University of Central Lancashire

The University of Central Lancashire (abbreviated UCLan) is a public university based in the city of Preston, Lancashire, England. It has its roots in The Institution For The Diffusion Of Useful Knowledge founded in 1828. Subsequently, known as Harris Art College, then Preston Polytechnic, then Lancashire Polytechnic, in 1992 it was granted university status by the Privy Council. The university is the 19th largest in the UK in terms of student numbers.[3]

University of Central Lancashire
Former names
Harris Art College, Preston Polytechnic, Lancashire Polytechnic
MottoLatin: Ex solo ad solem
Motto in English
"From the Earth to the Sun"[1]
TypePublic
Established1828 (1828) as Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge
re-established 1992 (University status granted)
ChancellorRanvir Singh
Vice-ChancellorGraham Baldwin
Students23,160 (2018/19)[2]
Undergraduates17,505 (2018/19)[2]
Postgraduates5,655 (2018/19)[2]
Location
Preston (Main)
Burnley
Cyprus
Westlakes, Cumbria

CampusUrban
Colours
AffiliationsUniversity Alliance
Universities UK
Websitewww.uclan.ac.uk
Location in Preston city centre

History

[4]

The Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge was founded in 1828 by Joseph Livesey's Temperance Society. The society was born from a pledge made by seven Preston working men (whose names can be seen on a plaque in the university's library) to never again consume alcohol.

The institute was housed in a classical-revivalist building on Cannon Street, before eventually expanding under the endowment of a local lawyer, Edmund Robert Harris, who died in 1877. The expansion brought with it several new buildings and houses in the nearby Regent Street were purchased and demolished as a consequence. The institute became a regional centre for the arts and sciences.

As part of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897, the institutes trustees paid the Victorian/Edwardian architect Henry Cheers to design the "Victoria Jubilee Technical School" (later known as the Harris Institute and now known as the Harris Building), to be built on Corporation Street. Its goal was to provide local youths with a technical education in all areas. The building was progressive for the period, being powered entirely by electricity.

The institute existed in this state until 1932 when it changed its name to become the Harris Art College. It underwent further expansion and in 1952 and became the Harris College. In 1973 this became Preston Polytechnic then the Lancashire Polytechnic in 1984. In 1992, full university status was awarded and the University of Central Lancashire came into existence. The first chancellor of the university was Sir Francis Kennedy and he was succeeded in 2001 by Sir Richard Evans. In 2016, Ranvir Singh became the new Chancellor of the University.

The journalism division, now part of the School of Journalism and Media, is one of the oldest in the country, opening as part of the Harris College in 1962. In 1991, it became one of the first to teach journalism undergraduate degrees, with a strong emphasis on practical work.

In 2013 the School of Dentistry and the School of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education merged to create the School of Medicine and Dentistry.

The university sponsored the now defunct Wigan UTC, a university technical college which opened in September 2013.[5][6]

Campus

The university is on an urban campus in Preston and others in Burnley, Westlakes in West Cumbria for nuclear and energy related research programmes and a €53 million campus in Cyprus opened in October 2012.

The university has students and researchers from over 100 countries and partnerships with 125 international institutions. It has a base in China’s Shenzhen Virtual University Park, conducting collaborative research with some of China’s leading universities into nanotechnology with applications in drug delivery, water purification and fire toxicity.

Within the School of Language and Global Studies, staff speak 30 languages and represent 22 nationalities.

UCLan has 98 professors, over 600 research or knowledge transfer-active members of staff, and 763 research students. There are 246 Honorary Fellows of the university.

Cyprus
University of Central Lancashire
MottoThe British University of Cyprus
TypePrivate
Established2012 (2012)
Location
Pyla, Larnaka
,
Cyprus
Websitewww.uclancyprus.ac.cy

UCLan Cyprus is a branch campus of the University of Central Lancashire situated in Pyla, Larnaka.[7] The campus opened in 2012 and is licensed and registered as a university in Cyprus. It is the only private British university in Cyprus.[7] It accepts international students.

UCLan Cyprus is the first University in Cyprus that has a Moot Court for used by the School of Law students.[7]

UCLan Cyprus offers bachelor's degrees in business administration, advertising and marketing communications, accounting and finance, hospitality and tourism management, computing, mathematics, English language studies, law, web design and development, sport and exercise science and psychology.[8]

It offers master's degrees in business administration, business management, marketing management, education leadership, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) with applied linguistics, financial and commercial law, computing, cybersecurity, data analytics, sport & exercise science and forensic psychology.[7]

Master Plan 2020

The University is currently undergoing a £200 million expansion programme, with several new buildings under construction at the Preston main campus.[9] These building are:

  • Social Spaces (open as of 2018). Two new social spaces, one located between the Harrington and Greenbank buildings and the other at the Foster building. These social spaces contain a range of relaxation space for students including; pool tables, table tennis tables and a bean bag area.
  • Engineering Innovation Centre (opening September 2019). A £32 million purpose built teaching and exhibition space.[10] The building contains several specialist labs as well as four flight simulators.
  • Oasis: Faith and Spirituality Centre (open as of May 2018). Consisting of multiple faith rooms, counselling and event space as well as roof terrace, this multi faith centre is to replace the existing one located on St. Peter's Court.[11]
  • Student Centre and New Square (construction underway, opening in 2021). This £57 million project is intended to create a new campus reception building, housing several student services, meeting rooms, office space, event venues and a rooftop garden. A new square is to be constructed in front of the student centre. Both the new square and student centre are to be constructed partially on the existing Adelphi roundabout and on now empty land once occupied by the Fylde building.

Buildings

Livesey House, is named after temperance activist Joseph Livesey.

The university opened the new JB Firth building in September 2011, at a cost of £12.5m. It houses the School of Forensic and Applied Sciences, which includes subjects such as chemistry and forensic science. The new building has a 4,000 m2 teaching area, which includes six laboratories: two for chemistry undergraduate teaching, one for chemistry research, one analytical laboratory and two fire laboratories. The building was named after James Brierly Firth, a founder of forensic science in Britain.[12]

The Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre opened, replacing the Foster Sports Centre, in 2011. It is a purpose built indoor facility on the main campus and offers Students' Union sports clubs, instructor-led classes and individual training. Sports membership (including gym) is free for most students and discounted for staff.

Other key facilities include a £15m Media Factory with facilities for digital media and performing arts students, and a 'business incubator'. The £5.3 million Allen Building incorporates facilities for students in the School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Academic profile

The university has the following schools:

  • Art, Design and Fashion
  • Business
  • Community Health and Midwifery
  • Dentistry
  • Engineering
  • Journalism, Media and Performance
  • Forensic and Applied Sciences
  • Health Sciences
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
  • Management
  • Language and Global Studies
  • Medicine
  • Nursing
  • Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Sciences and Computing
  • Psychology
  • Social Work, Care and Community
  • Sport and Wellbeing
  • Lancashire Law School
  • Myerscough College (Associate School)

International developments

UCLan enrolls students from over 100 countries and has partnerships with 125 international institutions located across the world. Each year over 2,000 international students study at the University’s Preston Campus.

UCLan was the first modern university in the UK to be included in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings. In 2013 QS awarded UCLan the full five stars for its approach to ‘Internationalisation’ with a proven track record for specialising in all aspects of international educational provision.

UCLan has over 3,000 students enrolled offshore, across a diverse range of countries including China, Greece, India, Mauritius, Singapore and the USA.

In 2012 the University opened UCLan Cyprus, a €53 million branch campus in Larnaka, Cyprus.[13][14] It is the only private British university in Cyprus.[15]

In 2013, following receipt of Chinese Ministry of Education approval and together with its partner Hebei University (HBU), the UCLan established the ‘Hebei/UCLan School of Media, Communication and Creative Industries’.

Initially the joint School will have non-independent status, meaning that although it will be a separate entity from HBU it will be wholly owned by it. The School will have 800 students, recruiting 200 per year for the four-year duration of the programmes. The intention is to grow to 1,600 students and then to focus on a broader range of subjects, targeting science in the second wave. When successfully operating at the expanded level, the School will apply for independent campus status.

Rankings
Rankings
National rankings
Complete (2021)[16]70
Guardian (2020)[17]76
Times / Sunday Times (2020)[18]93
Global rankings
QS (2020)[19]
801-1000
THE (2020)[20]601-800
British Government assessment
Teaching Excellence Framework[21]Silver

UCLan is in the top 3.7% of universities worldwide according to The Centre for World University Rankings 2016 (CWUR).[22]

UCLan is in the top 800 universities globally according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.[23]

Film production

UCLAN is the only university in the UK to run a feature film module. Results of this course include The Collaborators (2015), Audax (2014),[24] The Wedding (2013),[25] Wraith (2012)[26] and Needle In The Hay (2011).[27]

Research

Research activity at UCLan includes working with NASA on solar dynamics, with the Department of Health on stroke research, with industry on digital media projects and collaboration with the Football Association, Professional Golfers Association and International Olympic Committee on sport and exercise science research.

The UK Government (REF 2014) recognised that all 16 of UCLan’s assessed subject areas contain world-leading research.

Undergraduate research

UCLan has established one of the UK’s largest paid undergraduate research internship schemes.

Since the scheme launched in 2008, nearly 450 interns have worked directly alongside UCLan researchers on projects as diverse as digital publishing, wind power analysis, facial composite development and smart bandage exploration. Interns have presented work at international conferences and won awards for their research.

The initiative enhances a variety of academic and employability skills, leading to some fantastic outputs including presentations at the Houses of Parliament and published journal articles.

Autonomous systems research

In 2012, UCLAN announced a partnership with the BAE Systems, and four other north-western universities (Liverpool, Salford, Lancaster and Manchester) in order to work on the Gamma Programme which aims to develop "autonomous systems". According to the University of Liverpool when referring to the programme, "autonomous systems are technology based solutions that replace humans in tasks that are mundane, dangerous and dirty, or detailed and precise, across sectors, including aerospace, nuclear, automotive and petrochemicals".[28]

Student life

Students' Union
The Students' Union venue, 53 Degrees.

The nightclub and live music venue at the Students' Union, '53 Degrees', has two floors with a bar on each and occasionally hosts well known musical performers. Across two rooms, total capacities are 1,100 & 350 for club nights and 1,400 and 350 for all live gigs. The adjoining bar, 'Source', is open seven days a week during term times. '53 Degrees' is no longer owned by the Students' Union however Freshers' Week events are still run in the venue.

Sports

There are over 35 sports clubs run by the students’ union. Many have block bookings at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre in term-time for training and matches. The sports clubs participate in British Universities and Colleges Sport competitions and have home and away fixtures.

The university outdoor sport facilities can be found at UCLan Sports Arena (USA) which is located 2 miles away and was opened in 2000 by The Princess Royal. The £12 million arena provides facilities for Rugby league, Rugby Union, Football (5 grass pitches) Hockey (2 floodlit all-weather pitches) Netball and Tennis (4 floodlit courts) and Cycling (1 mile (1.6 km) circuit), as well as an eight lane athletics area, equipped for school, club and county competitions.

The university's Motor Sports Engineering and Operations students run a motor racing team, UCLAN Racing.[29]

Media

The Pulse is the student newspaper. It is six times a year, and began in 1985 as the Ribble Echo and then was named Pluto until June 2016. It is now printed in tabloid format with colour photography. The newspaper published its first edition on 12 September 2016.

Pulse Radio is the student radio station which is located on the ground floor of the Students' Union building. It was founded in 1999 as Frequency Radio and is currently broadcasting during term time. The new radio station started broadcasting on 12 September 2016.

Pulse Radio is the student television station which is located on the ground floor of the Students' Union building. The station covers news, entertainment, and documentaries.

Notable people

Alumni

Academics
  • Dame Susan Bailey, Professor of Child Mental Health since 2004
  • Warwick Fox, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy
  • Duncan Glen, former lecturer in graphic design
  • Stanley Henig, former head of the Department of Politics and European Studies
  • Lubaina Himid, Professor of Contemporary Art, 2017 Turner Prize winner
  • Christine King, former head of the School of Historical and Critical Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Arts
  • Ewa Mazierska, Professor in Contemporary Cinema since 2008
  • Ewan McKendrick, former lecturer in law
  • David Andrew Phoenix, Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 2008 to 2013
  • Rex Pope, former head of the School of Historical and Critical Studies
  • Michael Thomas, Professor of Higher Education and Online Learning
  • John K. Walton, former Professor of Social History
  • Laurence Williams, Professor of Nuclear Safety and Regulation from 2010 to 2014
gollark: I have a mana enchanter so I can do it basically free.
gollark: For mass storage I either use enchanted TE tanks or black hole tanks.
gollark: They do not have oxygen masks or anything.
gollark: Fun fact: Mercury has fire dragons.
gollark: You know, GTech™ has 2.9 million dark oak planks, apparently.

References
  1. "About Us". University of Central Lancaster. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  2. "Where do HE students study?". Higher Education Statistics Agency. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  3. "HESA Statistics – Higher Education numbers 2008/2009" (Excel). Higher Education Statistics Agency., referenced at List of UK universities by size
  4. Rex Pope and Ken Phillips (1995). University of Central Lancashire A History of the Development of the Institution since 1828. University of Central Lancashire. ISBN 0906694531.
  5. "Partners". Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  6. http://www.wiganutc.org/partners
  7. Sonja Astbury (14 April 2014). "Truly British campus in the heart of Cyprus". Lancashire Evening Post. JPIMedia Ltd. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  8. "UCLan Cyprus guide". The Telegraph. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  9. "UCLan Masterplan |". UCLan - University of Central Lancashire. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  10. "Engineering Innovation Centre | UCLan Masterplan". UCLan Masterplan. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  11. "Oasis: Faith and Spirituality Centre | UCLan Masterplan". UCLan Masterplan. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  12. http://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/family_affair_for_jb_firth_building.php
  13. "UCLan Cyprus | Campuses |University of Central Lancashire". UCLan - University of Central Lancashire. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  14. "UCLan Cyprus | UCLan Cyprus". uclan. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  15. "Truly British campus in the heart of Cyprus". www.lep.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  16. "University League Table 2021". The Complete University Guide. 1 June 2020.
  17. "University league tables 2020". The Guardian. 7 June 2019.
  18. "The Times and Sunday Times University Good University Guide 2020". Times Newspapers.
  19. "QS World University Rankings 2020". Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd.
  20. "World University Rankings 2020". Times Higher Education.
  21. "Teaching Excellence Framework outcomes". Higher Education Funding Council for England.
  22. "CWUR 2016 | Top Universities in the World". cwur.org.
  23. "World University Rankings". Times Higher Education (THE). 17 August 2016.
  24. "Audax (2014)". IMDb. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  25. "The Wedding (2013)". IMDb. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  26. "Wraith (2012)". IMDb. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  27. Internet Movie Database, accessed 18 February 2012.
  28. "PHP - School of Engineering - University of Liverpool". Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  29. "Victory for UCLan racing students at Oulton Park". Lancashire Evening Post. 8 May 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  30. "University of Central Lancashire". Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  31. "The Independent, Inside Story". London. 1 November 2004. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  32. "The Guardian, Angelique Chrisafis profile". London. 26 September 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
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