Wrexham University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wrexham University

Prifysgol Wrecsam
Coat of arms Flag
Former name	Wrexham School of Science and Art (1887) Denbighshire Technical Institute (1927) Denbighshire Technical College (1939) North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (1975–2008) Glyndŵr University (2008–2016) Wrexham Glyndŵr University (2016–2023)
Motto	Welsh: Hyder trwy Addysg
Motto in English	Confidence through Education
Type	Public
Established	1887 (1887) (Wrexham School of Science and Art) 2008 (2008) as a university (Glyndŵr University)
Endowment	£0.2 million (2022)
Budget	£44.8 million (2021–22)
Chancellor	Colin Jackson
Vice-Chancellor	Maria Hinfelaar
Students	6,660 (2015/16)
Undergraduates	5,825 (2015/16)
Postgraduates	590 (2015/16)
Location	Wrexham , Wales 53°03′14″N 3°00′22″W / 53.054°N 3.006°W / 53.054; -3.006
Campus	Urban
Colours	Scarlet red      and Gold      (while Glyndŵr)

Main Wrexham building

Wrexham University (Welsh: Prifysgol Wrecsam) is a public university in the north-east of Wales. A public university means it gets funding from the government. It has campuses in Wrexham, Northop, and St Asaph. The university offers many types of courses. These include degrees for students starting college and advanced degrees for those who want to study more. It also has special courses for jobs. In 2015/16, about 6,660 students attended Wrexham University.

The university started a long time ago as the Wrexham School of Science and Art in 1887. Over the years, it changed names several times. In 1975, it became the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI). Later, in 2008, it officially became a university. It was named Glyndŵr University after Owain Glyndŵr. He was a Welsh leader from the 1400s who wanted to create universities in Wales. In 2016, "Wrexham" was added to the name, making it Wrexham Glyndŵr University. Finally, in late 2023, it became Wrexham University.

The university has a special place called the Wall Recording Studio. This studio is part of its School of Creative Arts. It's where students can learn about music and sound.

History of Wrexham University

The story of Wrexham University began in 1887. This is when the Wrexham School of Science and Art (WSSA) first opened. In 1924, the WSSA started offering science degrees. These degrees were approved by the University of London. The school's name changed many times over the years.

How the University's Name Changed

In 1927, it became the Denbighshire Technical Institute. Then, in 1939, it was called Denbighshire Technical College. In 1975, it merged with other colleges. This created the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI). At first, its degrees were approved by the University of Salford.

Becoming a University

In 1993, NEWI joined the University of Wales. All college-level courses in Wrexham moved to Yale College Wrexham. In 2004, NEWI became a full member of the University of Wales. This meant it could start approving its own degrees. In July 2008, it officially became "Glyndŵr University." This was a big step for the institution. Important people visited the university. Queen Elizabeth II visited in 2003, and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester visited in 2005.

Changes for International Students

In 2014, the university faced a challenge with international students. For a short time, it could not sponsor students from other countries. But by November 2014, the university got its approval back. This meant it could continue to welcome students from all over the world.

Recent Name Changes

In 2016, the university's name changed slightly to "Wrexham Glyndŵr University." This added the local city name. From 2008 to 2019, the main campus hosted Wales Comic Con. This was a popular event for fans of comics and pop culture.

In 2022, the university thought about changing its name again. They wanted to become "Wrexham University." This change became official in September 2023. The city of Wrexham has become more famous recently. This is thanks to Wrexham A.F.C., the TV show Welcome to Wrexham, and Wrexham becoming a city. The university wanted its name to reflect this new attention. It still honors Owain Glyndŵr's history.

University Campuses

Wrexham University has several locations. These are in Wrexham and other parts of north-east Wales.

Wrexham Campuses

The Centre for the Creative Industries, Wrexham

The university has two main sites in Wrexham. The largest one is at Plas Coch. This campus is very big, covering about 93 acres. It has many classrooms, lecture halls, and labs. There is also a library called the Edward Llwyd Centre. Students can use the sports center and special labs. The campus also has the Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium. This stadium is home to the Wrexham A.F.C. football club.

The Plas Coch campus used to have a science discovery center. It was called 'Techniquest Glyndŵr'. This center was open to schools and the public. In 2019, the center moved to a new location. It reopened in Wrexham city centre in 2020. Now it is called the 'Xplore! Science Discovery Centre'.

Regent Street site in Wrexham

The other Wrexham campus is on Regent Street. It is close to the city center. This site is home to the North Wales School of Art and Design (NWSAD). It has been an important place for art education for a long time. The university also has its own music recording studios. One of these is The Wall Recording Studio.

Northop Campus

University building in St Asaph Business Park

The university also has a campus in Northop, Flintshire. It shares this site with Coleg Cambria. This campus used to be the Welsh College of Horticulture.

What You Can Study

Wrexham University offers about 150 different programs. You can study for various degrees, from foundation courses to master's degrees and doctorates. The university has many subjects to choose from. These include Art & Design, Engineering, Science, and Health and Social Care. You can also study Criminology, Sports Sciences, and Computing. Music technology and Business are also popular choices. Most courses are taught in English. However, you can also study or be tested in Welsh. There is even a special degree in professional Welsh.

The North Wales School of Art and Design is highly rated. In 2017, it was named the best place to study Art in Wales. It also ranked 12th among all UK universities. Wrexham University is also known for helping students find jobs. It is number one in North Wales for getting students jobs after they graduate. Over 92% of its students find jobs after finishing their studies.

University Leadership

The first leader of the university, when it was NEWI, was Glyn O. Phillips. He retired in 1991. John O. Williams then took over. After Williams retired in 2000, Michael Scott became the leader in 2001. Professor Graham Upton was the interim Vice-Chancellor from 2015 to 2016. The current Vice-Chancellor is Professor Maria Hinfelaar.

Student Life at Wrexham University

Students at Wrexham University come from all over the United Kingdom and Europe. Many older students also choose to study here. About 54% of students are over 21 years old. Around 17% are over 40.

Where Students Live

There are several places for students to live in Wrexham. These include the Student Village, Wrexham Village, and Snowdon Hall. There is also Corbishley Hall at the Northop campus. The Student Village has houses divided into flats. Snowdon Hall and the Student Village offer rooms with private bathrooms. Other places have shared facilities. All university housing allows students to cook for themselves.

Sports and Clubs

Wrexham University has many sports teams. They compete in British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS). In the 2017-18 school year, there were 9 teams. These included Men's Rugby, Women's Netball, and Men's Basketball. There are also teams for Men's Hockey, and Men's and Women's Football and Futsal.

The university's Sports Centre has a large hall. It is big enough for national competitions. You can play badminton, netball, basketball, volleyball, futsal, and handball there. There is also a dance studio with a special floor.

Wrexham University offers many unique facilities. It has a radio studio and sound recording studio. There are engineering labs and an art gallery. It also has IT facilities and theatre studios. The university even has its own car racing team. This team is run by students studying Car Performance. There is also a special lab for crime scene investigation. A Chinese medicine clinic is another unusual feature.

The Plas Coch campus has an active student union. This is where students can get together and join clubs. The student union bar is now inside the football stadium. The North Wales Clinical School opened at Plas Coch in 2007.

The Plas Coch area is also home to Wrexham A.F.C. football club. In 2011, the university bought the club's stadium, the Racecourse Ground. However, the university sold the stadium back to the club in 2022.

In 2014, famous Welsh footballer Robbie Savage received an honorary award. He was recognized for his contributions to sport.

See also

• Armorial of UK universities
• Education in Wales
• List of universities in Wales
• List of UK universities