Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) is located in the centre of Manchester, England. The university has over 40,000 students and over 4,000 members of staff.[6] It is home to four faculties (Arts and Humanities, Business and Law, Health and Education and Science and Engineering)[7] and is one of the largest universities in the UK, measured by the size of its student population in 2020/21.[8]
This article is about the UK university. For other institutions with similar names, see Metropolitan University.
Former name
Manchester Polytechnic
Many Arts, Many Skills
1992 – Manchester Metropolitan University
Predecessor institutions:
1970 – Manchester Polytechnic
1956 – Manchester College of Science and Technology[1]
1918 – Manchester Municipal College of Technology [1]
1892 – Manchester Municipal Technical School[1]
1883 – Manchester Technical School and the Manchester Mechanics' Institution[1]
1838 – Manchester School of Design
1824 – Manchester Mechanics' Institution
£1.46m (2021)[2]
40,000 [5]
All Saints, Birley Fields
Manchester School of Art
The Grosvenor Building, Manchester Met School of Art
Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
Righton Building
The university was previously located on seven sites: five in Manchester (All Saints, Aytoun, Didsbury, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Hollings) and two in Cheshire (Alsager and Crewe). However, the university later closed six of the seven sites to rationalise its estate. The university moved the work of the Alsager campus to Crewe, while the Aytoun campus was closed in 2012 following the opening of a Business School on the main campus. The Elizabeth Gaskell, Hollings and Didsbury campuses were closed in 2014, with faculties being relocated to the main city centre campus in Manchester. The Crewe campus closed in summer 2019, a decision taken following a review conducted by financial advisory firm Deloitte.[11]
Manchester Metropolitan University comprises four faculties led by Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellors, 10 Professional Services Directorates and a range of departments, schools and institutes.[12]
The four faculties are:
Arts and Humanities
With more than 11,000 undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities supports a vibrant and dynamic creative community. Home to Manchester School of Art (f. 1838), Manchester School of Architecture and Manchester Writing School, the faculty is one of the largest in the UK. It offers a range of subjects, from design to fashion, creative writing to architecture, linguistics to languages, digital arts to journalism, and history to sociology, across 9 departments and schools.[13]
Business and Law
The Faculty of Business and Law has more than 10,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled on 120 different degree programmes. The faculty consists of the Business School, which holds the globally recognised trio of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA, and the Manchester Law School. The faculty is also home to the majority of the university's Degree Apprenticeship programmes, with more than 2,400 apprentices studying across 15 programmes with 530 employer partners.[14]
Health and Education
Home to around 9,000 students across 5 departments, the Faculty of Health and Education provides an inclusive learning and training environment based in the Brooks building.[15]
Science and Engineering
More than 6,000 students in the Faculty of Science and Engineering benefit from nearly 100 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in a variety of subjects. A new, £115m base for the faculty opens in 2024, which will include teaching and research spaces, a 200-student super lab, study areas and green spaces.[16]
Library
The Library offers a study skills service and houses a number of special collections mainly relating to the fine and applied arts, like the Laura Seddon Greeting Card Collection, a collection of Victorian and Edwardian greeting cards.[17][18] The North West Film Archive is managed by Manchester Metropolitan University's Library and is located within the Central Library.[19] In 2021, the Manchester Poetry Library opened in the Grosvenor building.[20]
The Library can be accessed 24/7 by MMU students during term times and by visitors during term times on Saturdays and Sundays between 11:00 and 17:00.[21]
Campus investment
The University's 10 year Estate Masterplan 2017–2027 was complemented by a £379m commitment to the Estates Investment Programme until 2024, delivering a range of projects including: the Arts and Humanities development, the Science and Engineering development, the School of Digital Arts (SODA), Manchester Metropolitan Institute of Sport, and the Student Residential portfolio.[22]
National rankings
55
59
59
901—1000
601–610
501–600
Organisation[edit]
Governance[edit]
In common with most universities in the United Kingdom, Manchester Met is headed formally by the Chancellor, currently Lord Mandelson[23] but led by the Vice-Chancellor, currently Professor Malcolm Press CBE.[24]
The University's Board of Governors is responsible for determining the educational character and mission of the University. It also falls to the Board of Governors to ensure that the University's resources are used in line with the University's Article of Government. It also safeguards the University's assets and approves the annual estimates of income and expenditure.[25]
The Board of Governors is responsible for broad policy but the Vice-Chancellor, along with the University Executive Group, is responsible for overall management, policy implementation, organisation, operations and direction of the University.
In December 2014, it was announced that Malcolm Press had been appointed to succeed John Brooks as Vice Chancellor on 1 June 2015.[24]
Manchester Met has around 40,000 students[1], making it currently the 11th in the UK for the biggest student population in 2020/21.[8] The University employs over 4,000 staff.[6]