University College of North Wales, Bangor

Bangor University

Welsh: Prifysgol Bangor
Former names	University College of North Wales (1884-1893) University of Wales, Bangor (1893-2009)
Motto	Welsh: Gorau Dawn Deall
Motto in English	"The Best Gift is Knowledge"
Type	Public
Established	1884
President	Dafydd Elis-Thomas
Vice-Chancellor	John G Hughes
Administrative staff	2000
Students	10,630 (2015/16)
Undergraduates	8,240 (2015/16)
Postgraduates	2,390 (2015/16)
Address	Bangor University Bangor Gwynedd LL57 2DG, Bangor, Wales, UK 53°13′44″N 4°07′48″W / 53.2289°N 4.1301°W / 53.2289; -4.1301Coordinates: 53°13′44″N 4°07′48″W / 53.2289°N 4.1301°W / 53.2289; -4.1301
Campus	Bangor
Colours
Nickname	Welsh: Y Coleg ar y Bryn ("The College on the Hill")
Affiliations	EUA Universities UK University of Wales ACU HEA EIBFS
Website	bangor.ac.uk

Bangor University (Welsh: Prifysgol Bangor) is a Welsh university in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales. It received its Royal Charter in 1885 and was one of the founding member institutions of the former federal University of Wales. It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales (UCNW), and later as the University of Wales, Bangor (UWB) (Welsh: Prifysgol Cymru, Bangor). From September 2007 it became known as Bangor University, having become independent from the federal University of Wales.

In 2012 Bangor was ranked 251st among the world's top universities. According to the Sunday Times University Guide 2012, it is rated top in Wales for teaching excellence and is among the top 15 universities in the UK in this category.

The university was founded as the University College of North Wales (UCNW) on 18 October 1884, with an inaugural address by the Earl of Powis, the College's first President, in Penrhyn Hall. There was then a procession to the college including 3,000 quarrymen (quarrymen from Penrhyn Quarry and other quarries had subscribed more than 1,200 pounds to the university). The foundation was the result of a campaign for better provision of higher education in Wales that had involved some rivalry among towns in North Wales over which was to be the location of the new college.

The college was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1885. Its students received degrees from the University of London until 1893, when UCNW became a founding constituent institution of the federal University of Wales.

During the Second World War paintings from national art galleries were stored in the Prichard-Jones Hall at UCNW to protect them from enemy bombing. They were later moved to slate mines at Blaenau Ffestiniog. Students from University College, London, were evacuated to continue their studies in a safer environment at Bangor.