If you or one of your loved ones has begun student life at Leicester University, or, if they’re hoping for a place there next year, then you might be interested to hear about the university’s long and esteemed history, not to mention how it grew to be the great educational establishment and research centre that it is today.
So, to give you some idea, we have put together a brief history of the University of Leicester.
How it all started
Founded almost a century ago as the Leicestershire and Rutland University College, the university was originally set up as a memorial in honour of those who died in WWI (hence the university motto Ut Vitam Habeant which is translated as ‘so that they might have life’).
The site for the university was donated by local textile manufacturer Thomas Fielding Johnson. Students first started to attend the university in 1921 and it became University College, Leicester in 1927, then going on to be granted its Royal Charter in 1957, which enabled it to grant its own degrees.
Some fascinating facts about Leicester University
- The brainy students of Leicester University won the first series of University Challenge in 1963.
- Although the university was set up in 1921, the oldest building, the Fielding Johnson Building (named after the textile manufacturer who donated the land), dates back to 1837. Originally it was a lunatic asylum!
- The university now has over 20,000 students each year and a turnover in excess of £250m – this has a knock on effect which contributes £729m of activity to the economy annually and makes a great investment for the region.
- Today it is a leading research led university and is the only university to have won a Times Higher Education award in seven consecutive years.
- Among the great achievements of Leicester University it is most famously known for the invention of genetic fingerprinting, not to mention its part in the discovery of King Richard III in Leicester city centre.
- One of the Leicester University buildings which make up the city’s skyline include the Engineering Building which was the first major project by British architect James Sterling.
- Since the turn of the century the university has undergone a series of redevelopment worth £300million plus.
If you’re looking for University of Leicester accommodation, contact us
So, now that you know a bit more about one of Leicester’s great universities, maybe it’s time to start the search for some decent accommodation while you’re here.We have also put together the ultimate list of essential information for every Leicester student!
If you’re looking for Leicester University accommodation, contact us today for more details.