University of Bradford

In 1882 when we began as Bradford Technical College, Bradford was the textile capital of the world, its renowned products reaching the four corners of the globe. Today, our world-class teaching reaches out to those same four corners, bringing students from over 110 nations together in one place of learning excellence.

Innovative from the start, the University's forebear, The Mechanics Institute, founded in 1832. was formed in response to the need in the city for workers with cutting-edge skills relevant to the workplace. In 1957 Bradford Institute of Technology was established to take over the higher education role of the Bradford Technical College. This heritage of making knowledge work has continued to the present day as we continue to respond to the needs of employers and proudly boast being the number one university for graduate employment in the north of England and number two in the UK.

In 1966, Bradford Institute of Technology was granted a Royal Charter to become the University of Bradford and the 40th university to be created in Britain, making us one of the 'old' universities. Harold Wilson, the then British Prime Minister, became our first Chancellor and the University began to grow steadily, increasing student numbers and the range of vocationally relevant courses on offer. Bradford is now a more popular choice then ever for students who want to give their career the best possible start. The student population has leapt from 2,000 in 1966 to over 10,000 people today, including a lively postgraduate population of 2,250.

We have always been pioneering in our course provision, being the first British University to offer a Peace Studies degree and to set up a modern Business School and the first UK University outside London to offer part time degree courses. New courses have been founded in response to an ever-changing landscape of educational needs. Many of these are interdisciplinary in character such as Environmental Science, Technology and Management, and Interdisciplinary Human Studies. Others, such as Design for Computer Games, Forensic Science and Medical Engineering, keep pace with scientific development and the needs of employers.