150th celebrations at Plymouth Hoe
Plymouth University are celebrating their 150 anniversary of its Victoria-era founding as a School of Navigation. The institution, which was granted university status in the government’s reforms to the sector in 1992, can trace its lineage back to 1862 when John Merryfield established the school to provide vital training and education to mariners in the city.
Plymouth, like many universities across the UK, are both part of a region’s history and its future. Often closely linked to the region’s industrial legacy, universities are in a unique position to build on this heritage but also to drive adaption, change, renewal and regeneration within the regional economy to open up new horizons.
“While the University has grown beyond all recognition since that era, our commitment to serving our communities is still at the heart of what we do.” Professor Wendy Purcell
Plymouth University has made a huge contribution to their region throughout their 150 year history. It has grown to be one of the largest universities in the country and possess a world-class research profile as acknowledged by its receipt of a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education this year.
Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor commented, “Plymouth University is a modern, dynamic institution – one ranked by Times Higher Education as among the top ten in the UK under the age of 50. At the same time, the University’s roots lie in the School of Navigation, founded by Dr John Merrifield in 1862 to answer a national call for improved training and education for mariners. While the University has grown beyond all recognition since that era, our commitment to serving our communities is still at the heart of what we do.”
The new £19 million Marine Building
She continues, “we are a bold, innovative university, one that lives by its motto of ‘explore, dream, discover’. As our nomination for University of the Year has shown, we’re plotting an exciting course in the higher education sector, and we can be confident for the future.”
Alliance universities have a proud heritage as we can see with the 150th year landmark achieved at Plymouth University. Find out more about Plymouth University and what they are doing to celebrate this occasion.
