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Other names | UWE Bristol, UWE |
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| Motto | Light Liberty Learning. |
| Type | Publicresearch university |
| Established | 1595 - Merchant Venturers Navigation School[1] 1853 - Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Training Institution for School Mistresses 1894 - Merchant Venturers Technical College[2] 1969 –Bristol Polytechnic 1992 -University Status |
| Endowment | £2.3 million (2018) |
| Budget | £379 million (2019/20) |
| Chancellor | Sir Peter Bazalgette |
| Vice-Chancellor | Sir Steven West |
Academic staff | 2,470 (2023/24)[3] |
Administrative staff | 2,165 (2023/24)[3] |
| Students | 36,380 (2024/25)[4] 29,410FTE (2024/25)[4] |
| Undergraduates | 25,070 (2024/25)[4] |
| Postgraduates | 11,310 (2024/25)[4] |
| Location | , England, UK 51°30′01″N2°32′51″W / 51.50021°N 2.54749°W /51.50021; -2.54749 |
| Campus | Frenchay Campus, City Campus,Glenside Campus[5] |
| Colours | |
| Affiliations | |
| Website | uwe |
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TheUniversity of the West of England (UWE), also known asUWE Bristol, is apublicresearch university, located in and aroundBristol, England, UK. With over 38,000 students and 4,500 staff, it is the largest provider of higher education in theSouth West of England.[6]
The institution was known as the Bristol Polytechnic in 1969; it received university status in 1992 and became the University of the West of England, Bristol.[7] In common with theUniversity of Bristol andUniversity of Bath, it can trace its origins to the Merchant Venturers' Technical College, founded as a school in 1595 by theSociety of Merchant Venturers.[8][2]
UWE Bristol is made up of several campuses inGreater Bristol. Frenchay Campus is the largest campus in terms of student numbers, as most of its courses are based there. City campus provides courses in the creative and cultural industries, and is made up of Bower Ashton Studios,Arnolfini,Spike Island, andWatershed. The institution is affiliated with theBristol Old Vic Theatre School and validates its higher education courses. Glenside Campus is home to most of the College of Health, Science and Society.
The University of the West of England can trace its roots back to the foundation of theMerchant Venturers Navigation School in 1595.[7]
In 1894, the school became the Merchant Venturers Technical College. TheUniversity of Bristol was formed just a few years after this, leaving the college for the foundation of UWE Bristol.[7] The college was partly responsible for the creation of the Bristol College of Science and Technology (BCST) in 1960, which later gained a royal charter to form theUniversity of Bath in 1965.[9]
The technical college in turn becameBristol Polytechnic in 1970; the then-main campus was at Ashley Down, now a campus of theCity of Bristol College.[10]
Bower Ashton Studios was formed in 1969 as the West of England College of Art, which was formerly the art school of the Royal West of England Academy in Queens Road, Bristol. TheSt Matthias site (which is no longer owned by the university) was originally built in Victorian times and was a teacher training college. These campuses, together with campuses in Redland, Ashley Down, Unity Street and Frenchay became part of Bristol Polytechnic around 1976.
The institution gained university status and its present name as a result of theFurther and Higher Education Act 1992. The Avon and Gloucestershire College of Health, which is nowGlenside Campus, and the Bath and Swindon College of Health Studies joined in January 1996. Hartpury campus joined in 1997. The university was a lead academic sponsor ofBristol Technology and Engineering Academy, a newuniversity technical college, until its closure in 2022.[11]
In spring 2016, UWE Bristol launched a rebranding campaign as part of its Strategy 2020, unveiling a refreshed visual identity that included a new logo.[12]
UWE Bristol's largest and primary campus is located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Bristol city centre in theStoke Park and Cheswick parish ofSouth Gloucestershire, part of theNorth Fringe of Bristol. It is named after the village ofFrenchay,1+1⁄4 miles (2 km) to the east.Filton is to the west andStoke Gifford to the north.
Frenchay Campus opened in 1975 on 80 acres (32 hectares) of what had been farmland in Stoke Gifford parish.[7] In September 2008, UWE purchased a further 70 acres (28 ha) of adjoining land which had been occupied byHewlett-Packard, enabling a western expansion of the campus.
The campus is home to:
City Campus is made up ofBower Ashton Studios,Spike Island,Arnolfini andWatershed.
Bower Ashton Studios is home to the creative and cultural subjects, which are part of the College of Arts, Technology and Environment.[19] Adjacent to theAshton Court estate, on the outskirts of the city of Bristol,[20] the West of England College of Art was established in purpose-built premises in 1969, moving from its previous location as the art school of theRoyal West of England Academy inClifton. In 1970 the college became part of Bristol Polytechnic, the precursor of the university.[21]
Every year in June the campus houses a degree show attended by Bristol residents as well as friends and families of the graduating students.[22]
Glenside Campus is the home of many of the programmes within the College of Health, Science and Society. It is located on Blackberry Hill in the suburb ofFishponds.[23] The College of Health, Science and Society (formerly the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences) was created in 1996 when the former Avon and Gloucestershire College of Health and Bath and Swindon College of Health Studies joined with the existing Faculty of Health and Community Studies at UWE Bristol.[24] TheGlenside Museum is situated within the campus.[25]
It offers full- and part-time courses at all levels in the areas ofMidwifery,Nursing,Occupational Therapy,Physiotherapy,Radiography, Social Work and other health-related professions.[citation needed]
St Matthias Campus was inFishponds in Bristol. Built in the Victorian times by the Church of England, the campus has someVictorian Gothic buildings, set around a sunken lawn. St Matthias campus was home to various departments of the faculty of Creative Arts, Humanities and Education.[citation needed] UWE closed the campus in 2014 and the departments moved to new facilities at Frenchay campus. The site has since been redeveloped for housing and the listed buildings converted to aSteiner School.[26]
The university is divided into three colleges which are then subdivided into schools:
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TheSchool of Art and Design became part of the Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries and Education (ACE) following the university's reorganisation in 2010/11. Adjacent to theAshton Court estate inBower Ashton, the West of England College of Art was established in purpose-built premises in 1969, moving from its previous location as the art school of theRoyal West of England Academy inClifton.
Among its principals and deans were the war artistJack Bridger Chalker, the graphic designer Paul van Der Lem, designer-bookbinder Jeff Clements MBE,[27] and Paul Gough RWA, a researcher and art historian,[28] who became the first pro-vice chancellor and executive dean of the former faculty in its expanded form of over 2,600 students.
TheDepartment of Education and Childhood (formerly the School of Education) is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. Its origins lie in teacher training colleges atRedland andSt Matthias which became part of the former Bristol Polytechnic in 1969. The dean of the school is Ron Ritchie, who is also an assistant vice-chancellor of the university.[29] A new purpose built home for the department was completed in 2000 for the department at the university's Frenchay campus.[30]
The department offers undergraduate degrees in initial teacher education in early years education or primary education, as well as an education studies + PGCE (3+1) programme.[31]Postgraduate Certificate in Education courses are offered as well as a range of professional development courses for teachers, further and higher education teachers and lecturers, and school support staff.[32]
Echoing Bristol's long connection with the sea and the Merchant Venturers' Navigation School, the top of the crest depicts a ship's mainmast and rigging. The flaming fire basket indicates guidance, hope and the desire for learning.[33]
The shield at the centre is adapted from that of the College of St Matthias with the wavy line representing the rivers ofAvon andSevern. Theunicorn is taken from the arms of the City of Bristol and the sea stag from those of the formerCounty of Avon. Both these creatures wear a crown ofKing Edgar around their necks. Edgar is regarded as a local monarch because he was crowned inBath Abbey in 973.[34] The wavy lines enclosed in circles on the shoulders represent the fountain of knowledge and learning.[33]
The unicorn and sea stag each support an apple tree, known as the tree of knowledge and is taken from the coat of arms of theCouncil for National Academic Awards which used to authorise degrees awarded to students of Bristol Polytechnic.[33]
The mottoLight, Liberty, Learning is aDisraeli quotation and corresponds directly to the symbolism of the coat of arms.[35] The fire basket represents the Light, the Bristol and Avon supporters represent liberty, and the trees of knowledge and learning.[33]
| National rankings | |
|---|---|
| Complete (2026)[36] | 62= |
| Guardian (2026)[37] | 39 |
| Times / Sunday Times (2026)[38] | 57 |
| Global rankings | |
| QS (2026)[39] | 721–730 |
| THE (2026)[40] | 601–800 |
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications[41] | 31,765 | 30,425 | 27,710 | 28,615 | 29,015 | 30,390 |
| Offer Rate (%)[42] | 73.3 | 69.3 | 61.2 | 63.0 | 63.4 | 62.8 |
| Enrols[43] | 6,140 | 5,855 | 5,340 | 5,375 | 5,645 | 5,845 |
| Yield (%) | 26.4 | 27.8 | 31.5 | 29.8 | 30.7 | 30.6 |
| Applicant/Enrolled Ratio | 5.17 | 5.20 | 5.19 | 5.32 | 5.14 | 5.20 |
| Average Entry Tariff[44][note 1] | 122 | 125 | 127 | 322 | 323 | 324 |
UWE Bristol was ranked within the top 25 universities in the UK byThe Guardian University Guide 2021. UWE Bristol is only one of four universities in the UK to have a University Enterprise Zone providing space for over 70 businesses, and the largest UK robotics lab.[15]
The 2018Teaching Excellence Framework, a government assessment of the quality of undergraduate teaching in universities, awarded the university with a Gold rating.[45] In 2017, UWE Bristol was ranked as one of the top 150 universities in the world under 50 in THE Times' ranking.[46] In 2019, it ranked 464th among the universities around the world bySCImago Institutions Rankings.[47]
Ofsted reports have rated UWE Bristol's primary, secondary and further education initial teacher training (ITT) courses as good.[48]
The volume of world-leading research at UWE Bristol has gone up by 170%, according to the results of theResearch Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.[49] The REF 2021 results revealed that 76 percent of the research submitted by UWE Bristol was judged to be either world leading or internationally excellent.[50] The results highlighted strengths in the areas of education, allied health and nursing, and law. Results were also outstanding in areas such as architecture, built environment and planning; social work and social policy; and communication, cultural and media studies.[51]
In 2010, UWE Bristol launched a researchrepository in order to host electronic versions of the research of its academics. The UWE Bristol Research Repository isopen access.
Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL), the largest robotics laboratory of its type in the UK was officially opened on 10 May 2012 byDavid Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science. The laboratory is a partnership between University of the West of England (UWE) and the University of Bristol.
According to EE/Times, it is the largest robotics laboratory in Europe.[52] The BRL is home to a community of 70 academics and businesses who are leading current thinking in nouvelle and service robotics, intelligent autonomous systems and bio-engineering. Over £1.65 million has been spent on the new facilities. The total area of the BRL is circa 2,400 m2, with over 300 square metres of specialised laboratory space and two Flying Arenas.[53]
Future Space is abusiness incubator adjacent to the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, in a former Hewlett-Packard factory building which was bought by UWE Bristol in 2015 and converted. It can house up to 70 hi-techstartup companies and early-stage companies.[14] It is the £16.5 million realisation of the West of EnglandUniversity Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of four UEZs supported by the UK government,[16] which were initially announced by ChancellorGeorge Osborne in 2014. The main areas of focus of the UEZ are robotics, biotechnology and biomedicine. It is a collaboration with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and the University of Bristol, supported bySouth Gloucestershire Council, the University of Bath and the West of England Academic Health Science Network.[54] Future Space opened in autumn 2016.
The National College of Legal Training (NCLT) is a collaboration between UWE Bristol and Central Law Training, launched in January 2010 to provide postgraduate legal training.[55][56] NCLT Study centres are located atCoventry University,Manchester Metropolitan University,Southampton Solent University andUniversity of Westminster.[57]
Based at the University of the West of England Campus in Frenchay the series of lectures bring business leaders to Bristol. The conference covers a wide range of topics including business, technology & innovation, science and local & global issues.[58]
TheStudents' Union at UWE, formerly UWE Students' Union ('UWESU'), is based at Frenchay campus and was established in 1971. It is run by a team of fivesabbatical officers, who are elected annually from the student population. The new Students' Union building was completed in Summer 2015 and operates a bar, a coffee shop and two convenience stores at Frenchay Campus. A Students' Union bar and shop is also available at Glenside Campus and Bower Ashton Studios. The student radio station,Hub Radio operates out of a studio on campus.
In September 2006, Frenchay Student Village opened providing on-campus accommodation for 1,932 students, adding to the 252 units already provided in Carroll Court. Campus accommodation is also provided at Glenside. In partnership withUNITE Student Housing a further 1,500 places are provided in Bristol City Centre and UWE Bristol Accommodation services also places students in vetted private rentals. All accommodation at UWE is self-catering.[59]
In September 2014, Wallscourt Park opened on Frenchay Campus.[60]Following the 2020–21 academic year, Carroll Court was knocked down. Purdown View, completed for full occupation beginning in the 2024-25 academic year, was built in its place; in order to accommodate extra students.[61] It is the largest Passivhaus development in the UK to date, and has won a number of awards.[62]
In September 2023, TV presenterKirstie Allsopp accused the university of "grossly exploiting" students, after delays to the completion of new accommodation on campus meant that students were being allocated student accommodation inCheltenham andGloucester.[63][64] UWE later confirmed 87 students had started their degree courses in Cheltenham and another 47 in Gloucester, but that it planned to relocate them back to the UWE campus "as soon as it’s available".[65] The university had previously been criticised for offering students places at Usk Way student accommodation inNewport, SouthWales.[66][67]
University-managed accommodation:
Frenchay Campus
Glenside Campus
Bristol City Centre
Former
TheUniversity of the West of England Boat Club is the rowing club belonging to the university.[69]
The UWE Bullets are theAmerican Football team belonging to the university. The team won theBritish Universities American Football League championship in 2022, 2023 and 2024.[70]
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