, mottoeng =
Experience is the best teacher
''Ut est rerum omnium magister usus'' (roughly "experience is the teacher of all things" or more generally "experience is the best teacher") is a quote attributed to Julius Caesar in ''De Bello Civili'', the war commentaries of the Civil War. Si ...
, established = 1851 – Teacher Training College
1992 – gained
university status
, type =
Public
, chancellor =
William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington
William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington (born 6 June 1969), professionally also known by the name Bill Burlington, is a British nobleman, aristocrat, photographer, and the son and heir of the 12th Duke of Devonshire. He was styled Earl of Burling ...
, vice_chancellor =
Professor Kathryn Mitchell
, head_label = Chairman of Council
, head = Chris Hughes
, students =
HE ()
, undergrad = ()
, postgrad = ()
, other = 4,650
FE
, city =
Derby
, country = England, UK
, coor =
, campus = Urban
, former_names = Derby College, Derby College of Art and Technology, Derby Lonsdale College of Higher Education, Derbyshire College of Higher Education
, colours = Blue
, website =
, affiliations =
ACU EMUA EQUIS ERASMUSFlorence Nightingale Foundation
The Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) is a charity organisation in the United Kingdom that provides scholarships to nurses, midwives, and other health professionals while serving as a living memorial of the work of Florence Nightingale.
His ...
Universities UK University Alliance
The University of Derby, formerly known as Derby College, is a
public university in the city of
Derby,
England. It traces its history back to the establishment of the Derby Diocesan Institution for the Training of Schoolmistresses in 1851. It gained university status in 1992.
The university provides over 300 study programmes at undergraduate level. Undergraduate programmes as well as short courses, foundation degrees and postgraduate degrees cover most academic disciplines and sub-disciplines.
Currently the university is home to around 34,000 students in all areas of study.
History
Nineteenth century
Over the years, two dozen bodies have contributed to the university's formation. The first of these was founded in 1856 as the Derby Diocesan Institution for the Training of Schoolmistresses. Albeit under different names so to reflect maturing objectives, the institution flourished as an individual entity for some 120 years before merging with another developing educational artery to help form what was then known as the Derby Lonsdale College of Higher Education, 1977.
The other line of this confluence began in 1853 with the establishment of the Derby School of Art, which in 1870 became the Derby Central School of Art and the Derby Central School of Science. In 1885, the two schools were reformulated into the Derby School of Art and Technical Institution. Less than a decade later however, 1892, three more mergers took place and the institution became the Derby Municipal Technical College.
Early twentieth century
In 1928, the Technical College split into the Derby School of Art and the Derby Technical College. By 1955, the two had become the Derby and District College of Art (opened on 22 September 1966 by
Paul Reilly, Director of the
Council of Industrial Design
The Design Council, formerly the Council of Industrial Design, is a United Kingdom charity incorporated by Royal Charter. Its stated mission is "to champion great design that improves lives and makes things better".
It was instrumental in the prom ...
), and the Derby and District College of Technology (opened by the
Duke of Edinburgh on 15 May 1964), both situated on Kedleston Road, Allestree. The site was formerly Markeaton Golf Course and cost £2.5m, with a foundation stone placed on 5 July 1957 by
Lord (Ernest) Hives, a former managing director of
Rolls-Royce. Opened by the Duke the day before, the Bishop Lonsdale College in
Mickleover was developed for teacher training courses.
At the opening ceremony, the duke said "qualities needed by teachers are the dedication of a saint, the patience of a watchmaker, the sympathy of parents and the leadership of a general". The Duke spent two days in Derby, staying the night nearby at
Okeover Hall
Okeover Hall is a privately owned Grade II* listed country house in Okeover, Staffordshire, England. It is the family seat of the Okeover family, who have been in residence since the reign of William Rufus. The house lies close to the border betw ...
near
Ashbourne as a guest of the
Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. Half of the places at Mickleover were reserved for C of E trainees and the other half for those with no link to
Derby Diocese.
1970-1992: Mergers of higher education colleges in Derbyshire
The operational split between the two colleges at Kedleston Road was dissolved in 1972 with a mutual initiative for the creation of the Derby College of Art and Technology. Five years afterwards, and as previously noted, the described educational lineage married itself with Derby's diocesan tradition, which had become known institutionally as the Bishop Lonsdale College of Education at Mickleover. There were about 800 students at Mickleover and 1,200 at Kedleston Road.
After the 1977 union and subsequent formation of the Derby Lonsdale College of Higher Education, four other educational institutions would add their respective sector-related talents. In March 1981, the college held its first graduation ceremony with formal academic
caps and gowns with only six degrees (out of 156 courses) being ratified by the
CNAA
The Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) was the national degree-awarding authority in the United Kingdom from 1965 until its dissolution on 20 April 1993.
Background
The establishment followed the recommendation of the UK government Com ...
. Previous to this, the college's degrees were awarded in a ceremony at the
University of Nottingham.
The Matlock College of Education, a traditional
Church of England teacher training college formed in 1946 at Rockside Hall (now a country hotel), combined with Lonsdale in 1983 to create the Derbyshire College of Higher Education, when the Matlock College was having financial difficulties when funding for teacher training was scaled down when school numbers had dropped. In 1985, this college at Matlock was scaled down significantly and closed in 1986. In 1991 the Southern Derbyshire School of Occupational Therapy united with the college. The Southern Derbyshire School of Radiography did the same in 1992.
1992-1997: Achievement of university status
In 1992 the
Further and Higher Education Act 1992 allowed the Derbyshire College of Higher Education to become the only school of higher education in the country to be upgraded directly to a university. On 31 October 1992, the T block (science subjects, which lies to the north of the North Tower) was opened by
Princess Alice.
In January 1994, Britannia Mill (a renovated mill) opened, at a cost of £10M. On 4 March 1994, the B block (business and management subjects, which lies north of the East Tower) was opened by the Conservative MP,
Tim Boswell
Timothy Eric Boswell, Baron Boswell of Aynho (born 2 December 1942) is a British politician who was formerly the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Daventry from 1987 until he stood down at the 2010 general election, after which he was ...
.
Later in autumn 1994, the Atrium was built. In November 1997, the Learning Centre (now renamed ‘University Library’) was officially opened, having been built on a former car park. The University of Derby was fully invested.
1998-present: New campuses and further mergers
In 1998, the university merged with
High Peak College of Further Education in Buxton, which is in the North West of the County of Derbyshire. High Peak College was at that time based at premises in Harpur Hill, but moved to the
Devonshire Dome
The Devonshire Dome building (previously known as the Devonshire Royal Hospital) is a Grade II* listed 18th-century former stable block in Buxton, Derbyshire. It was built by John Carr of York and extended by architect Robert Rippon Duke, wh ...
in the centre of Buxton in 2005.
In August 2012, the university merged with Leek College in Leek, Staffordshire. In 2013 the university merged all of its
further education education provision into
Buxton & Leek College. The college operates at the university's campuses in Buxton, Leek and Kedleston Road in Derby.
In October 2016, the university opened a new site in
Chesterfield in the North-East of the County of Derbyshire. This is situated in the buildings of what was originally
St Helena's Grammar School, which were converted by the university.
In 2021, the university withdrew its Higher Education provision from the Buxton campus leaving just Buxton and Leek college operating in Buxton.
Campuses and facilities
The university has a range of resources and facilities available to all students and staff, including: lecture theatres; Union of Students' facilities; a bus service operating at and between the campuses; Chaplaincy and facilities for faith, meditation and prayer; indoor and outdoor sports facilities; cafes and food outlets; wellbeing centres and support; Careers and Employability services and centres; and a University Library service
Derby
The university's main campus is in the city of Derby. The Kedleston Road site in
Allestree
Allestree is a suburb and ward of the city of Derby, a unitary authority area, in Derbyshire, England. It is the northernmost ward and is on the A6 road, about north of Derby city centre. It is bordered by the district of Amber Valley along ...
, in the north-west of Derby is the largest and main campus and serves as the university's headquarters. It is situated close to the
A38 and opposite
Markeaton Park
Markeaton Park is a large public park located in Markeaton, Derby, 207 acres in size. It attracts one million visitors a year, making it one of the most visited parks in the East Midlands. Markeaton Park is an important part of Derby history, whi ...
. A contemporary-styled building for Arts, Design and Media, as well as a
STEM building, on ''Markeaton Street'' in Derby was formally opened in early November 2007 by
Richard Branson. Courses are also run at the Britannia Mill site in Derby.
In addition, the university also owns
Derby Theatre in Derby city centre where courses in Theatre Arts are delivered. Derby Law School and the Department of Law, Criminology and Social Sciences operate at the One Friar Gate Square building in the centre of Derby
The Derby Campus also has a variety of specialist facilities, including computing laboratories, two computer games development suites, a doctor's surgery, conference facilities, multi-functional lecture theatres, art and culture venues, concert venues, recording studios, sport centre and fitness suites, outdoor pitches, student union facilities, and a multi-faith centre.
Buxton
This campus is located in the
Grade II* listed 18th century former stable block, the
Devonshire Dome
The Devonshire Dome building (previously known as the Devonshire Royal Hospital) is a Grade II* listed 18th-century former stable block in Buxton, Derbyshire. It was built by John Carr of York and extended by architect Robert Rippon Duke, wh ...
. In 1854, the
6th Duke of Devonshire donated the land, part of his stables and some of the funds for conversion to a hospital and gardens for charity patients seeking treatment at the baths in
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level. . His architect,
Henry Currey Henry Currey may refer to:
*Henry Currey (architect)
Henry Currey (1820–1900) was an English architect and surveyor.
Family life
He was born in October 1820, the third son of a solicitor, Benjamin Currey of Old Palace Yard, Westminster. ...
, directed the work. The ironwork dome (1881, once the world's largest, with a diameter of ), a clocktower (1882) and a surgical ward (1897) were built as expansions to the hospital, which was run by the NHS after 1948. The University of Derby purchased the then-derelict hospital from the NHS in 2001, and moved operations here from the Harpur Hill campus in 2005. The Devonshire Dome building dominates the local landscape, and has a dome which is over in diameter, bigger than that of
St Paul's Cathedral in London. It was formally opened as a University Campus by
Prince Charles
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
in February 2006.
The university formally withdrew its Higher Education provision from the Buxton campus from 2021 and moved all courses to the Derby Campus with culinary arts, spa management and outdoor leadership courses terminated. 2021 also saw the permanent closure of its student accommodation, High Peak Halls, in Buxton due to the aforementioned move. The Buxton campus therefore now only operates as a college and not a university campus.
Chesterfield
The university's teaching site in Chesterfield is situated in the buildings of what was originally
St Helena's Grammar School, off Sheffield Road, near
Chesterfield town centre. The buildings were extensively renovated by the university between 2014 and 2016, after being acquired by the University of Derby in 2014.
The new teaching site opened in October 2016 to be a delivery site for the College of Health, Psychology and Social Care, including their nationally recognised Adult Nursing degrees and Mentoring in Practice courses, replacing existing premises in the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce building. These courses are accredited by the
Nursing and Midwifery Council. They continue the university's training work in collaboration with
Chesterfield Royal Hospital
Chesterfield Royal Hospital is an acute general hospital in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. It is managed by the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
History
The hospital has its origins in a dispensary established in a small house in St. ...
, and the building features a mock ward and 'clinical skills suite' with
simulated patients to provide real-world experience for undergraduates.
Leek
The
Leek
The leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of '' Allium ampeloprasum'', the broadleaf wild leek ( syn. ''Allium porrum''). The edible part of the plant is a bundle of leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a stem or stalk. The genus ''Alli ...
campus is a delivery site for
Buxton & Leek College. The campus mainly runs Further and Adult Education courses, but also runs some degree programmes validated by the University of Derby.
International partnerships
The university does not have any campuses abroad but instead partners with institutions around the world, which deliver and award University of Derby degrees.
Current international collaborations include
Botswana Accountancy College
The Botswana Accountancy College, or BAC, is a business school headquartered in the city of Gaborone, Botswana. Initially funded and established through a joint venture between Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and Debswana, the coll ...
, Mediterranean College, Raffles Design Institute and Help Academy.
Organisation and governance
Chancellors
The current Chancellor of the University of Derby is
William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington
William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington (born 6 June 1969), professionally also known by the name Bill Burlington, is a British nobleman, aristocrat, photographer, and the son and heir of the 12th Duke of Devonshire. He was styled Earl of Burling ...
, who was installed in a ceremony at the Buxton Campus on 15 March 2018. The Earl works professionally as a photographer under the name Bill Cavendish. He is the son and heir of the previous Chancellor,
Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire
Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire, (also known as "Stoker"; born 27 April 1944) is an English peer. He is the only surviving son of Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire and his wife, the former Deborah Mitford. He ...
.
Previous Chancellors of the university:
*
Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire
Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire, (also known as "Stoker"; born 27 April 1944) is an English peer. He is the only surviving son of Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire and his wife, the former Deborah Mitford. He ...
2008 - 2018
*
Professor Leslie Wagner 2003 - 2008
*
Sir Christopher Ball 1995 - 2003
Structure
* College of Arts, Humanities and Education
**School of Arts
** School of Humanities and Journalism
** Institute of Education
*College of Science and Engineering
**School of Computing and Engineering
**School of Built and Natural Environment
**School of Human Sciences
*College of Business, Law and Social Sciences
** Derby Business School
**School of Law and Social Sciences
* College of Health, Psychology and Social Care
**School of Allied Health and Social Care
**School of Nursing and Professional Practice
**School of Psychology
Derby Law School
Notable research holdings include the private papers of
Sir Gerald Fitzmaurice. The school provides considerable support for ''
pro bono'' legal work in the community.
Academic profile
Student life
The Atrium, built in 1994, is a large concourse at the Kedleston Road site. The Atrium is used regularly for university, student union and private events.
The
Union of Students also provides social space and catering facilities for students. These include a new Basecamp social space, opened in 2022.
Students' Union
The Union of Students is the
students union
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social ...
at the University of Derby and is based within the Students' Union Quarter at the Kedleston Road site.
The Union of Students completed a rebrand for the start of 2017 - 2018 academic year and was previously known as UDSU - University of Derby Students' Union.
Residences
The residences for Derby students are based in the University Quarter between the Kedleston Road, Markeaton Street and Britannia Mill sites and the centre of Derby. They are:
* Agard Court on Agard Street
* Nunnery Court on Nuns Street
* Princess Alice Court on Bridge Street
* St Christopher's Court on Ashbourne Road
* Peak Court, with entrances on Lodge Lane and Bridge Street
* Flamsteed Court on Kedleston Old Road
* Darley Bank on Brook Street
Sir Peter Hilton Court was closed to residents in 2021.
Buxton students formerly had one hall of residence, High Peak Halls which closed in 2021.
It formerly owned halls of residence on Lonsdale Place, and Peet Street. The latter was controversially sold to
G4S
G4S is a British multinational private security company headquartered in London, England. The company was set up in 2004 when London-based Securicor amalgamated with Danish firm Group 4 Falck. The company offers a range of services, includin ...
, becoming an asylum seeker reception centre.
Notable alumni
*
Paul Cummins, artist (
Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red
''Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red'' was a public art installation created in the moat of the Tower of London, England, between July and November 2014. It commemorated the centenary of the outbreak of World War I and consisted of 888,246 cerami ...
)
*
Khumbo Kachali, vice-president of
Malawi
*
Idris Khan
Idris Khan OBE (born 1978) is a British artist based in London.[Biography]
Victoria Miro Gallery
Khan's ...
, artist and photographer
*
David Imms painter
*
Devon Malcolm, cricketer
*
Lucy Spraggan, singer-songwriter
*
Graham Joyce
Graham William Joyce (22 October 1954 – 9 September 2014) was a British writer of speculative fiction and the recipient of numerous awards, including the O. Henry Award and the World Fantasy Award, for both his novels and short stories ...
, fiction author
*
Stephen Amoah, Ghanaian politician
Notable academics
*
Carl Tighe
Carl Tighe (26 April 1950 – 8 May 2020) was a British academic, essayist, novelist, and poet. He taught in Poland during the Cold War and was the first Professor of Creative Writing in the UK at the University of Derby.
Biography
Carl Tigh ...
, creative writing
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 Oxford's being possibly the oldest ...
*
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
This is a list of universities in the United Kingdom (alphabetical by substantive name). Below that are lists of university colleges and other recognised bodies (institutions with degree awarding powers), followed by a list of defunct institution ...
References
External links
*
''Independent'' article, 2010History of the university
{{authority control
Educational institutions established in 1992
1992 establishments in England
Organisations based in Derby
Derby