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University coat of arms on metal disk

Heritage

A successor to the Bradford Mechanics Institute, Bradford Technical College and the Bradford Institute of Technology, the University of Bradford became the UK’s fortieth University in 1966 and has continued to grow ever since. 

Our student population is now almost 10,000, bringing students from 150 nations together in one place of learning excellence.

After Bradford Institute of Technology was granted a Royal Charter and the University of Bradford was established, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson was installed as the first Chancellor. The role now belongs to Anita Rani, an accomplished Bradford-born television and radio presenter.

Our Business School, one of the oldest in the UK, continues to be a world leader in business and management education, research and knowledge transfer. It is one of only a small number of business schools across the world with the coveted triple-crown of Accreditations.

In 2018 we became the first British University of Sanctuary. This builds on our history and culture of diversity and inclusion, which was established through the creation of the first British University Peace Studies department in 1973.

Former University of Bradford Chancellors