University of Salford

Our forward thinking approach has powered progress for 125 years. Today, our unstoppable institution is bolstered by countless industry initiatives and innovative research programmes, building a thriving education community in Salford and beyond. The University of Salford formed from a merger of technical colleges and institutes, created to educate and train a growing workforce. With a past entrenched in industry, we have continued to build on our principles of getting students work-ready. Read more about our heritage and how it has shaped the organisation we are today.Our past is rooted in the great Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century, which changed the world. Salford’s thriving textile industry was fed by the Manchester Ship Canal, which opened in 1894 and gave the city direct trade access to the sea. The Salford docks brought employment until the latter half of the 20th Century. When the old industries went into decline, demand for new industrial skills led to the formation of the Pendleton Mechanics Institute in 1850 and the Salford Working Men's College in 1858. These merged at the end of the century to form the Royal Technical Institute, Salford, which was opened by the Duke and Duchess of York (who later became King George V and Queen Mary) in 1896. In 1921 The Royal Technical Institute, Salford was renamed the Royal Technical College, Salford. In 1958 this split into two organisations: The Royal College of Advanced Technology and Peel Park Technical College. Peel Park Technical College became Peel Park Technical Institute in 1961, the Salford College of Technology in 1970, and University College Salford in 1992. On 10 February 1967, the Royal College of Advanced Technology became the University of Salford when Queen Elizabeth II handed over the Royal Charter. University College Salford and the University of Salford finally merged into a single institution in 1996 – exactly 100 years after the formation of the original Royal Technical Institute.Since receiving the Royal Charter in 1967 we have become a truly global institution that serves the needs of industry, commerce and education. Our university community encompasses over 23,000 students, 2500 staff and 170,000 alumni who come to study, teach and research here from all around the world. Our thriving industry-focused research is cutting edge, rising to the challenges and opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution. As ‘thinking machines’ continue to replace human tasks and jobs, and smart cities become a reality, our focus for the next few years is to strengthen our position specifically in robotics, digital and smart living. We already have a solid base on which to build from, as these three areas cut across everything that we already do.Whether it be: research into ‘gentle’ robots that can handle delicate items on a production line, working with industry to deliver our leading prosthetics work that helps patients recover their movement more quickly, or students learning about systems that will safely carry people from A to B in autonomous vehicles; everything we do works alongside industry in innovative ways to meet the needs of our environment and workforce of the future. With these strong foundations, we look forward to even greater achievements in the future.We have reached a pivotal moment in the higher education landscape that requires us to take a new strategic approach to enable us to continue to thrive. Following consultation with students, staff, executives, university council members and external stakeholders, we have agreed a new vision, mission and strategy that responds to the challenges we face.OUR MISSIONTransforming lives. Stimulating discovery. Realising potential.Through teaching, learning, research and enterprise, we will harness the skills, imagination and enthusiasm of our students and staff to work in partnership with large and small enterprises across the public, private and charitable sectors, changing people and communities, and delivering a lasting economic and social benefit.OUR VISIONBy pioneering exceptional industry partnerships, we will lead the way in real world experiences that prepare students for life.Our vision makes a bold statement; it is ambitious, yet firmly rooted in experience. Cross-sector industry partnerships link our heritage with our future aspirations.Underpinning our vision and central to our strategy is our collaboration with industry. This is a bold departure from traditional structures and models of learning, and will provide an outstanding experience for our students, staff and partners. Industry collaboration is our single strategic priority. It means we develop and nurture outstanding relationships with industry in all aspects of our business, from co-creation of the curriculum and producing job-ready graduates, to research, consultancy and knowledge exchange.The Royal College of Advanced Technology became the University of Salford on 10 February 1967, when Queen Elizabeth II handed over the institution's Royal Charter. A multistorey chemistry tower was built in the 1960s between the Peel Building and the Salford Library, Museum and Art Gallery, but it was pulled down in the 1980s due to the damage it was causing to the foundations of these nearby buildings. The first Vice-Chancellor was Clifford Whitworth, after whom the university's main library is named. The first Chancellor was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who remained the university's chancellor until 1991. Prince Philip took a keen interest in the university whilst in office which has continued since and he visited the university's award-winning acoustics laboratories in 2008. The breakaway University College Salford merged with the University of Salford in 1996, to form a single institution. In 2012, the University of Salford announced a partnership with the UK's biggest arms company, (BAE Systems), and four other universities in northwestern England (Liverpool, Manchester, UCLAN and Lancaster) in order to work on the Gamma Programme, which aims to develop "autonomous systems". On 5 September 2016, Salford was represented for the third time on University Challenge and faced the Open University. The all male team, who sported the poet John Cooper Clarke as a mascot lost 210 to 115 points.

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