The University Of Chester
In recent years Chester has seen a huge growth in the University Of Chester. This makes further education in Chester an increasingly popular option. Since it was founded in 1839, the University has grown beyond recognition.
The University Of Chester
The University of Chester – Crest
The university was founded in 1839 and was known first of all as the Chester Diocesan Training College. Significantly it was the UK’s first purpose-built teacher training college. Which subsequently ensures that it is one of the longest established higher educational institutions in the country. It’s first intake of students of students were ten male students in 1842. Same as today, the location was on the Parkgate Road site, although nowadays other locations have been added.
As time progressed and the training college expanded, a significant change occurred in 1921. It was then that Chester formally became an affiliated college of the University of Liverpool. This meant therefore that the University of Liverpool awarded Chester’s qualifications and Chester’s students were able to use Liverpool’s facilities.
Although threatened with closure in the 1930s, the college survived the threats and continued to grow steadily. In the 1960s, as the UK was generally expanding its higher education options, the college was considered as a possibility for university status. University status was not granted however at this time.
1960’s to the 1990’s
Early in the 1960’s the college continued to expand. As a result women were first admitted in 1961. In 1963, there was also a name change. The Government decided to rename Teacher Training Colleges as Colleges of Education. Consequently, Chester’s name became Chester College of Education. This name remained until 1974 when it was again renamed. As a result of the expansion of the number of courses beyond purely teacher education courses, the change in direction warranted a new name. The new courses offered included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.
In the early 1990s more and more courses were on offer. In addition to these increases in courses, there was a £10 million financial investment in the campus development. Consequently, by 1996, Chester’s status was such it could be called the University College Chester. As a result of Government changes however, the name had to revert to Chester College of Higher Education. This was because, as yet, Chester did not have its own degree awarding authority. Although this was its official title, Chester was frequently known as “Chester, a College of the University of Liverpool”.
Since The Year 2000 to Present Day
Warrington Collegiate Institute’s higher education faculty and the campus itself was acquired in 2002.
A year later in 2003, Chester was granted its own degree-awarding powers. Therefore it was again allowed to be known as University College Chester. Due to its long and well established association with the University of Liverpool, Chester continued to award Liverpool degrees until the intake of students in 2005.
Hence in 2005, after its award of full University status, University College Chester became the University of Chester. Following on from this the now University earned the right to award its own research degrees in 2007. This therefore ended Chester’s validation arrangement with Liverpool.
Since the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, some of the research carried out by the University’s was recognised as being of international quality.
The UK Quality Body awarded a commendation to the Centre for Work Related Studies (CWRS) in 2010. The achievement was attained as a result of the University’s radically flexible and high quality negotiated work based learning framework. This framework enabled professionals to customise their own qualifications, for instance by ‘learn through work’, and by enabling the timely accreditation of Commercial Training provision.
Further Expansion
Since 2010, the university has expanded even more so. Many unused and derelict buildings have been acquired in and around the city. These newly acquired buildings have been renovated and the existing refocused for Educational use.
In 2013 another acquisition saw the University take over the Shell Technology Centre in Thornton, in nearby Ince. This therefore saw the creation of the Thornton Science Park. Consequently, this has allowed a wide range of new engineering-related degree programmes to be available.
University of Chester Campuses
The University of Chester has six campuses. The original, 32-acre Parkgate Road Campus has a mixture of modern buildings and Victorian buildings. This Campus also includes a sports hall, a fitness centre, science and language laboratories, bar, bookshop, swimming pool and a bank.
In addition, some departments are located offsite within close proximity the main Campus. For instance, the Department of English is located in an old Victorian vicarage, while the Law School is based nearby at 67 Liverpool Road.
Slightly further afield there have been a number of other significant acquisitions. Such as the former County Hall, ideally situated in the city centre near the Racecourse has been acquired. This site now houses the Faculty of Education and Children’s Services and the Faculty of Health and Social Care. It is now well known as the Riverside Campus.
Another recent acquisition has seen the closure of the popular Kingsway school and the development of the Kingsway Campus in Newton. The original site has been quite significantly added to. More specifically a three-storey teaching block, art gallery and ground floor exhibition space, a learning resource centre and changing rooms have been added.
Lloyds Bank corporate headquarters in Queen’s Park, Handbridge, was also acquired in 2015. This new site houses the Chester Business School and the Faculty of Business and Management. Sitting opposite on the benches by the bandstand in The Groves and you will see more investment and acquisitions. Look over the river and you will that the University has invested heavily again. An upgrade and modernisation of the facilities in Bridge House and Churchill House has been undertaken to create high quality facilities that can cater for 2,700 students.
Even Further Afield
The university opened an associated institution in the Guildhall and Rowley’s House, Shrewsbury, Shropshire in 2015. This was as part of a joint venture with Shropshire Council to establish University Centre Shrewsbury.
Originally the smaller Warrington Campus, in Padgate, was a camp during World War II for Canadian officers. This Campus houses the North West Media Centre, Social Sciences, the Warrington School of Management and Health and Social Care.
Warrington has particularly strong connections with the University of Chester as Rugby League followers will testify. This is because the Warrington Campus is also the training ground for the Warrington Wolves. Anyone watching Warrington Wolves will see the University of Chester proudly emblazoned on their jerseys.
The Chancellor at the time, George Osborne, opened the University of Chester’s new Science Park in Thornton in 2014. As mentioned earlier, this site was previously used by Shell UK for Research and Development. This particular Campus is used for a variety of Science and Engineering based courses. As a result, it allows students to be involved in high-level Research using the Campus’s industry-standard facilities generously gifted by Shell.
Also in 2014, TV personality Dr Loyd Grossman, who holds an honorary degree from the university, officially opened the North West Food Research Development (NoWFOOD) Centre.
Finally, the University of Chester also has a number of other bases outside of Chester at NHS sites across both the Wirral and Cheshire.
For more in depth details of the University click HERE.
University of Chester Students
The University has in the region of 15,000 students. This represents a huge increase since the 1990’s and prior. Student life for students from outside of Chester is hugely attractive, as more and more student accommodation residences are acquired. Many of the new residences are within easy access of the city centre. So it is easy enough for visiting students to enjoy the many benefits Chester has to offer.
Undoubtedly, the city of Chester is an ideal place to come and study. And of course the University of Chester is a well worthy university to spend your life shaping and enjoyable student years.
Chester Lifestyle
I hope you enjoy my Chester Lifestyle website. If you want to find out some more about the beautiful city of Chester or about my website, then take a look HERE.
Things To Do In Chester
While enjoying your years at the University of Chester it is worth noting that there are plenty of things to do in Chester. For a few ideas, have a look HERE.
Famous People From Chester
As well as there being plenty of things to do in Chester and enjoying the many benefits of the excellent University of Chester, Chester also boasts quite a lot of famous people from Chester. To see a fair few of them – have a look HERE.
Chester Lifestyle On Twitter
Social Media is so important in this day and age. Of all the Social Media platforms I am probably most active on Twitter. To see what else I Tweet about – have a look HERE.
