Newcastle University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Newcastle University

Type	Public
Established	1834; 191 years ago (1834) (as The Newcastle-upon-Tyne School of Medicine and Surgery) 1963; 62 years ago (1963) (as the University of Newcastle upon Tyne)
Endowment	£87.1 million (2023)
Budget	£592.4 million (2022/23)
Chancellor	Imtiaz Dharker
Vice-Chancellor	Chris Day
Academic staff	3,030 (2021/22)
Administrative staff	3,435 (2021/22)
Students	27,280 (2021/22)
Undergraduates	20,760 (2021/22)
Postgraduates	6,520 (2021/22)
Location	Newcastle upon Tyne , Tyne and Wear , England 54°58′41″N 1°36′54″W / 54.978°N 1.615°W / 54.978; -1.615
Campus	Urban
Colours	Sky Blue
Affiliations	AACSB ACU AMBA EQUIS EUA N8 Group Russell Group Universities UK
Mascot	Percy the Lion

Newcastle University is a public research university located in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. It also has campuses in Singapore and Malaysia. This university is known as a "red brick university" and is part of the Russell Group. This group includes top UK universities that focus a lot on research.

The university started a long time ago. It began with the School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834. Later, the College of Physical Science was founded in 1871. These two colleges eventually joined to become King's College in 1937. In 1963, King's College officially became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Today, the university has three main parts called faculties. These are Humanities and Social Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Science, Agriculture and Engineering. Students can choose from about 175 different undergraduate courses. There are also around 340 postgraduate programs. These courses cover many subjects like arts, sciences, engineering, and medicine.

Discovering Newcastle University's History

The Armstrong Building, a historic part of the university.

The idea for a university in Newcastle upon Tyne came up in 1831. A local doctor, Thomas Greenhow, first suggested it. In 1832, a group of doctors started giving medical lessons. This helped students who were learning medicine through apprenticeships.

The first lessons began on October 1, 1832, with a few students. By 1834, more students joined, so the lessons moved to a larger hall. This is when the School of Medicine and Surgery officially began.

In 1851, the school split into two groups due to disagreements. But they came back together in 1857. The medical college became linked to the University of Durham. It was called the "Newcastle-upon-Tyne College of Medicine in connection with the University of Durham."

Later, in 1871, the College of Physical Science was founded. This college taught subjects like maths, physics, and chemistry. It helped meet the needs of the growing mining industry. This college was later renamed Armstrong College.

Both the medical college and Armstrong College were part of the University of Durham. In 1908, Durham University became a federal university. This meant it had two main parts: one in Durham and one in Newcastle.

Over time, the Newcastle colleges grew much faster. In 1937, the two Newcastle colleges merged to form "King's College, Durham." This new college continued to grow. Finally, on August 1, 1963, King's College became its own independent university. It was named the "University of Newcastle upon Tyne."

The university uses a special symbol called a coat of arms. This symbol was first given to King's College in 1937. The university's Students' Union building has carvings of old symbols. One carving shows a Latin phrase, mens agitat molem, which means "mind moves matter."

Exploring the University Campus

Campus in the UK

A view of Newcastle University campus, showing the Arches and Students' Union building.

The university's main campus is in central Newcastle upon Tyne. It is near the Haymarket area. The campus is located between Leazes Park and the Town Moor. The university's medical school is also nearby.

The Armstrong Building is the oldest building on campus. It was built in stages, starting in 1888. The Jubilee Tower, part of this building, was funded by money from Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebration. The main entrance was finished in 1906. King Edward VII officially opened it.

Inside the Armstrong Building is the King's Hall. This is where important ceremonies, like graduation events, are held. It can seat 500 people. During World War I, the building was used as a hospital for soldiers. The university's Quadrangle, a garden area, is often used for graduation photos. In 1949, this garden became a memorial for those who died in the World Wars. In 2017, a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. was placed here. This honored his special degree from the university 50 years earlier.

The Bruce Building used to be a brewery. It was built between 1896 and 1900. The university used it from the 1950s. In 2016, it was updated to become student housing and offices.

The Devonshire Building, designed to be energy efficient.

The Devonshire Building opened in 2004. It has a special design that saves energy. It uses photovoltaic cells (solar panels) to power shades that control the building's temperature. It also uses geothermal heating coils. This building won awards for its design.

The King's Gate building, where students find services and offices.

In 2008, plans were made to improve the campus. These plans were finished in 2010 and cost £200 million. They included a new King's Gate administration building and new student housing. Two new buildings for the medical school were also built. In 2012, new facilities for INTO Newcastle University were completed. These include teaching rooms, a library, and a lecture theatre.

The Philip Robinson Library is the main university library. It is named after a bookseller who helped the library. The Walton Library focuses on medical subjects. It is named after Lord Walton, a former Dean of Medicine. The Law Library has resources for law students. The Marjorie Robinson Library Rooms offer more study spaces. Together, these libraries have over one million books.

Besides the main campus, there are other university buildings. These include the Dove Marine Laboratory in Cullercoats and Cockle Park Farm in Northumberland.

International Campuses

In 2008, Newcastle University opened its first campus overseas in Singapore. It started as a marine campus. Later, it grew to offer more subjects and became Newcastle University Singapore.

In 2011, the university's Medical School opened another international campus. This one is in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia. It is called Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia.

Student Housing

Leazes Terrace, a historic building now used for student accommodation.

Newcastle University offers many places for first-year students to live. These are called halls of residence. They are located around the city. Some popular areas for students to rent houses or flats include Jesmond, Heaton, and Sandyford.

Henderson Hall was a hall of residence until a fire damaged it in 2023. St Mary's College in Fenham is another hall of residence. It used to be a college for training teachers.

University Leadership and Structure

The current leader of the university, called the Chancellor, is the poet and artist Imtiaz Dharker. She started this role in 2020. The vice-chancellor is Chris Day, who is a liver doctor.

The university has about 16,000 undergraduate students and 5,600 postgraduate students. Teaching and research happen in 19 academic schools and many research centers. These are spread across the three main faculties: Humanities and Social Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Science, Agriculture and Engineering.

The university also holds public lectures called 'Insights'. These often take place in the Herschel Building. Many of the university's partnerships with companies are also in the Herschel Annex.

Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of Newcastle University

The university has had several important leaders since it became independent in 1963.

Chancellors

• Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland (1963–1988)
• Matthew White Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley (1988–1999)
• Chris Patten (1999–2009)
• Liam Donaldson (2009–2019)
• Imtiaz Dharker (2020–)

Vice-Chancellors

• Charles Bosanquet (1963–1968)
• Henry Miller (1968–1976)
• Ewan Stafford Page (1976–1978, acting)
• Laurence Martin (1978–1990)
• Duncan Murchison (1991, acting)
• James Wright (1992–2000)
• Christopher Edwards (2001–2007)
• Chris Brink (2007–2016)
• Chris Day (2017–present)

Community Involvement

The university Quadrangle, a peaceful green space.

The university sees itself as a "civic university." This means it aims to use its research to help communities. This includes local, national, and international issues.

In 2012, the university opened the Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal. This institute works on problems related to social and economic change.

The university was given "fair trade" status in 2006. Since 2007, it has been a smoke-free campus. The university also works closely with local museums. The Great North Museum: Hancock is one example. It often hosts university events.

University Departments and Research Areas

The university's teaching schools are grouped into three main faculties. Each faculty has a leader and a team of deans. The university also has research institutes within each faculty.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

• School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
• School of Arts and Cultures
• Newcastle University Business School
• School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences
• School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics
• School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
• School of History, Classics and Archaeology
• Newcastle Law School
• School of Modern Languages

Faculty of Medical Sciences

• School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences
• School of Dental Sciences
• School of Medical Education
• School of Pharmacy
• School of Psychology
• Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology (CBCB)

Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering

• School of Computing
• School of Engineering
• School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
• School of Natural and Environmental Sciences

Newcastle University Business School

The modern Newcastle University Business School building.

Teaching in economics started at Newcastle very early, around 1900. This makes Economics the oldest department in the Business School.

Newcastle University Business School has a special "triple accreditation." This means it is recognized by three major international groups: AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS. This shows it meets high standards for business education.

In 2002, the Business School started a special degree called 'Flying Start'. This program helps students become Chartered Accountants faster.

The Business School opened a new building in 2011. It is located near St James' Park. Lord Burns officially opened this building in 2012.

Newcastle University Medical School

Medical faculty building at Newcastle University.

A study in 2008 found that medical students from Oxford, Cambridge, and Newcastle did very well in postgraduate tests. This was better than students from other medical schools in the UK.

In 2008, the Medical School announced it was opening a campus in Malaysia. The Royal Victoria Infirmary is a major teaching hospital. It works closely with the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

School of Modern Languages

The School of Modern Languages teaches many different languages. These include Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese. Students can learn these languages from beginner to degree level. The school also offers beginner courses in Catalan, Dutch, Italian, and Quechua.

Besides learning languages, the school focuses on understanding the cultures of the countries where these languages are spoken. The school hosts the only branches in the North East of two important international institutes: the Camões Institute for Portuguese and the Confucius Institute for Chinese.

Newcastle Law School

The building of Newcastle Law School.

Newcastle Law School is the oldest law school in the north-east of England. Law was taught here even before the university became independent from Durham University. The school has experts in many areas of law. These include Common law, International law, and European law.

The Law School is located in four old Victorian town houses. The staff offices, lecture theatre, seminar rooms, and the Law Library are all in these buildings.

School of Computing

The School of Computing is ranked among the top 100 in the world by Times Higher Education. Its research areas include how humans interact with computers and secure systems. They also work on synthetic biology and data science. The school helped create the National Innovation Centre for Data. Its teaching methods were recognized with a National Teaching Fellowship in 2017.

Cavitation Tunnel for Research

The Hancock Museum, part of the Great North Museum project.

Newcastle University has the second largest cavitation tunnel in the UK. This tunnel was built in 1950. It is used to test things like propellers, water turbines, and coatings for underwater objects. The Emerson Cavitation Tunnel recently moved to a new location in Blyth.

Museums and Art Galleries

The university is connected to several museums and galleries in the region. This includes the Great North Museum project. This project is mainly based at the famous Hancock Museum. The Great North Museum: Hancock now holds collections from two of the university's old museums. These were the Shefton Museum and the Museum of Antiquities. The university's Hatton Gallery is also part of this project. It is still located in the Fine Art Building.

University Reputation and Student Life

University Rankings

Newcastle University's performance in UK university rankings over ten years.

Newcastle University is a member of the Russell Group. This group includes 24 top UK universities known for their research. The university is often ranked among the top 200 universities worldwide. In the UK, it is usually in the top 40.

For example, in 2023, QS ranked it 110th globally. Times Higher Education ranked it 139th. In the UK, it was ranked 30th by the Complete University Guide.

Student Admissions

In 2014, Newcastle was ranked 19th in Britain for the average entry scores of its new students. In 2015, the university accepted 92.1% of its applicants. This was the highest rate among the Russell Group universities.

About 25% of Newcastle's undergraduate students come from private schools. In the 2016–17 school year, 74% of students were from the UK. 5% were from the EU, and 21% were from outside the EU. The student body was 51% female and 49% male.

Research at Newcastle

The Herschel Building, home to the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics.

Newcastle is part of the Russell Group, which focuses on strong research. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, Newcastle was ranked 33rd for the quality of its research. It was also ranked 15th for its overall research power.

Student Life and Activities

Students' Union

The Students' Union building after being updated in 2012.

The Newcastle University Students' Union (NUSU) is where students can join clubs and societies. This includes sports clubs. The Union building was built in 1924. It was a gift from an unknown donor, believed to be Sir Cecil Cochrane. It is a historic building. In 2010, the university gave £8 million to update the Union Building.

The Students' Union is run by seven full-time student officers. They are paid for their work. There are also ten part-time student officers who are not paid. The former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, was President of NUSU in 1991–1992.

The Courier is the university's weekly student newspaper. It started in 1948. About 12,000 students read it each week. The Courier won The Guardian's Student Publication of the Year award in 2012 and 2013.

Newcastle Student Radio is the university's student radio station. It plays music and has shows about news, talk, and sports. NUTV is the student television channel. It started in 2007. It shows live and on-demand content, including student-made programs.

Student Exchange Programs

Newcastle University has agreements with over 100 universities in other countries. These agreements allow students to study abroad for a period of time. This means students can experience different cultures and learning styles.

Sports at Newcastle

The Sports Centre at Newcastle University.

Newcastle is one of the top universities for sports in the UK. It is often ranked in the top 12 out of 152 universities in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) rankings. There are over 50 student-led sports clubs. The university has many indoor and outdoor sports facilities. The university has a strong history in rugby. They won the Northumberland Senior Cup in 1965.

The university has friendly sports rivalries with other local universities. The Stan Calvert Cup was a competition between Newcastle and Northumbria University from 1994 to 2018. The Boat Race of the North is a rowing competition between Newcastle and Durham University.

As of 2023, Newcastle University F.C. plays in the Northern Football League Division Two. The university's Cochrane Park sports facility was used as a training venue for football teams during the 2012 London Olympics.

Notable People from Newcastle University

More to Explore

• Armorial of UK universities
• List of Newcastle University people
• List of modern universities in Europe (1801–1945)
• List of universities in the United Kingdom
• Rankings of universities in the United Kingdom
• Universities in the United Kingdom