Birmingham City University (BCU) was established initially as Birmingham College of Art with roots back to 1843.
It was made a polytechnic university in 1971 and gained university status in 1992. It is one of the city’s long-standing universities and the second largest of the five. It was renamed as Birmingham City University in 2007, as a reflection of the university’s pride and commitment to the city.
Its strengths are in the creative and performing arts – the Birmingham Government School of Design was the first college of design outside London (opened in 1843) and the Birmingham School of Music, later the Birmingham Conservatoire (opened in 1886). Both were incorporated into the university and still have a strong standing in the UK’s higher education landscape.
Quick Summary
- Established: 1843 (Birmingham College of Art)
- Students: 20,480 (2018/19)
- Intl. Student Ratio: 23%
- Location: Birmingham, West Midlands
- Campus: Three (City Centre, City House, University House)
- TEF Ranking: Silver
- THE Ranking: 67th in the UK (601-800 in the world)
University Details