The University of Bedfordshire is a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichk ...
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 most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...
with campuses in
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council ...
and
Buckinghamshire, England. The University has roots from 1882, however, it gained university status in 1993 as the University of Luton. The University changed its name to the University of Bedfordshire in 2006 by the approval of the
Privy Council, following the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of
De Montfort University
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is a public university in the city of Leicester, England. It was established in accordance with the Further and Higher Education Act in 1992 as a degree awarding body. The name De Montfort University was tak ...
.
It is spread across five campuses: there are three in Bedfordshire, in
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...
and
Luton
Luton () is a town and unitary authority with borough status, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 census, the Luton built-up area subdivision had a population of 211,228 and its built-up area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable a ...
; and two in Buckinghamshire, in
Aylesbury (for students studying
Nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
and
Midwifery
Midwifery is the health science and health profession that deals with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (including care of the newborn), in addition to the sexual and reproductive health of women throughout their lives. In many ...
), and in
Milton Keynes. It is also active in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
, as well as globally, with a growing portfolio of international partnerships as far afield as
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
,
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
,
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
and
Mauritius
Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...
.
The University entered the
Research Assessment Exercise
The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) was an exercise undertaken approximately every five years on behalf of the four UK higher education funding councils (HEFCE, SHEFC, HEFCW, DELNI) to evaluate the quality of research undertaken by British hig ...
in 2014 and achieved an improvement of 22 places in the REF Power Ranking – the fourth largest improvement in the sector with nearly half of its research considered to be world leading or internationally excellent.
In 2012, it achieved
FairTrade
A fair trade certification is a product certification within the market-based movement fair trade. The most widely used fair trade certification is FLO International's, the International Fairtrade Certification Mark, used in Europe, Africa, As ...
status.
The University has also come eighth in the UK in the People and Planet University Green League in 2019 and received the Eco Campus Platinum award in 2020.
The University of Bedfordshire has a vibrant and cosmopolitan student population that includes more around 20,000 students from over 100 countries, working collaboratively with around 40 academic partners, both in the UK and overseas, to deliver a range of course from foundation degrees to doctorates. More than 40% of its student population come from families with no history of participation in higher education. Around 70% are mature returners to education and over half are from black or ethnic minority backgrounds.
Appointed in 2020, the current Vice Chancellor is
Professor Rebecca Bunting. The most recent Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire was
John Bercow
John Simon Bercow (; born 19 January 1963) is a British former politician who was Speaker of the House of Commons from 2009 to 2019, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Buckingham between 1997 and 2019. A member of the Conservative Party prior t ...
, the former
Speaker of the House of Commons Speaker of the House of Commons is a political leadership position found in countries that have a House of Commons, where the membership of the body elects a speaker to lead its proceedings.
Systems that have such a position include:
* Speaker of ...
.
History
The University of Luton had its roots in the Luton Modern School, which was established in 1908 and the Luton Modern School and Technical Institute which opened in 1937. This became Luton College of Higher Education following the merger of Luton College of Technology and
Putteridge Bury
Putteridge Bury is a country house on the edge of the built-up area of Luton, Bedfordshire, England but located just over the county boundary in the parish of Offley in Hertfordshire.
Mansion
The mansion was built in the style of Chequers by a ...
College of Education, in 1976. It obtained university status in 1993.
The Bedford campus of De Montfort University was originally part of the
Bedford College of Higher Education
Bedford College of Higher Education was a higher education institution in Bedford, England, specializing in teacher training.
History
Until 1976, three separate institutions offered tertiary education in Bedford: Bedford College of Physical Edu ...
, which stemmed from Bedford Teacher Training College, founded in 1882, and Bedford Physical Training College, founded in 1903. The University was created by the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of
De Montfort University
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is a public university in the city of Leicester, England. It was established in accordance with the Further and Higher Education Act in 1992 as a degree awarding body. The name De Montfort University was tak ...
in August 2006 following approval by the Privy Council.
Campuses
The University's two main campuses are in
Luton
Luton () is a town and unitary authority with borough status, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 census, the Luton built-up area subdivision had a population of 211,228 and its built-up area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable a ...
and
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...
.In Buckinghamshire, the dedicated
Mary Seacole
Mary Jane Seacole (;Anionwu E.N. (2012) Mary Seacole: nursing care in many lands. ''British Journal of Healthcare Assistants'' 6(5), 244–248. 23 November 1805 – 14 May 1881) was a British-Jamaican nurse and businesswoman who set up t ...
Aylesbury campus for Healthcare students opened in February 2020 at
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital is a large National Health Service (NHS) hospital located on the parish borders of Aylesbury and Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, England. It is managed by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
It was established i ...
, in partnership with
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT).
A smaller fourth campus at Milton Keynes became part of the university in 2012, offering a variety of degree courses as well as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes.
On the outskirts of Luton, is the University’s Putteridge Bury campus. The campus is situated in approximately 30 acres of landscaped gardens. The current building was completed in 1911 and was designed by architects Sir
Ernest George
Sir Ernest George (13 June 1839 – 8 December 1922) was a British architect, landscape and architectural watercolourist, and etcher.
Life and work
Born in London, Ernest George began his architectural training in 1856, under Samuel Hewit ...
and
Alfred Yeats in the style of
Chequers, having had various redesigns and rebuilds over the years.
The site is utilised for University events including graduations, academic research symposia and seminars, The University of Bedfordshire Business School's postgraduate programmes, as well as a wide variety of public and private events including conferences, weddings, funeral receptions and public holiday functions.
Luton Campus
The University’s Luton campus is located in the town centre and is home to a purpose built
STEM building, seven-storey library, a Postgraduate & CPD Centre, as well as an array of modern facilities to support each of the courses on offer. These include the Media Arts Centre, a Moot Court, Business Pods, Healthcare Simulation Suites, a Campus Gym and a three-storey art studio with designated fashion and photography studios.
The University's Campus Centre, at Luton, opened in October 2010. It houses a 240-seat lecture theatre, an exhibition area for displaying student work, a Student Information Desk and Students' Union support services.
The Postgraduate and Continuing Professional Development Centre was completed in early 2013 and includes state-of-the-art IT and AV equipment, informal and quiet learning spaces, two "
Harvard-style" lecture theatres.
The dedicated STEM building opened in 2019 and is set out over four storeys of teaching space including four computer laboratories and workshops for subjects such as
automotive engineering,
cyber-security and
robotics
Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrate ...
, along with three large teaching labs, and four specialist containment labs.
Bedford Campus
The Bedford campus is close to Bedford town centre and local amenities. The University provides a free bus service running between the town centre and the campus. The campus includes a Physical Education and Sport Science Centre used to train athletes in the
2012 Olympic Games, and a Bedford Campus Centre boasting a 280-seat theatre, dance studios, a restaurant and social spaces for students. Liberty Park, on-site accommodation, offers 500 en-suite study bedrooms.
The Library was designed by
van Heyningen and Haward Architects
van Heyningen and Haward is an architectural practice, founded in 1983 by Birkin Haward and Joanna van Heyningen, and now owned and managed by James McCosh and Meryl Townley. The London architects work primarily in education, and have also work ...
as a gateway to the campus. The building was completed in 2001 and provides approximately 360 individual study spaces, teaching space, staff work areas and traditional library services. There is also the Gateway building which offers teaching and informal learning spaces, lecture theatres and a student service centre over three storeys.
Mary Seacole, Aylesbury Campus
The University’s Mary Seacole Campus opened in February 2020 at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury and in partnership with Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT).
The three-storey building, located on the hospital site, provides a specialist skills lab, set out as a hospital ward with state-of-the-art audio visual technology. There are also a suite of classrooms, a library, social learning spaces and computer study facilities.
Milton Keynes Campus
The Milton Keynes campus was originally established with the long term aim of becoming a new, independent university in Milton Keynes.
["University ambitions in Milton Keynes"](_blank)
- The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
![Milton Keynes University](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Milton_Keynes_University.JPG)
The institution began as 'the University Centre Milton Keynes' (UCMK), part of
Milton Keynes College
Milton Keynes College is a general further education and training college, serving the City of Milton Keynes. It also serves the surrounding areas (northern Aylesbury Vale, south Northamptonshire, north west Bedfordshire and north east Oxford ...
and supported by the University of Bedfordshire, the
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton is a public university based in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England. It was formed in 1999 by the amalgamation of a number of training colleges, and gained full university status as the University of Northampton in ...
and the
Open University
The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- ...
. It was opened on 29 September 2008, with start-up funding provided by the
Milton Keynes Partnership
In January 2004, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced the United Kingdom government's Expansion plans for Milton Keynes However, the change of government in 2010 and the abolition of the Regional Spatial Strategy (SE Plan) in 2012/13 saw ...
, which purchased the initial building (a former office block) in
Central Milton Keynes
Central Milton Keynes is the central business district of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England and a civil parish in its own right, with a town council.
The district is approximately long by wide and occupies some of the highest land in Mi ...
.
In October 2009, the University of Bedfordshire (acting as lead academic partner) made a successful bid to the
Higher Education Funding Council for England to expand provision at UCMK, one of just six such centres to have achieved this.
In September 2012 the centre ceased to be part of MK College and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Bedfordshire. The university announced plans for a new campus in the city, with the new name of the institution being 'University Campus Milton Keynes', and this was opened at Saxon Court on Avebury Boulevard in September 2013.
Since March 2017, the brand 'UCMK' is no longer in use and the campus now operates as University of Bedfordshire Milton Keynes Campus.
Today, under the operation of the University of Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes campus offers foundation degrees,
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
s and
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. s.
Organisation and structure
The University has four faculties: Creative Arts, Technologies and Science; Education and Sport; Health and Social Sciences; and the University of Bedfordshire Business School.
Academic profile
In 2000, the University of Luton was ranked 83 out of 93 British universities by ''The Times''
in their annual university ranking, rising to 72 out of 101 two years later.
''The Sunday Times'' awarded the University of Luton the title of Best New University in 2004 (prior to the purchase of the Bedford campus and rebranding). The QAA conducted a thorough institutional audit of the university as a whole in 2005 (prior to the merger of the University), which resulted in the audit team's questioning of the academic standards of its awards and its lack of confidence in the university's quality standards. However, after the audit was taken, the QAA was provided with information that indicates that appropriate action was taken by the university in response to the findings of this report. As a result, the audit was signed off in July 2007. The University was subsequently commended by the QAA for the high quality and standards of our higher education provision in 2015.
The University appears in Times Higher Education World University rankings, is ranked as one of the top 300 universities in the world under 50 years old in the Young University rankings, and was awarded Silver in the first ever Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in 2017.
The University hosts the National Centre for Cyberstalking Research, opened in 2012, which carried out the first British study of cyberstalking and other forms of harassment online. In 2012, it established a UNESCO chair in New Media Forms of the Book to analyse trends in the use of electronic media, mobile media, and Internet technologies through research and practice.
Teaching quality
In 2004 The Sunday Times awarded the University the title of 'Best New University' and in 2007 it was short-listed for the
Times Higher Education
''Times Higher Education'' (''THE''), formerly ''The Times Higher Education Supplement'' (''The Thes''), is a British magazine reporting specifically on news and issues related to higher education.
Ownership
TPG Capital acquired TSL Education ...
Supplement's University of the Year 2007.
Awards
* Awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade in 2011.
* Outstanding Finance Team winners in the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards 2011.
* 'Gold' award from
Investors in People in 2011.
*One of 21 Business Schools awarded the Bronze Award for start-up and business growth advice (Small Business Charter)
*8th in the country in the University Green League (People and Planet 2019)
Educational partner institutions
The University works together with a number of partner institutions to offer a range of courses:
* Buckinghamshire College Group (Aylesbury)
*
Barnfield College
*
Bedford College
* Frontline
* Global Banking School
* Institute of Family Therapy
*
London School of Commerce
*
Milton Keynes College
Milton Keynes College is a general further education and training college, serving the City of Milton Keynes. It also serves the surrounding areas (northern Aylesbury Vale, south Northamptonshire, north west Bedfordshire and north east Oxford ...
* New Stamford College
* Pen Green Leadership Centre
*
Emil Dale Academy
Emil Dale Academy is a musical theatre school in England. The Hitchin campus offers a Bachelor of Arts degree awarded by the University of Bedfordshire, BTEC Level 3 diploma, and foundation and sixth form courses for full-time students (16+). ...
*
Holmes Institute
*
London Studio Centre
The London Studio Centre, in North Finchley, London, is a British dance and theatre school providing courses in classical ballet, contemporary dance, jazz dance, and musical theatre. It is accredited by the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical ...
*
Colombo International Nautical and Engineering College
* CTS College of Business and Computer Science, Trinidad
* Executive Business and Computational Institute, Mauritius
*
Foreign Trade University, Vietnam
* Kaplan Higher Education, Hong Kong
* Majan College, Oman
*
MAPS College
MAPS College (formerly the MAPS Institute or the Modern Academy for Professional Studies) is a private educational institution located in Janavaree Magu, Malé, Maldives.
MAPS College
The college was founded in 1999, and awarded college status i ...
, Maldives
* Marbella Design Academy, Spain
*
Modern Sciences and Arts University, Egypt
* Music Production and Dance Academy, Italy
* Middle East University, Jordan
* Nations School of Business and Management, Guyana
* Oxford College of Business, Sri Lanka
* Patan College for Professional Studies, Nepal
* SHEL School of Higher Education Limited, Trinidad and Tobago
* SLIIT Academy, Sri Lanka
* STI Myanmar
* Westminster International College, Malaysia
* Asian Centre for Management and Technology Ltd (LSC Dhaka), Bangladesh
* Hong Bang University, Vietnam
* Roots IVY International Schools, Pakistan
The University was a co-sponsor of
UTC Central Bedfordshire
UTC Central Bedfordshire was a University Technical College (UTC) in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, England. The college opened in September 2012 and specialised in education for future engineers, product and games designers. It closed in August ...
, a
university technical college
A university technical college (UTC) is a type of specialist secondary school in England that is led by a sponsor university and has close ties to local business and industry. These university and industry partners support the curriculum developm ...
which operated in
Houghton Regis
Houghton Regis is a market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, East of England.
The parish is located in Central Bedfordshire, which includes the hamlets of Bidwell, Thorn, and Sewell. Houghton Regis, along with its contiguous neighbour ...
from 2012 - 2016.
Student life
The University of Bedfordshire Students' Union is affiliated to the
National Union of Students, which represents students nationwide.
In 2020,
Radio LaB 97.1FM - the University's affiliated community radio station - won two
Community Radio Awards.
Notable alumni
*
Zema Abbey
Zema Abbey (born 17 April 1977) is an English former professional footballer, who played as a striker.
He has a degree in Sports Science and Leisure Management from the University of Bedfordshire. His younger brother, Nathan, was also a profe ...
*
Rickie Haywood Williams
Richard Haywood-Williams is a British radio DJ and television presenter best known for his work with Melvin Odoom and Charlie Hedges on Kiss FM, later BBC Radio 1 and the 2016 TV series '' Bang on the Money'' on ITV.
Early life
He attende ...
*
Rachel Hopkins
Rachel Louise Hopkins (born 30 March 1972) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Luton South since 2019. A member of the Labour Party, she has been a Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office since 2021.
Hopkins ...
*
Gemma Hunt
Gemma Hunt (born 1 April 1982) is a British presenter who also used to be on the CBBC TV series ''Xchange''.
CBBC
Hunt joined the CBBC continuity team in 2002, since then she has presented on the CBBC Channel and also on BBC One and BBC Two. In ...
*
Becky Jago
Rebecca Joanne Jago (née Gunton; born 20 April 1976 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk) is an English television news presenter, currently employed by ITV Anglia.
Career
Jago attended Stowmarket High School from 1989 to 1994. She graduated from th ...
*
Stephen Kelman
*
Ben Myers
Benjamin Myers (born January 1976) is an English writer and journalist.
Early life
Myers grew up in Belmont, County Durham, and was a pupil at the estate's local comprehensive school where he become interested in reading and skateboarding.
M ...
*
Melvin Odoom
Melvin Odoom is a British radio DJ and television presenter. He is best known for presenting on BBC Radio 1 alongside Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges.
Education
Odoom attended the University of Bedfordshire and studied a Media Per ...
*
Richard Page
Richard Lewis Page (born 22 February 1941) is a former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and from December 1979 to 2005.
Early life
Born the son of Victor Charles Page, he went to the independent H ...
*
Dami Olonisakin
Dami "Oloni" Olonisakin (born 6 August 1990) is a British Nigerian Sex education, sex educator and Agony aunt, relationship advisor. She runs the blog ''Simply Oloni'' and a podcast. Olonisakin was included on OkayAfrica's OkayAfrica#100 Women, 10 ...
Photo gallery
, alt=Campus Centre - Luton Campus, Campus Centre -, alt=Putteridge Bury, , alt=STEM Building, STEM Building -, alt=Bedford Campus, Gateway Building -, alt=Mary Seacole, Aylesbury Campus, Mary Seacole,, alt=Postgraduate Centre, Postgraduate Centre -, alt=Bedford Campus Library, , alt=Bedford Theatre, , alt=Alexon Building - Luton Campus, Alexon Building -, alt=Aspire Gym - Luton Campus, Aspire Gym -, alt=Aylesbury Simulation Suite, , alt=Luton Campus Library, Luton Campus Library
See also
*
Armorial of UK universities
The armorial of British universities is the collection of coats of arms of universities in the United Kingdom. Modern arms of universities began appearing in England around the middle of the 15th century, with University of Oxford, Oxford's bei ...
*
College of Education
In the United States and Canada, a school of education (or college of education; ed school) is a division within a university that is devoted to scholarship in the field of education, which is an interdisciplinary branch of the social sciences en ...
*
List of universities in the UK
*
University of Bedfordshire Theatre
The University of Bedfordshire Theatre is a theatre situated on the Polhill Campus of the University of Bedfordshire, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.
The venue
The venue serves the population of Bedford. The 280-seat arena stage theatre is one ...
References
External links
*
University of Bedfordshire Students' Union
{{authority control
Education in Luton
Educational institutions established in 2006
Education in the Borough of Bedford
2006 establishments in England
Buildings and structures in Luton
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council ...