia, featuring authors connected with the course, will be launched next week.
Body of Work, published by Full Circle Editions, comprises 50 autobiographical contributions from the course’s best known students and tutors - including Malcolm Bradbury, Kazuo Ishiguro, Rose Tremain, Andrew Motion, Tracy Chevalier, Ian McEwan, Lorna Sage and John Boyne.
It will be launched at UEA London on December 1, alongside a New Writing website which has been created by UEA and Writers Centre Norwich to showcase the work of students, tutors and alumni.
The Queen’s Anniversary Prize medal and certificate will be presented by the Queen at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on February 24. Prizewinners are entitled to use the Queen’s Prizes logo for a period of four years.
Listen to creative writing graduates Ian McEwan and Costa nominee Christie Watson discussing the course, and Body of Work, on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.
