Brunel University

Brunel University is one of the new British universities, having been founded within the last half century.

History of Brunel University

Brunel is one of a number of UK universities created in the 1960s following the Robbins Report on higher education (often called the Glass Plate universities).

Related Topics:
Universities - 1960s - Robbins Report - Higher education - Glass Plate universities

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Originally Acton Technical College, based in Acton on the outskirts of London, it was decided in 1957 that the college should split into two sections ? Acton Technical College continued to cater to technicians and craftsmen, whereas Brunel College of Technology (named for Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the British engineer) was dedicated to the education of technologists.

Related Topics:
Acton - London - 1957 - Isambard Kingdom Brunel - British - Engineer - Technologist

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In 1961 it was awarded the status of College of Advanced Technology, and it was decided that Brunel College should expand at another site in order to accommodate the extra buildings that would be needed.

Related Topics:
1961 - College of Advanced Technology

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Uxbridge, Middlesex was chosen to house the new buildings, and work hadn?t even started before the Ministry of Education had officially changed the College?s status. From April 1 1962 it was officially named Brunel College of Advanced Technology ? it was only the 10th Advanced Technology College in the country, and the last to be awarded this title.

Related Topics:
Uxbridge - Middlesex - Ministry of Education - April 1 - 1962

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The first buildings were due to be finished in 1967. However, in 1963 it was decided that the College should become a technological university, and after the many hurdles and pitfalls had been overcome the Royal Charter was awarded on the June 9 1966 giving university status. Uxbridge was now a campus of Brunel University.

Related Topics:
1967 - 1963 - Royal Charter - June 9 - 1966 - Campus

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The University continued to use both campuses until 1971, when it was eventually able to evacuate the Acton site, and for the next nine years used only the Uxbridge campus.

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In 1980 the University merged with Shoreditch College of Education, located at Cooper's Hill, Runnymede since 1951. This became Brunel's second campus, and is still owned by the University, although as of the academic year 2004/05, it now only comprises halls of residence. It wasn?t until 1995 that the University expanded again, integrating the West London Institute of Education, giving campuses in Osterley and Twickenham.

Related Topics:
1980 - Runnymede - 1951 - 1995 - West London Institute of Education - Osterley - Twickenham

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This increased the number of courses that Brunel University was able to offer ? traditionally the strengths of the College / University had been engineering, science, technology and social sciences. With the addition of the West London Institute, departments such as arts, humanities, geography, earth science, health and sports science were available to the students, which now numbered over 12,000.

Related Topics:
Engineering - Science - Technology - Social sciences - Arts - Humanities - Geography - Earth science - Health - Sports science

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There are existing plans to merge all the campuses into Uxbridge, some building work has already begun on this (the library has recently been extended, a new sports centre has been built, work is ongoing on a new building for the Heath Department and more halls of residence are under construction to accommodate the swell of extra students).

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