Aston University

About

Aston University is a public university situated in the city centre of Birmingham, England. Aston began as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School in 1895, evolving into the UK's first college of advanced technology in 1956. Aston University received its royal charter from Queen Elizabeth II on 22 April 1966. Aston pioneered the integrated placement year concept over 50 years ago, and more than 73% of Aston students take a placement year, the highest percentage in the UK. The annual income of the institution for 2021–22 was £197.7 million of which £19.3 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £219.4 million. In 2020, Aston University was named "University of the Year" by The Guardian, and the newspaper also awarded Aston Students' Union its "Buildings That Inspire" award. The Times Higher Education Awards named Aston University as its "Outstanding Entrepreneurial University" in 2020. In September 2021, Aston was shortlisted for University of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2021. In March 2024, it was announced that Aston University had become the second university in England to be awarded the Athena SWAN Gold Award at an institutional level in recognition of efforts to promote gender equality.

The origins of Aston University are a School of Metallurgy formed in the Birmingham and Midland Institute in 1875. The Birmingham Municipal Technical School was designed by architect Arthur Edwards and opened by John Dugdale in 1894. The school separated from the Institute in 1895, teaching chemistry, physics, metallurgy and electrical engineering. It expanded and by 1917 was also teaching botany and other subjects to trainee teachers. In 1911, commercial classes were introduced and grew into an independent School of Commerce by 1916. The school changed its name in 1927 to the Birmingham Central Technical College, to reflect its changing approach to teaching technology.

In 1951, the Technical College was renamed the College of Technology, Birmingham, and work began on the Main Building at Gosta Green. In 1956, it became the first elite designated college of advanced technology and underwent a major expansion. It moved into buildings that were constructed between 1949 and 1955 to a design by Ashley & Newman. Princess Margaret laid one of the first foundation stones at the base of the new building in 1951. The building is one of Europe's largest freestanding brick buildings. In 1955, the College of Advanced Technology was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The college expanded again to a design by the City Architect of Birmingham Alwyn Sheppard Fidler between 1957 and 1965.

It officially became the University of Aston in Birmingham on receipt of its royal charter on 22 April 1966, and the first chancellor of the university, Lord Nelson of Stafford, was installed on 10 May. The charter of the university outlines objectives appropriate to a technological university: "to advance, disseminate and apply learning and knowledge by teaching and research, for the benefit of industry and commerce and of the community generally: and to enable students to obtain the advantage of a university education, and such teaching and research may include periods outside the University in industry or commerce or wherever the University considers proper for the best advancement of its objects." The emphasis given to the sandwich course system, and the maintenance of strong links with industry, arises naturally from the institution's history. The motto of the university is the same as that of the City of Birmingham – Forward.

In 1983, Aston University, in partnership with Birmingham City Council and Lloyds Bank, established Birmingham Technology Ltd., which manages the Aston Science Park adjacent to the university site. The establishment of the Aston Science Park and Aston University's contribution to the city of Birmingham was fully recognised when the area was granted its own postal address "The Aston Triangle" in 1984, emphasising the campus as an official district of Birmingham. The logo of the establishment takes from the shape of the area.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.