University of Lancashire

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.{{Cite book|title=University of Central Lancashire: A History of the Development of the Institution since 1828.|last=Rex Pope and Ken Phillips|publisher=University of Central Lancashire|year=1995|isbn=0906694531}}

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 institute's 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. The foundation stone was laid in July 1895. 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 2012, the University of Lancashire 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".{{cite web |title=PHP - School of Engineering - University of Liverpool |url=http://www.liv.ac.uk/engineering/news/articles/9-1m-autonomous-systems-project-launched/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721145821/http://www.liv.ac.uk/engineering/news/articles/9-1m-autonomous-systems-project-launched/ |archive-date=21 July 2015 |access-date=16 July 2015}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.visionslearningtrust.co.uk/partners/|title=Partners|access-date=16 July 2015|archive-date=17 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817204243/http://www.visionslearningtrust.co.uk/partners/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web| url = http://www.wiganutc.org/partners| title = wiganutc.org| access-date = 30 March 2013| archive-date = 20 June 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130620114958/http://www.wiganutc.org/partners| url-status = usurped}}

The university applied for permission to change its name to the University of Lancashire in January 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-25 |title=Office for Students seeks views on proposed new name for University of Central Lancashire - Office for Students |url=https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/press-and-media/office-for-students-seeks-views-on-proposed-new-name-for-university-of-central-lancashire/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Office for Students}} 90% of respondents to the official consultation argued that the name change was confusing, particularly given the existence of Lancaster University. The Office for Students found that the change had "the potential to be confusing for particular groups" but ultimately approved it, citing a need to "protect the institutional autonomy of English higher education providers, and the need to encourage competition".{{Cite web |date=2024-12-18 |title=Approval of proposed new name for University of Central Lancashire |url=https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/x4obj12q/regulatory-case-report-approval-of-name-change-uclan.pdf |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Office for Students}}

File:Uclanharris.JPG

The university is on an urban campus in Preston,{{Cite web |date=2024-12-19 |title=Bolton and Central Lancashire universities renamed despite confusion concerns |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c623z59x8zeo |access-date=2025-07-05 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} with sites in Burnley{{Cite news |date=2025-04-22 |title=UCLan 'kicked out' 9 students from its Burnley Campus, figures reveal |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/25095357.uclan-expels-withdraws-nine-students-burnley-campus/ |access-date=2025-07-05 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} and in Westlakes, West Cumbria (for Nursing and Medical programmes). A campus in Cyprus opened in October 2012.

The JB Firth building, named after forensic scientist James Brierly Firth,{{Cite web |title=News |url=http://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/family_affair_for_jb_firth_building.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111231001944/http://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/family_affair_for_jb_firth_building.php |archive-date=31 December 2011 |access-date=26 March 2013}} was opened by the university 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.

In September 2019, the Engineering Innovation Centre opened.{{Cite news|url=https://uclanmasterplan.co.uk/project/eic/|title=Engineering Innovation Centre {{!}} UCLan Masterplan|work=UCLan Masterplan|access-date=2018-04-29|language=en-GB|archive-date=17 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517130416/https://uclanmasterplan.co.uk/project/eic/|url-status=dead}} The building contains several specialist labs and simulators, as well as teaching and exhibition space.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uclan.ac.uk/schools/engineering/eic-student-experience.php|title=School of Engineering|access-date=28 September 2020|archive-date=1 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001155042/https://www.uclan.ac.uk/schools/engineering/eic-student-experience.php|url-status=dead}}

The Oasis Faith and Spirituality Centre opened in May 2018. The building consists of multiple faith rooms, counselling and event space as well as roof terrace. The multi faith centre replaced the existing one located on St. Peter's Court.{{Cite news|url=https://uclanmasterplan.co.uk/project/oasis-faith-and-spirituality-centre/|title=Oasis: Faith and Spirituality Centre {{!}} UCLan Masterplan|work=UCLan Masterplan|access-date=2018-04-29|language=en-GB|archive-date=21 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421080503/https://uclanmasterplan.co.uk/project/oasis-faith-and-spirituality-centre/|url-status=live}}

The Student Centre and New Square opened in 2021. A new square was also built in front of the student centre. Both the new square and student centre were constructed partially on the existing Adelphi roundabout and on the land once occupied by the Fylde building.{{Cite web |title=UCLan Student Centre and University Square {{!}} Hawkins\Brown |url=https://www.hawkinsbrown.com/projects/uclan-student-centre-and-new-square/ |access-date=2025-07-05 |website=Hawkins\Brown |language=en}}

File:CampusofUCLanCyprus.jpg

The university's Cyprus location is a branch campus of the University of Lancashire situated in Pyla, Larnaka.{{cite web|url=https://www.lep.co.uk/news/education/truly-british-campus-in-the-heart-of-cyprus-1-6559872|title=Truly British campus in the heart of Cyprus|author=Sonja Astbury|date=14 April 2014|work=Lancashire Evening Post|publisher=JPIMedia Ltd.|access-date=February 11, 2019|archive-date=13 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213005735/https://www.lep.co.uk/news/education/truly-british-campus-in-the-heart-of-cyprus-1-6559872|url-status=live}} The campus opened in 2012 and is licensed and registered as a university in Cyprus. It is the only British private university in Cyprus. It accepts international students.

The campus is the first in Cyprus that has a Moot Court for use by the School of Law students.

The university has students and researchers from over 100 countries and partnerships with 125 international institutions. The University 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.

The university has the following schools:

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• Centre for Collaborative Learning
• Arts and Media
• Business
• Engineering and Computing
• Health, Social Work and Sport
• Law and Policing
• Nursing and Midwifery
• Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
• Psychology and Humanities
• Veterinary Medicine {{Div col end}}The University of Lancashire is the only university in the UK to run a feature film module. Results of this course include The Collaborators (2015), Audax (2014),{{cite web |date=28 November 2014 |title=Audax (2014) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3361856 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809092804/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3361856/ |archive-date=9 August 2014 |access-date=16 July 2015 |work=IMDb}} The Wedding (2013),{{cite web |date=12 September 2013 |title=The Wedding (2013) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2719642/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814052225/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2719642/ |archive-date=14 August 2014 |access-date=16 July 2015 |work=IMDb}} Wraith (2012),{{cite web |date=20 September 2012 |title=Wraith (2012) |url=https://uk.imdb.com/title/tt2168380/ |access-date=16 July 2015 |work=IMDb}}{{Dead link|date=February 2022|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} Blue December (2011) and Needle In The Hay (2011).[https://uk.imdb.com/title/tt2018101/ Internet Movie Database, accessed 18 February 2012]{{Dead link|date=February 2022|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}.{{Infobox UK university rankings

| ARWU_N =

| ARWU_W = 901–1000

| QS_N =

| QS_W = 1001–1200

| THE_N =

| THE_W = 801–1000

| LINE_1 = 0

| Complete = 86

| The_Guardian = 104

| Times/Sunday_Times = 96

| LINE_2 = 0

| TEF = Silver

}}

The University of Lancashire is in the top 7% of universities worldwide according to The Center for World University Rankings 2024 (CWUR).{{Cite web |title=World University Rankings 2024 {{!}} Global 2000 List {{!}} CWUR |url=https://cwur.org/2024.php |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=cwur.org |language=en}} The University of Lancashire is in the top 800 universities globally according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2017/world-ranking|title=World University Rankings|date=17 August 2016|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|access-date=29 November 2016|archive-date=31 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231113411/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2017/world-ranking|url-status=live}}

In 2012 the university opened University of Lancashire Cyprus a €53 million branch campus in Larnaka, Cyprus.{{Cite web |title=UCLan Cyprus {{!}} Campuses |url=http://www.lancashire.ac.uk/campuses/cyprus.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212130851/https://www.uclan.ac.uk/campuses/cyprus.php |archive-date=12 February 2019 |access-date=2019-02-11 |website=University of Central Lancashire}}{{Cite web |title=UCLan Cyprus |url=https://www.uclancyprus.ac.cy/discover/the-university/uclan-cyprus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011428/https://www.uclancyprus.ac.cy/discover/the-university/uclan-cyprus/ |archive-date=12 February 2019 |access-date=2019-02-11 |website=UCLan Cyprus}} It is the only private British university in Cyprus.{{Cite web |title=Truly British campus in the heart of Cyprus |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/news/education/truly-british-campus-in-the-heart-of-cyprus-1-6559872 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213005735/https://www.lep.co.uk/news/education/truly-british-campus-in-the-heart-of-cyprus-1-6559872 |archive-date=13 February 2019 |access-date=2019-02-12 |website=Lancashire Post}}

University of Lancashire 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.{{Cite news |date=2 August 2016 |title=UCLan Cyprus guide |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2016/08/02/uclan-cyprus-guide/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218210345/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2016/08/02/uclan-cyprus-guide/ |archive-date=18 February 2020 |access-date=February 17, 2019 |website=The Telegraph}} 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.

Image:Uclan53degrees.JPG

The nightclub and live music venue at the Students' Union, '53 Degrees', has two floors with a bar on each and occasionally hosts 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, 'Lampworks', 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.

There are over 35 sports clubs run by the students’ union. Many have block bookings at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre and Sports Arena 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 Sports Arena (USA) which is located two miles away and was opened in 2000 by The Princess Royal. The £12 million{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}} arena provides facilities for rugby league, rugby union, football (five grass pitches), hockey (two floodlit all-weather pitches), netball, tennis (four floodlit courts), and cycling ({{convert|1|mi|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.{{cite news|title=Victory for UCLan racing students at Oulton Park|url=http://www.lep.co.uk/news/education/victory_for_uclan_racing_students_at_oulton_park_1_127397|access-date=5 December 2011|newspaper=Lancashire Evening Post|date=8 May 2007|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082324/http://www.lep.co.uk/news/education/victory_for_uclan_racing_students_at_oulton_park_1_127397|url-status=dead}}

The Pulse was a student media brand at the Union. It consisted of a student newspaper which printed six times a year, and began in 1985 as the Ribble Echo; Pulse Radio, founded in 1999 as Frequency Radio; and a TV station. The Pulse stopped broadcasting in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however efforts were taken in 2024 to relaunch the organisation.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-19 |title=Pulse Student Staff Member JD |url=https://www.uclansu.co.uk/resources/email/Pulse-Student-Staff-Member-JD/ |access-date=2025-07-06 |website=UCLan SU}}

{{See also|Category:Alumni of the University of Central Lancashire}}

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• Estelle Asmodelle, Australian model and activist
• Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, Turkish actress, singer, model and television personality
• Waqar Azmi, EU Ambassador and former Chief Diversity Adviser to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Office{{cite web|url=http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/central-lancashire|title=University of Central Lancashire|access-date=16 July 2015|archive-date=21 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821053211/http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/central-lancashire/|url-status=live}}
• Jim Bamber, illustrator for Autosport (Preston College of Art)
• Polly Billington, journalist and special adviser to Ed Miliband{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/inside-story-the-graduates-531637.html | title=The Independent, Inside Story | website=Independent.co.uk | access-date=21 February 2011 | location=London | date=1 November 2004 | archive-date=17 June 2022 | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220617/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/inside-story-the-graduates-531637.html | url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/angeliquechrisafis | title=The Guardian, Angelique Chrisafis profile | access-date=21 February 2011 | location=London | date=26 September 2007 | archive-date=23 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823190919/http://www.theguardian.com/profile/angeliquechrisafis | url-status=live }}
• Isioma Daniel, journalist
• Victoria Derbyshire, broadcaster on BBC Radio 5 Live
• Reni Eddo-Lodge, journalist and author of Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race
• Mary Fitzpatrick, visual artist Liverpool Art Prize
• Andy Goldsworthy, visual artist
• Gemma Hallett, international rugby player and entrepreneur
• Hisham Hanifah, Bruneian government minister
• Nina Hossain, ITV News broadcaster
• Simon Kelner, former editor of The Independent
• Sarah Ann Kennedy, British voice actress
• Carl Lygo, Vice-Chancellor, BPP University
• Lee Mavers, founding member of Liverpool band The La's
• Adam McClean, BBC Breakfast and BBC News journalist
• Paul Nuttall, UKIP MEP
• Ian Payne, Sky sports broadcaster
• Craig Pickering, Team GB Olympic 100m sprinter
• Brent Sadler, CNN correspondent
• Andrew Shie, assistant Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kuching (Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam), first Anglican Bishop from Brunei{{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I7aacPVEVdA|title=CONSECRATION SERVICE OF THE NEW ASSISTANT BISHOP OF KUCHING|website=YouTube |date=11 September 2022 }}
• Ranvir Singh, BBC Radio Five Live and television presenter
• Donald Stokes, industrialist and life peer
• Mike Sutton, originator of the Market Reduction Approach
• Bryan Talbot, award-winning comic book artist and writer
• Mark Tattersall, television presenter Granada Reports
• Don Warrington, actor
• William Watt, 2010 Digital Journalist of the Year
• Kerry Wilkinson, UK number one bestselling author
• Angela Wakefield, British fine artist

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{{see also|Category:Academics of the University of Central Lancashire}}

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• 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 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

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• Armorial of British universities
• List of universities in the United Kingdom
• Post-1992 university

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.lancashire.ac.uk University of Lancashire website]
• [http://www.uclansu.co.uk UCLan Students' Union website]

{{Universities and colleges in North West England}}

{{Universities in the United Kingdom}}

{{Million+}}

{{City of Preston culture}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Preston

Category:Education in Preston

Category:Education in Burnley

Category:Educational institutions established in 1828

Category:1828 establishments in England

Central Lancashire

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1992