Harper Adams University, founded in 1901 asHarper Adams College, is apublic university located close to the village ofEdgmond, nearNewport, inShropshire, England. Established in 1901, the college is a specialist provider of higher education for the agricultural and rural sector. It gained university college status in 1998, and university status in 2012.[3]
The university provides more than 50 foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes to students from over 30 countries. The university is set within a 550 hectare (1360 acre) working farm.[4]
Harper Adams College, which would become the university, was founded in 1901. Its first principal was Headworth Foulkes (1901–1922). Thomas Harper Adams, a wealthy Shropshire gentleman farmer, died in 1892, bequeathing the estate which was the original foundation. The college had just six students to begin with.
In 1909 a specialist poultry husbandry was created.[5]
During theFirst World War, Harper Adams remained open, and in 1915 the first women were admitted into the college on wartime farm courses. Harper Adams was the first institute to do so, and in 1916 women were admitted as full-time students onto a wide variety of courses. Approximately, 200 staff and former students served during the war and 40 are known to have died as a result.[6] In 2015, 10 additional names were added to the university's memorial board, after previously unrecorded alumni were also discovered to have been killed in action.[7] A board in the Old Library listing the names of those killed was dedicated in March 2015, crafted by Peter Nunn of the university's estate department, and a new memorial garden was also created outside the library.
The agricultural depression of the 1920s onward led to a drop in student numbers. In 1922, Charles Crowther (1922–1944) became Principal and efforts were taken to ensure the College stayed open. TheNational Institute of Poultry Husbandry opened in 1926, giving Harper a high profile in areas of teaching and research. The college remained open during theSecond World War. Bill Price (1946–1962) became Principal in 1946 and student numbers steadily rose to 222. The Jubilee Hostel was opened in 1951.[8]
A wintertime view from the university's west lawn
Reginald Kenny was principal from 1962 until 1977, followed by Tony Harris from 1977 until 1994. In 1964, the funding of the college was passed from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Department of Education and Science. The firstHigher National Diploma students were enrolled in 1969. Degree courses were first introduced in 1981; Harper Adams was one of the first institutions to introduce a BSc.sandwich course. TheCNAA granted Harper Adams the authority to validate its own courses. In 1985, the science building was opened byPrincess Margaret.[8]
Student numbers passed 1000 for the first time in 1991. In 1994, three new student residences were opened. Wynn Jones became principal in 1996, and later that year thePrivy Council granted the university degree awarding powers. In 1998, Harper Adams gained the title of University College. In 2004, Harper Adams was awarded £2.1 million in funding to develop its work with rural businesses. Harper Adams gained the power to award research degrees in 2006 and shortly after, a new Biomass Hall was opened. David Llewellyn was appointed principal in 2009.[9] That September, a new £2.3 million dairy unit was opened[10] and in December, a £3 million Regional Food Academy (RFA) was officially opened byThe Princess Royal.[11] In 2010, Nick Herbert opened a Postgraduate and Professional Development Centre, and in the same year the Faccenda student centre and a new student hall of residence were opened. Ananaerobic digester opened in 2011, which is expected to offset three times the carbon emissions of the university annually. It won a Renewable Energy Infrastructure Award.[12] Ken Sloan was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Harper Adams University in 2021, its eighth institutional leader.
In December 2012, Harper Adams had the title 'university' conferred upon it. This ended the institution's long history of being a college and consequently, Harper Adams became Shropshire's first university.[14][15]
The campus is on farm land on the outskirts ofEdgmond nearNewport, Shropshire. Over the last decade more than £45 million has been invested in the campus.[citation needed] Harper Adams operates a 635 hectare (1569 acres) commercial farm on campus.[citation needed] Undergraduate students live on campus in one of 15 halls.[17]
In 2014 Harper Adams University has been recognised for the quality of its research by the Research Excellence Framework.[18]
Areas of research include; management of soil and water, crop disease resistance, agricultural technology, livestock carbon footprint reduction, genetic approaches to improving food quality, bioenergy and renewable sources, agricultural landscape biodiversity,pedagogy and animal welfare.[19]
Research facilities
Facilities for the university's research work include:
In 2016 Harper Adams University was voted university of the year by WhatUni.[24] The university receivedThe Queen's Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education, Innovative applications in agricultural engineering and technologies to address UK and global food security, in 2017.[25]
The 2020 Graduate Outcomes survey showed 98.8% were in work or further study 15 months after completing their studies.[26]
Harper Adams has a variety of sports clubs, including rugby, shooting, football, hockey, fencing, netball, polo, tug of war, basketball, motorsport, off-roading, rowing, running, field sports, equestrian and mountain biking. The university competes in theBritish Universities and Colleges Sport leagues and championships.[30]
Harper Adams University Men's 1st VIII at BUCS, Summer 2016
Harper Adams University Boat Club (HAURC) is located atPengwern Boat Club on the River Severn in Shrewsbury.[31] Members compete in theBUCS Rowing League, local regattas. The club's registered blades are dark blue, cyan and gold.[32]
Harper Adams University Clay Shooting Club (HAUSC) is the largest club in the university with over 100 members.[33] The club competes in local competitions,BUCS League, theCountryside Alliance Cirencester Cup Competition and also holds private matches against theRoyal Agricultural University andSt Andrews University. In 2011 and 2012, the HAUSC won the national title at the BUCS Clay Pigeon Shooting Championships.[34] The HAUSC is often linked with, but is separate from the HAUFSS (Harper Adams University Field Sports Society)
Ruth Archer, a character played by English actressFelicity Finch in theBBC Radio 4 soap operaThe Archers, attended Harper Adams University College as part of her fictional backstory.[63]
