University of the West of England
The University of the West of England (also known as UWE Bristol) is a public research university, located in and around Bristol, England, UK. With more than 39,912 students and 4,300 staff, it is the largest provider of higher education in the South West of England.[5]
"UWE" redirects here. For other uses, see Uwe (disambiguation).
Other names
UWE Bristol, UWE
Light Liberty Learning.
1595 - Merchant Venturers Navigation School[1]
1853 - Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Training Institution for School Mistresses
1894 - Merchant Venturers Technical College[2]
1969 – Bristol Polytechnic
1992 - University Status
£2.3 million (2018)
£379 million (2019/20)
4,318 (2023)[3]
39,912 (2022/23)[3]
25,887(2022/23)[3]
14,025 (2022/23)[3]
Frenchay Campus, City Campus, Glenside Campus, Gloucester Campus[4]
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The institution was known as the Bristol Polytechnic in 1969; it received university status in 1992 and became the University of the West of England, Bristol.[6] In common with the University of Bristol and University of Bath, it can trace its origins to the Merchant Venturers' Technical College, founded as a school in 1595 by the Society of Merchant Venturers.[7][2]
UWE Bristol is made up of several campuses in Greater Bristol. Frenchay Campus is the largest campus in terms of student numbers, as most of its courses are based there. City campus provides courses in the creative and cultural industries, and is made up of Bower Ashton Studios, Arnolfini, Spike Island, and Watershed. The institution is affiliated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and validates its higher education courses. Frenchay Campus and Glenside Campus are home to most of the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, with a further Adult Nursing cohort based at Gloucester Campus. Hartpury Campus provides training in animal sciences, sport, equine, agriculture and conservation.
History[edit]
Early foundations[edit]
The University of the West of England can trace its roots back to the foundation of the Merchant Venturers Navigation School in 1595.[8]
In 1894, the school became the Merchant Venturers Technical College. The University of Bristol was formed just a few years after this, leaving the college for the foundation of UWE Bristol.[8] The college was partly responsible for the creation of the Bristol College of Science and Technology (BCST) in 1960, which later gained a royal charter to form the University of Bath in 1965.[9]
The technical college in turn became Bristol Polytechnic in 1970; the then-main campus was at Ashley Down, now a campus of the City of Bristol College.[10]
Bower Ashton Studios was formed in 1969 as the West of England College of Art, which was formerly the art school of the Royal West of England Academy in Queens Road, Bristol. The St Matthias site (which is no longer owned by the university) was originally built in Victorian times and was a teacher training college. These campuses, together with campuses in Redland, Ashley Down, Unity Street and Frenchay became part of Bristol Polytechnic around 1976.
University status[edit]
The institution gained university status and its present name as a result of the Further and Higher Education Act, 1992. The Avon and Gloucestershire College of Health, which is now Glenside Campus, and the Bath and Swindon College of Health Studies joined in January 1996. Hartpury campus joined in 1997. The university was a lead academic sponsor of Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy, a new university technical college, until its closure in 2022.[11]
National rankings
67
43
72
741–750
501–600