University of Huddersfield

Founded in 1825, the University of Huddersfield – originally the Huddersfield Scientific and Mechanic Institute – has a longstanding tradition of providing vocational education.

Today, with student numbers at nearly 20,000 from 130 countries, the university continues to emphasise professional experience alongside academic study, with all undergraduate students given the opportunity to undertake professional work-related experience during their studies. Students also have the chance to complete the Global Professional Award alongside their undergraduate degree and receive a recognised management qualification from the CMI.

The university is recognised as a centre of teaching excellence: staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2022). In 2017, the university won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award in recognition of a commitment to world-class teaching (Higher Education Academy). Huddersfield is joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 20 since 2008. 100% of permanent teaching staff are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

It recently opened the £30m Barbara Hepworth building for art, design and architecture students. A new multi-million pound National Health Innovation Campus will open in Autumn 2024.

Alumni of the university include the politician Lord David Blunkett, who served as Education & Employment Secretary, Home Secretary, and Work & Pensions Secretary at various times in the UK Government, BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent, the actor Rob James-Collier who played Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey, Adil Ray OBE, who co-writes and stars in Citizen Khan and Sir George Buckley, former chairman, president and chief executive of 3M and Chancellor of the University.