The University of Essex is a public research university in Essex, England. It was established in 1963, welcomed its first students in 1964 and received its Royal Charter in 1965. Essex’s motto, “Thought the harder, heart the keener”, is adapted from the Anglo-Saxon poem The Battle of Maldon.

Essex’s largest campus is the Colchester Campus within Wivenhoe Park, less than a mile (1.6 km) from Wivenhoe and two miles (3 km) from Colchester. There is also a campus in Southend-on-Sea and East 15 Acting School is based at the Loughton Campus.

Essex has collaborative partnerships with 18 institutions around the world. UK partnerships include Kaplan Open Learning (provider of University of Essex Online), Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and University of Essex International College. International partnerships include a franchise arrangement with Kaplan Singapore and double and dual degrees with several universities in Europe and Asia].

Essex is ranked 251-300 in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 and 29th in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019. Essex was named University of the Year at the Times Higher EducationAwards in November 2018. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2014 ranked Essex in the top 20 universities in the UK for the quality of its research and the top 5 for social science. Essex is in the top 50 for the social sciences and 51st for law in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 by subject.

Essex has produced many notable alumni in several fields, including two Nobel Laureates, prominent scientists, artists, and politicians. In addition, there are two former academics who are Nobel laureates.