63-503: The University of Huddersfield (informally Huddersfield University ) is a public research university located in Huddersfield , West Yorkshire , England. It has been a University since 1992, but has its origins in a series of institutions dating back to the 19th century. It has made teaching quality a particular focus of its activities, winning the inaugural Higher Education Academy Global Teaching Excellence Award in 2017, and achieving
126-546: A Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold Award, in 2017 and 2023. The university has also put an increasing focus on research quality, and as of 2022 more than three quarters of its academic staff hold a doctorate, the third highest rate in England. Its chancellor George W. Buckley , a graduate of the university and a former CEO of 3M , was appointed in 2020. The present University of Huddersfield can trace its history back through several predecessor institutions. In 1825 there
189-724: A 'Preliminary Savings Bank' scheme was also introduced in the Institution, linked to the Huddersfield Banking Company, which took almost 7000 deposits during its first year of operation. Based on the Scottish system of encouraging working people to make small, regular saving deposits, it was a forerunner of the Post Office Savings Bank , founded in 1861. In 1854, after Phillips resignation, Frank Curzon took over as Secretary and remained in post until 1883. During his tenure
252-488: A Secretary but as a teacher-supervisor, influencing the formative development of the organisation. In March 1844 he organised a Soiree (tea party) for 700 at the town's Philosophical Hall, and in May a Rural Gala for 500 at Fixby Pastures. Negotiations with the local railway company led to reduced fares into York for 300 membership to enjoy the cultural opportunities of the city. In 1846, Neil was succeeded by George Searle Phillips, who
315-818: A custom-built film studio facility on Firth Street in Huddersfield, on the edge of the campus. It has been named the Stewart Film Studio, after the university's chancellor emeritus Sir Patrick Stewart . In 2022, the newly renovated Technology Building was renamed in honour of Laura Annie Willson . University Campus Oldham (UCO), located in Oldham , Greater Manchester , opened in May 2005. It offers full and part-time courses at degree, diploma, foundation degree and postgraduate level. Since August 2012 University Campus Oldham (UCO) has been managed by Oldham College . UCO Teacher Education programmes have continued to be validated by
378-551: A further merger took place with the Technical Teaching Training College at Holly Bank. That college had been noted in education circles for its policy of training students over the age of 25, one of whom was the future Education Secretary David Blunkett . However, after the merger, it became part of the Polytechnic's Faculty of Education, and those idiosyncrasies were gradually eroded. Teacher training remained on
441-532: A new subscription library and some elementary educational classes, ‘to supply in some cases the deficiency of early instruction, and to procure for others the means of further improvement’. They first met in the Temperance Hotel, Cross Church Street, Huddersfield in May 1841. Classes began for the first 40 or so pupils in the room of the British School at Outcote Bank, and were taught by experienced staff from
504-422: A prize giving and distribution ceremony was introduced to reward attendance and good conduct. He not only oversaw a recruitment drive, but also the move to the first purpose built home of the institution, on Northumberland Street. The institution took possession in 1861, as student numbers passed 800 annually. The continued prosperity of the institution during the 1860s has been attributed to two main developments –
567-433: A regular visitor to the campus, sometimes leading workshops with drama students, in addition to being an overseas ambassador for the university. One feature of Sir Patrick's tenure as chancellor was his attendance at summer graduation ceremonies, and his leading of parades of graduates through the town. The first such parade took place in 2008. He has continued his association with the university as emeritus chancellor. In 2016,
630-523: A research output of more than 1000 research papers over 5 years, and no more than 80% of activity in a single subject area ( Times Higher Education World University Rankings ) . The QS World University Ranking for 2021 included 1002 research universities. The region with the highest number was Europe , with 39.8%, followed by Asia /Pacific with 26.7%, the US and Canada with 15.6%, Latin America with 10.8% and
693-493: A second round of renaming in 2017, other campus buildings were named in honour of Karen Sparck Jones , Dame Caroline Haslett , Sir John Cockcroft , and Charles Sikes . The university's latest major building project, the Barbara Hepworth Building, is home to teaching across subjects in art, design and architecture. It was completed in summer 2019. Next, the university plans to build a Health Innovation Campus, at
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#1732894088639756-580: A similar distribution, with 185 of their 500 ranked institutions in 2020 coming from Europe, 161 from the Americas, 149 from Asia/Oceania and five from Africa. All regions except Africa are represented in the top 100, although the Americas are represented solely by universities from the United States and Canada. In 2024, the US has the most universities in the top 500 from a single country, 114, followed by China with 103,
819-614: A year during 1994 and 1995. He had previously been the Vice-Chancellor of Hull University . He only intended to remain at Huddersfield for 12 months, on an interim basis. The next Vice-Chancellor was John Tarrant, appointed in October 1995. He served in the role until 2006, and was later Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities until his retirement in 2010. The present Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan, himself from
882-476: Is located on the university’s main Queensgate campus. Students can mix with others and also have access to the library and other specialist IT facilities. The university's first two chancellors were Reginald Cross, who held the role between 1992 and 1994, and Sir Ernest Hall , who served between 1996 and 2004. Sir Patrick Stewart served as chancellor for 11 years, having first been appointed in 2004. He has been
945-532: Is south-east of Huddersfield town centre. Virtually all of the university's teaching takes place on the site. The campus is split in two by the Huddersfield Narrow Canal . It features a mixture of converted mill buildings, and purpose-built facilities. More than £250 million has been invested by the university in the campus. A notable feature of the University of Huddersfield in recent years has been
1008-468: Is worth £300 million annually to the local economy. The university came under scrutiny in July 2020 for the provision of training at a Bahraini centre accused of facilitating state-sponsored torture. In 2021, the university's chancellor George W. Buckley , lent his name to a new Leadership Centre at the university, aimed at supporting future managers and leaders. The university's main campus, Queensgate,
1071-596: The Deighton area of Huddersfield , took over the job in January 2007. At the time, he was the youngest Vice-Chancellor in the UK. His strategy for the university during this time has been to lead an "inspiring, innovative University of international renown". An engineer by background, Professor Cryan became the President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 2023. In May 2007,
1134-719: The Government School of Design , founded in 1837, which became the National Art Training School in 1853, and finally in 1896 the Royal College of Art , under which name it still flourishes. It developed what became known as the South Kensington system in art education. The headmaster until 1875 was Richard Burchett . On the science side it ran classes in South Kensington in the 1870s, which led directly to
1197-578: The Huddersfield Tech students as part of Rag Week. It was the College of Technology which, in 1970, merged with the Oastler College of Education to become Huddersfield Polytechnic. The Oastler College had been founded in 1963, as a day training college for school teachers. Huddersfield Polytechnic was officially inaugurated by the then Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher on 23 April 1971. In 1974,
1260-523: The Middle East and Africa with 7%. All regions except the Middle East and Africa were represented in the top 100. The largest number of new entrants to the rankings were from East Asia and Eastern Europe , followed by Southern Europe . By individual country, the US has the most institutions with 151, followed by the UK with 84, China with 51, and Germany with 45. The top 200 shows a similar pattern with
1323-517: The University of California , have served as models for research universities around the world. Having one or more universities based on the American model (including the use of English as a lingua franca ) is a badge of "social progress and modernity " for the contemporary nation-state . The Americans' continued dominance into the early 21st century has forced their European counterparts to confront
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#17328940886391386-616: The 1500 universities ranked from 86 countries: the U.S. is again top, with 255, followed by China with 176 and the UK with 87. The 2024 CWTS Leiden Ranking includes 1,506 universities in the rankings from 65 countries: China tops the list, with 313, followed by the U.S. with 206, and the UK with 63. Science and Art Department The Science and Art Department was a British government body which functioned from 1853 to 1899, promoting education in art, science, technology, and design in Britain and Ireland . The Science and Art Department
1449-459: The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise, the University of Huddersfield achieved its best ever result. It rose to 68th in the UK Research Power league table, having been placed 97th in the 2008 REF. More University of Huddersfield academics, 262, were entered than in any previous cycle, and the proportion of world leading research submitted increased to 15%. The 2021 REF allowed
1512-419: The American military–industrial complex and developing artificial intelligence , and Berkeley and Stanford played a central role in the development of Silicon Valley . The "most prestigious group of research universities" in the United States is the Association of American Universities . Since the 1960s, American research universities, especially the leading American public research university system ,
1575-518: The American context, as having values of intellectual freedom, initiative and creativity, excellence, and openness, with such additional characteristics as: Global university rankings use metrics that primarily measure research to rank universities. Some also have criteria for inclusion based on the concept of a research university such as teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and conducting work in multiple faculties ( QS World University Rankings ), or teaching undergraduates, having
1638-514: The Buckley Innovation Centre. He resigned in 2019 following a Newsnight interview concerned with his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein , and amid student protests against him; the student union had called for his resignation and issued a statement that the university's chancellor was "a man with ties to organised child sexual exploitation and assault." Since 2020, the chancellor has been businessman and graduate of
1701-447: The College housed student teachers evacuated from Avery Hill College of Education, Eltham , London (now part of the University of Greenwich ), and trained members of the armed forces training to be radio mechanics, engineers, fitters and clerks. Civilians also trained at the College in more basic workshop skills. One notable visitor to the college in 1964 was Dusty Springfield , who appeared at 'Sound Sixty-Four', an event organised by
1764-624: The Great Exhibition for educational purposes. That donation funded a large site in South Kensington accommodating the Science and Art Department, the South Kensington Museum , and other bodies. In 1856 the Science and Art Department was absorbed by a new Education Department , but retained considerable autonomy in promoting artistic and scientific higher education, especially for teacher training. The Science and Art Department took over
1827-571: The Holly Bank site until the land was sold by the university in 2001. The campus precinct was redeveloped by the firm Wilson and Womersley. Awarding J. L. Womersley a Fellowship for the design, the Deputy Rector commented on the courage and vision of the plan, with the Central Services building in particular being a monument to that vision. The large brown Central Services Building, now known as
1890-583: The Huddersfield area and the university's predecessor institutions. The distinctive brown Central Services Building was renamed the Schwann Building, after Frederic and Mary Schwann who had been inspired to create the Young Men's Mental Improvement Society in 1841. Other buildings were named for Edith Key , Joseph Priestley , the Brontë sisters and the university's own chancellor emeritus, Sir Patrick Stewart. In
1953-572: The Schwann Building, a prominent feature not just of the campus but also the town of Huddersfield itself, was completed in January 1977. The brown colour was chosen so it would better fit in with the local sandstone. The building was officially opened by the Duchess of Kent . Several high-profile bands played the university's students' union during the late 1970s and early 1980s, including The Stranglers , The Jam and The Undertones . Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson returned to his hometown in 1983,
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2016-546: The Technical College, which changed its name in 1958 to become the College of Technology. World War I was a time of growth for the College. A Coal Tar Chemistry Department was created, funded by the government and by donations which were also used to provide research scholarships in Chemistry. More than 100 chemists worked at the College as research staff as products were created for British Dyes Ltd. During World War II ,
2079-681: The UK with 35 and Germany with 35. The top 200 shows the similar pattern: the US with 59 followed by China with 37 and the UK with 20. The 2024 Times Higher Education only gives a breakdown by country and only for its top 200; this again has the U.S. at the top with 56, followed by the UK with 25, Germany with 21, and China with 13. The top 200 features one university from Africa, the University of Cape Town in South Africa , but none from Latin America . The U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking 2021 gives numbers by country for
2142-516: The US having 45 universities, the UK 26 and Germany 12. By comparison, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (2015) identifies 115 US universities as "Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity" and a further 107 as "Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity", while Altbach estimated that there were around 220 research universities in the US in 2013. The Academic Ranking of World Universities shows
2205-438: The United States and Japan also have well-known private research institutions. Institutions of higher education that are not research universities or do not aspire to that designation, such as liberal arts colleges , instead place more emphasis on student instruction or other aspects of tertiary education, whereas research university faculty members, in contrast, are under more pressure to publish or perish . The concept of
2268-613: The University of Huddersfield was named University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards. Accepting the award, Professor Cryan said: "It is a tribute to all the staff who have worked so hard to get us where we are today. We are now well established as one of the country’s innovative universities – and the best is yet to come." The university attracts students from more than 130 countries. With an annual turnover of approximately £150 million each year, it estimates it
2331-419: The amount of building work taking place on the Queensgate campus. The Creative Arts Building opened in 2008, and it has since been adorned by a large piece of public art in the form of the poem Let There Be Peace, by Lemn Sissay . The new £17 million Business School opened in 2010, followed by the £3 million Buckley Innovation Centre in 2012, the £22.5 million Student Central building in 2014, and
2394-559: The building is still in use by the Health and Human Sciences Department of the university today. Before the building opened to students in 1884, it was used for a five-month Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition. These kinds of exhibitions, inspired by the Great Exhibition, showcased the latest in textile technology alongside copies of great masters paintings or more contemporary works. In 1896, the Technical School and Mechanics' Institute became
2457-560: The building used by the university's Drama department, previously known as the Milton building, was renamed the Sir Patrick Stewart building. He returned to the campus to reopen it. Prince Andrew, Duke of York replaced Sir Patrick Stewart to become the university’s fourth chancellor in July 2015. He had previously served as the patron of the university since 2013. In 2013 he opened the university's centre for young entrepreneurs situated in
2520-606: The certification of new knowledge" through the awarding of doctoral degrees , and continue to be "the very center of scientific productivity". They can be public or private , and often have well-known brand names. Undergraduate courses at many research universities are often academic rather than vocational and may not prepare students for particular careers, but many employers value degrees from research universities because they teach fundamental life skills such as critical thinking . Globally, research universities are overwhelmingly public institutions , while some countries like
2583-536: The demand for more technical and scientific education, and the introduction of an examination system by the newly formed national Department of Science and Art . The institution managed an examinations system and gave grants to science schools (often based in Mechanics' Institutions) on a 'payment by results' basis. In 1857 the Society of Arts held its first examinations outside London at Huddersfield. A merger took place with
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2646-601: The establishment of American hegemony by the end of the 20th century. Most importantly, Berkeley, Chicago, Columbia, and Princeton (along with Birmingham and Cambridge in the UK) directly participated in the creation of the first nuclear weapons (the Manhattan Project ). Besides that, Columbia and Harvard were instrumental in the early development of the American film industry (Hollywood), MIT and Stanford were leaders in building
2709-659: The failure of the institution’s bankers, and it faltered and later became part of the Huddersfield Philosophical Society, an organisation with which its rules now more closely aligned. Some 19th-century students earned qualifications as external students of the University of London . The history of the university is usually traced to 1841. It was in that year that five young men who were employed by local industrialist Frederic Schwann, who had been born in Frankfurt, approached their employer for support in establishing
2772-511: The formation of the Normal School of Science , a constituent college of Imperial College London . From 1859 the Science and Art Department had offered examinations for prospective science teachers, and promoted evening classes in science across Britain. From 1872 the Science and Art Department began offering scientific higher education directly through evening classes at the South Kensington site. In 1880 these classes acquired formal recognition as
2835-580: The late 19th century, when these fifteen institutions began to graft graduate programs derived from the German model onto undergraduate programs derived from the British model. At Johns Hopkins, president Daniel Coit Gilman led the development of the American research university by setting high standards for recruiting faculty and admitting students, and insisting that faculty members had to commit to both teaching and research. Research universities were essential to
2898-533: The local Collegiate Schools and businessmen like Schwann. A subscription library was founded, and classes were delivered in Reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, design and French. The increase in student numbers prompted a move to Nelson's Buildings in New Street, and the renaming of the institution to more closely reflect its remit. The first Secretary, Robert Neil, was appointed in 1844, and acted not just as
2961-468: The nearby Southgate site. The area had been derelict since the demolition of the old Huddersfield Sports Centre. The proposals were approved by Kirklees Council in 2020 and form part of the broader Huddersfield Blueprint project under which a series of redevelopment schemes are taking place throughout the town. In 2021, the Yorkshire Film and Television School was launched at the university. It features
3024-476: The research university first arose in early 19th-century Prussia in Germany, where Wilhelm von Humboldt championed his vision of Einheit von Lehre und Forschung (the unity of teaching and research), as a means of producing an education that focused on the main areas of knowledge, including the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities , rather than on the previous goals of the university education, which
3087-452: The same year he stood down as an MP, to open a university building on Firth Street and to deliver a lecture. He would later have a different building named after him on the campus. An annual memorial lecture takes place at the university in his name, and notable speakers have included former Prime Ministers Gordon Brown in 2018 and Sir John Major in 2022. The Polytechnic became the University of Huddersfield in 1992. Professor Ken Durrands
3150-411: The school of Arts and Humanities. Other university services are run by directors. The university is organised into the following academic schools: The university has world-leading applied research groups in biomedical sciences, engineering and physical sciences, social sciences and arts and humanities. It has quadrupled its research income and its number of postgraduate researchers in recent years. In
3213-513: The town’s Female Educational Institute in 1883, and the institution become the Technical School and Mechanics' Institute . A new building was constructed on what it today the ring road called Queensgate that cost £20,000, and was funded by the subscriptions of members and philanthropic supporters. Called the Ramsden Building, after the Ramsden family who owned the land upon which the building stood,
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#17328940886393276-466: The university to further develop its performance, submitting 589 academic staff. It is now placed in the top third of all UK institutions on the measurement of 'research power'. Research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of knowledge production ", along with "intergenerational knowledge transfer and
3339-577: The university welcomed Queen Elizabeth for a visit to the campus, during which she unveiled the foundation stone for the new Creative Arts Building. The following year, the building was officially opened by the Duke of Kent . The university is closely associated with annual events, including the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and Huddersfield Literature Festival , both of which are partly hosted at university venues. In 2013,
3402-464: The university, George W. Buckley . The university is run by the vice-chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan. Underneath him is deputy vice-chancellor, Professor Tim Thornton, and three pro vice-chancellors. Each of the five academic schools is led by a dean, with a seventh dean who oversees the graduate school. The university previously had seven schools, but the former schools of Art, Design and Architecture and Music, Humanities and Media merged in 2021 to form
3465-511: The university, and lead to a University of Huddersfield award. Previously the Barnsley Mining and Technical College was at this site. The “Tech” opened in 1932 when mining was at the heart of Barnsley’s economy and the College was supposedly the largest mining college in the world. The International Study Centre (ISC) at the university offers degree preparation courses for international students. The programmes are run by Study Group . The ISC
3528-736: The university, and lead to a University of Huddersfield award. University Campus Barnsley, located in Barnsley , South Yorkshire , opened in 2005. The campus offers facilities for subjects such as music, art and design, journalism and media production. £5.5 million has been invested with the help of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, Yorkshire Forward and Objective 1. From August 2013 University Campus Barnsley (UCB) has been managed by Barnsley College . UCB programmes starting in September 2013 continue to be validated by
3591-540: The urgent need for reform to avoid "declining into an advanced form of feeder colleges for the best American universities." John Taylor, Professor of Higher Education Management at the University of Liverpool , defines the key characteristics of successful research universities as: Philip Altbach defines a different, although similar, set of key characteristics for what research universities need to become successful: A 2012 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report defined research universities, in
3654-489: The £27.5 million Oastler Building for Law and the School of Music, Humanities and Media, in 2017. Redevelopments of existing buildings include the creation of the £1 million Holocaust Centre, opened in 2018, now known as Holocaust Centre North . As part of the university's 175th anniversary commemorations in 2016, several of the buildings on the Queensgate campus were renamed after significant figures with connections to
3717-400: Was Vice-Chancellor at the time the institution achieved university status. He was later credited with having "transformed" it into "a thriving university". However, in 1994 he was forced to leave his post before the end of his contract, following a row over the removal of independently-elected representatives from the university's governing body. Sir William Taylor served as Vice-Chancellor for
3780-414: Was an attempt to set up a Scientific and Mechanics Institution in the town. Supported by a group of donors, its patron was leading Whig and large local landowner Sir John Ramsden . Its aims were to instruct local mechanics and tradesmen in scientific principles relating to their work, through lectures and a circulation library, which by 1827 contained over 700 volumes. The financial crisis of 1825–1826 led to
3843-559: Was created as a subdivision of the Board of Trade in 1853, expanding the existing Department of Practical Art . Its first superintendent was Henry Cole , and it supported not just science but also "practical arts" – i.e. technology and design . The department benefited substantially from the Great Exhibition of 1851, part of the profits of which were distributed by the Commissioners of
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#17328940886393906-421: Was described by historian John O'Connell as 'philosopher, propagandist and missionary' of the institution. He oversaw expansion of the curriculum, revision of the fee system to make the institution self-supporting, the visitation of absent students and the compilation of statistics of the institution's achievements. In 1850, growing attendance meant another move, to Wellington Buildings, Queen Street. At this time,
3969-737: Was to develop an understanding of truth, beauty, and goodness . Roger L. Geiger , "the leading historian of the American research university," has argued that "the model for the American research university was established by five of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution ( Harvard , Yale , Pennsylvania , Princeton , and Columbia ); five state universities ( Michigan , Wisconsin , Minnesota , Illinois , and California ); and five private institutions conceived from their inception as research universities ( MIT , Cornell , Johns Hopkins , Stanford , and Chicago )." The American research university first emerged in
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