Leeds Metropolitan University

Infobox_University
name = Leeds Metropolitan University


caption =
latin_name =
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established = 1824 (as Leeds Mechanics Institute)
1992 became a university
type = Public
staff = 3601 [ [http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/about/ataglance/staff_profile.htm Staff Profile at 31 July 2006] - from official website] :(1914 academic):(1603 support):(84 management)
chancellor = Brendan Foster
vice_chancellor = Professor Simon Lee
students = 39,310cite web|url= http://www.hesa.ac.uk/dox/dataTables/studentsAndQualifiers/download/institution0607.xls|title= Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2006/07|accessdate= 2008-04-10|format= Microsoft Excel spreadsheet|publisher= Higher Education Statistics Agency]
undergrad = 23,340
postgrad = 4,160
other = 11,815 FE
city = Leeds and Harrogate
state =
country = UK
campus = Urban
free_label =
free =
colours = Purple, Green and White
affiliations =
footnotes =
website = http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/
address =
publictransit =
telephone =
coor =

Leeds Metropolitan University is a university with two campuses in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. It came into existence as a chartered university in 1992; prior to this date it was known as Leeds Polytechnic. As of May 2006, the overall number of students at the University is officially given as 'over 52,000'.

Professor Simon Lee is the Vice-Chancellor of the university. On 11 July 2005 Brendan Foster took over as Chancellor from Leslie Silver OBE, the former Leeds United chairman. The university recently opened a multi-million pound Learning Centre building named in honour of Leslie Silver.

In 2004 the university announced that it would not charge the full rate of £3000 per year (a figure of £2000 was announced instead) for tuition fees from September 2008, unlike most other universities in England.

In November 2006, the University won the award for the 'outstanding contribution to the local community' at the annual higher education awards ceremony hosted by the Times Higher Education Supplement. It also came second in the main category, 'the University of the Year', which was won by the University of Nottingham. In this category, the University was highly commended for its 'low-charging, high impact' strategy.

In June 2007, Leeds Met received recognition of its environmentally friendly attitude by being ranked number one in the UK in the Green League 2007; a ranking of sustainability in the higher education sector, compiled by People & Planet. [People & Planet, [http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreen/greenleague2007/table People & Planet Green League 2007] , accessed 17 June 2007] [Anthea Lipsett, [http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2104028,00.html Leeds Met tops green university league table] , "The Guardian", 15 June 2007, accessed 17 June 2007]

In early September 2008, considerations regarding a new name for the university, one including the word 'Carnegie' began. [The Times Higher Education, [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=401943&sectioncode=26] , "The Times", September 2008, accessed 15 September 2008] . 'Carnegie' is featured in the name of the sports faculty, and varying sports teams.

History

Leeds Polytechnic was formed in 1970 from the amalgamation of four colleges. These were:

*Leeds College of Technology. This was founded in 1824 as Leeds Mechanics' Institute and in 1868 became the Leeds Institute of Science, Art and Literature, later renamed Leeds College of Technology. There is now also a separate [http://www.lct.ac.uk/ Leeds College of Technology] .
*Leeds College of Commerce (founded in 1845)
*Part of Leeds College of Art (founded in 1846), the remaining part becoming Jacob Kramer College
*Yorkshire College of Education and Home Economics, founded in 1874 as the Yorkshire Training School of Cookery.

In the early 1950s the four colleges were housed on a central site and in 1970 were merged to form Leeds Polytechnic. In 1976 James Graham College and the City Of Leeds and Carnegie College of Physical Education joined Leeds Polytechnic.

The City of Leeds and Carnegie College had itself been formed when two institutions were merged in 1968:

*City of Leeds College of Education (founded in 1907 as City of Leeds Training College)
*Carnegie Physical Training College (founded in 1933)

In 1998 a merger with Harrogate College established the Harrogate campus.

In 1987 the University became one of the founding members of the Northern Consortium.

Campus locations

The University occupies the following campus locations:

Civic Quarter

This comprises an expanding number of locations within the Leeds City Centre. In addition to the former Polytechnic site, several 'classic' buildings have recently been acquired. These include: Cloth Hall Court, in the legal district of the city; Old Broadcasting House, the former home of the BBC in Leeds; Electric Press, a building on *Millennium Square ; Old School Board, the birthplace of school education in Leeds. The University has recently begun construction of a new building alongside the Civic Hall which will feature a ' [http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/the_news/feb06/rosebowl.htm rose bowl] ' in its design. It also announced plans to build the Senator George Mitchell Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution on the former Polytechnic site, once several of the current buildings have been demolished. [cite web | url=http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/the_news/apr07/peacecentre_160407.htm| title=Statesman marks start of work in Peace Centre & Rose Bowl - 15/04/07]

Headingley Campus

This is a one-hundred acre campus sited in the beautiful surroundings of Beckett Park (coord|53|49|38|N|1|35|34|W|), Headingley. The oldest property on this site is the Grange, a farmhouse dating from 1752 and once occupied by John Marshall. [cite web | url=http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/the_news/feb07/blueplaque.htm| title=Blue Plaque Unveiling at Leeds Met| date= 7 February 2007] In the 1990s the University closed existing Halls of Residence on campus, converting the units to lecture theatres and teaching facilities.fact|date=August 2008 In November 2007 the University obtained planning permission to build an "Olympic village" of student accommodation on the campus. [cite web | url=http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/vco/reflect/vc_173DFB49870C4B98A041A097F0DAC204.htm| title=VC Reflects |date = 2 November 2007] In 2006, the Campus extended beyond the confines of Beckett Park to include the Carnegie Stand at the Headingley Carnegie Stadium. This dual-purpose stand can accommodate more than 4,500 spectators whilst also providing twelve teaching rooms and a room with the capacity of 300. There is parking for 170 vehicles at Headingley - however, the car parking in the grounds of Headingley Campus are for permit holders only (available to staff and disabled students). Student parking is available at the car park via the Churchwood Avenue entrance (near the Beckett's Park Students' Union bar, 'The Union') for 40p per hour. Headingley Campus' web camera can be seen [http://creativetech.inn.leedsmet.ac.uk/WebCam101.php here] .

Regional University Network

This is a network of colleges that have entered partnership with the University to provide access to some of its courses around the region and beyond. The following 18 colleges are members of the RUN:

Belfast Metropolitan College; Bishop Burton College;Bradford College;
Calderdale College;
Chesterfield College;
Dewsbury College;
Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education;
Hull College;
Leeds College of Building;
Leeds College of Technology;
Leeds Thomas Danby College; Lisburn Institute;
New College Durham;
Newcastle College;
Park Lane College;
South Eastern Regional College;
Wakefield College;
West Nottinghamshire College;
York College;

Partnerships

The University has established a number of cultural and sporting partnerships in the region. These include:

porting

* Leeds Rugby — Leeds Rhinos and Leeds Carnegie
* Yorkshire County Cricket Club
* In January 2007, the University became the primary sponsor for Rugby Football League's main knock-out cup competition, the Challenge Cup. This is the first partnership of this kind between the governing body of a sport in England and a university. [cite web| url = http://www.therfl.co.uk/HOME/news_item.php?id=6899| title = Rugby League News: New sponsor for Challenge Cup| accessdate = 2007-01-19]
* In May of the same year, the University purchased a 51% stake in the Leeds Tykes rugby union club. The name of the club was changed to Leeds Carnegie to fit with Carnegie College. [cite web|url=http://leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk/leedstykes/news/news-story.asp?Index=4047 |title=Ground Breaking Ownership for Leeds Rugby |publisher=Leeds Rugby Limited |date=2007-05-14 |accessdate=2007-05-14]
* Carnegie have also sponsored the last three Rugby League World Club Challenge matches. This is an annual match between the domestic champions of the European Super League and the Australasian NRL. Incidentally all three of the matches sponsored by Carnegie have been won by the European team.
*Leeds Metropolitan Carnegie F.C., a soccer club recently promoted to the Northern Counties East Football League.
* Leeds Metropolitan Carnegie R.L.F.C. have won the national BUSA Chamionship and Plate competitions for the past two years undefeated (2005-2006,2006-2007) and have been the only student side to progress to the 2nd round of the RFL's National Challenge Cup (2006-2007).

Cultural

*Black Dyke Band
*Opera North
*Royal Armouries
*West Yorkshire Playhouse

The Student Wiki

In 2006, students and staff from the University developed [http://www.thestudentwiki.org The Student Wiki] , a new source of knowledge about student life.

Leeds Met Students' Union

Leeds Metropolitan University Students' Union operates out of offices at both the Beckett's Park and Civic Quarter Campuses. It is an award winning provider of entertainment in the city of Leeds with the cities' second biggest gig venue playing host to bands such as The Kaiser Chiefs, The Fratellis and We Are Scientists. The Union runs three bars, with one at each site and another at the Kirkstall Brewery halls of residence, a Student Advice service as well as being a major source of volunteers working in the local community.

Notable alumni

*David Ball (musician)
*Richard Buck
*Mohammad Sidique Khan
*Shehzad Tanweer

References

External links

* [http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/ Official Website]
* [http://creativetech.inn.leedsmet.ac.uk/WebCam101.php Headingley Campus Web Camera]