< previousnext >

Academic Bursaries
For the fifth consecutive year, RPS in the UK continued its practice of awarding academic bursaries to students studying at university. In 2007, this included students attending courses at thirteen UK universities:

  • University of Cambridge Christ's College, MEng in Civil Engineering & MEng in Structural Engineering
  • University of Oxford, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology PhD in Waterfowl in the S.W. London Water Bodies Special Protection Area
  • Oxford Brookes University MSc in Spatial Planning
  • University College, Cardiff MSc in Regional Town Planning
  • University of East Anglia BSc in Environmental Science
  • Brunel University, School of Engineering & Design EngD in Infrared and Thermal Imaging of Nocturnal Bird Movements
  • Queens University, Belfast, MEng in Civil Engineering
  • University of Wales, Newport (Allt-yryn) Campus HND in Business Administration and Accounting
  • University of Loughborough, two undergraduates studying for an MEng in Civil Engineering
  • University of Nottingham, two undergraduates studying for an MEng in Civil Engineering
  • University of Lincoln - BA Architecture
  • University of Sheffield - Part 2 Architecture (MArch)
  • University of Huddersfield - International Diploma in Architecture

RPS’ scholarship programme in Ireland involves a partnership with leading universities and three institutes of technology.The five universities were:

  • University College, Cork
  • University College, Dublin
  • Trinity College, Dublin
  • University College, Galway
  • Queen’s University, Belfast

RPS in the Netherlands awarded its first academic bursary in 2007:

  • Erasmus University School of Business Management, Rotterdam, MBA in Sustainability

Australia has awarded academic bursaries to students attending the following courses:

  • University of Western Australia Masters Degree in Petroleum Engineering
  • Curtin University, Bachelor of Commerce
  • Perth Technical College Certificate and Diploma in Accounting
  • University of New South Wales Petroleum Economics

RPS provided funding to Masters level students to pursue studies in engineering related disciplines. RPS sponsors the Gold Medal for the top Civil Engineering student at University College Dublin and the Centre for Talented Youth programme.

RPS sponsored bursaries with the Planning College at Dublin Institute of Technology. RPS offers prizes to students in the disciplines of Manufacturing,

Biomedical and Facilities Engineering with Cork Institute of Technology and through the ISA (Instrument Society America - Irish Branch) jointly through the Cork Institute of Technology and the Carlow Institute of Technology.

RPS has participated in a number of student and graduate training schemes. These include the Leonardo da Vinci scheme (LDVII), now part of the European Commission's Mobility and Lifelong Learning Programme.This is particularly aimed at providing six month work placements for students and qualified graduates from designated development regions of the European Community seeking work experience within leading companies in more developed countries.

RPS was the main sponsor of the University of Wales 'Students Skills Competition' at Aberystwyth, a longrunning student and employer-twinning event, which is unique in British higher education. RPS' long-standing support and involvement in the event has attracted an annual crop of outstanding graduates and postgraduates from various academic disciplines into jobs within the Group.

Property
The Group occupies 116 commercial office premises. In respect of 12 of these we own the freehold.These had an aggregate net book value of £9.2m at December 2007. The remaining properties are occupied under a range of lease agreements. The