Introduction to Aberystwyth University
Located on the west coast of Wales, Aberystwyth University is a leading UK provider of Higher Education, and a popular location for students from all over the world. In 2009, Aberystwyth University had the highest level of student satisfaction according to 2009 International Student Barometer, ranking number 1 of 123 Higher Education institutions worldwide for the elements ‘good place to be’ and 'overall student satisfaction'.
The University was established in 1872 and housed at the Old College. This was originally the location of the School of Education and Lifelong Learning (which is now based on the Penglais Campus P5).
In the nineteenth century, the campaign to establish Aberystwyth University was led by Hugh Owen, a London Welshman, who sought from the 1850s onwards to raise enough money by public and private subscription to establish a college of university status in Wales. It was almost an impossible ambition.In 1872, the University was opened in a half-finished hotel building on the sea front in Aberystwyth. There were 26 students and a teaching staff of three!
The first dozen or so years of the University’s existence were a desperate struggle for survival. The generosity of a few individual beneficiaries and organized appeals for support from the ordinary people of Wales, kept the University in being, and, perhaps more importantly, deeply rooted it in the affection of the Welsh people. A matter of considerable pride is that the University has made a significant contribution to the education of women, being one of the first institutions to admit female students.
From the 1960s some departments relocated from the seafront to the modern, purpose-built Penglais campus. This finely landscaped site enjoys spectacular views over the town of Aberystwyth and the sea. New buildings, including major arts and science developments, halls of residence, a magnificent Arts Centre and first rate sports facilities are located here. Most recently, major investment from the Welsh Assembly Government has led to the founding of the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences.