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University of Central Lancashire

University of Central Lancashire
UCLan Coat of Arms.jpg
Former names
Harris Art College, Preston Polytechnic, Lancashire Polytechnic
Motto Latin: Ex solo ad solem
Motto in English
"From the Ground to the Sun"
Type Public
Established

1828 – Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge established

1992 – University status granted
Chancellor Ranvir Singh
Vice-Chancellor Professor Mike Thomas
Students 24,460 (2015/16)
Undergraduates 20,180 (2015/16)
Postgraduates 4,280 (2015/16)
Location Preston, England
Coordinates: 53°45′47″N 2°42′27″W / 53.763021°N 2.7074°W / 53.763021; -2.7074
Campus Urban
Colours
Affiliations Million+
Website http://www.uclan.ac.uk/
University of Central Lancashire
Rankings
QS
(2016/17, national)
66
QS
(2016/17, world)
701+
THE
(2016/17, national)
68
THE
(2016/17, world)
601-800
Complete
(2017, national)
99
The Guardian
(2017, national)
87
Times/Sunday Times
(2017, national)
92

1828 – Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge established

The University of Central Lancashire (abbreviated UCLan) is a public university based in 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.

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.


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