About us

The University of Central Lancashire is the international, multi-campus university tracing its roots back to 1828 and leading the way in modern learning today.

Leading the way in modern learning

Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, you can expect a warm welcome at the University of Central Lancashire. You’ll be joining a thriving community of over 42,000 students and staff from more than 100 countries. This makes our university a vibrant place to learn, connect with new people and have fun. We’re proud of our Lancashire spirit and you’ll notice how approachable and supportive everyone is here. You’ll soon feel right at home.

Multi-campus university

We started life in Preston and have since grown the number of our UK campuses. As well as Preston, we are also based in Burnley (East Lancashire), Westlakes (West Cumbria) and London. We were honoured to establish the first British university in Cyprus in 2012 having been granted an academic license by the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture.

Our ambitious Campus Masterplan vision is to create an attractive and inviting, world-class campus compatible with our status as one of the UK’s largest universities. A core principle of our plan is to integrate our campus seamlessly with the rest of the city, benefitting current and future generations of students, staff, visitors and the wider community.

Our campuses

A wide choice of courses

Today we’re one of the UK’s largest universities with a staff and student community approaching 42,000. Our employment-focused course portfolio with over 350 undergraduate programmes, nearly 200+ postgraduate courses and rich array of CPD courses means we offer you the skills and experience that industry needs.

Our courses

Our graduates

We’ve always believed in helping people to seize every opportunity to flourish in education, at work and for life. Through the combination of academic excellence and real-world teaching, we inspire people to transform their lives by seizing opportunities and achieving things they never thought possible. And now we have over 200,000 alumni worldwide.

Our graduates achieve outstanding results and are highly employable. Over 68% of our students graduate with a First or 2:1 (OfS 2023). Discover what our talented graduates are doing now.

A global university

Our community is made up of students from more than 100 countries around the world. And we are partnered with 123 institutions across the globe making us a truly international University.

We are ranked in the top 7% of universities worldwide (Center for World University Rankings 2024).

Where is Preston?

Preston is a vibrant, multicultural city in the heart of the North West of England, making it the perfect place to live, work and play. Our Preston Campus is home to a thriving international community of over 27,000 students and staff.

Explore our campus and city

Sustainability

The University is a Gold Tier University in the Green Universities Report 2023 (USwitch), highlighting our commitment to sustainability. We have retained a 2:1 classification in the People & Planet University Green League 2023/24, where we also ranked first place in the North West for water reduction. The University is also one of just 13 universities worldwide to achieve a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation status.

Our sustainability strategy

Our research

On the world stage, our research teams work collaboratively with major international organisations, from the United Nations and the World Health Organisation to the European Space Agency and NASA. Whether it’s helping to produce the world’s first photograph of a Black Hole, advising the Government on the potential fire risks to those living in high rise tower block, or supporting the wellbeing of those living with dementia, our researchers are delivering accessible and impactful research that is relevant to society.

Connecting with business

Our University is Lancashire’s largest provider of graduate level qualifications. We have established links with global businesses, police constabularies, NHS trusts and work with more than 7,000 enterprises across a variety of sectors.

Connect with us

Proud of our roots

In 1828 the University of Central Lancashire was founded as the Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge. Our motto ‘Ex solo ad solem’ means ‘from the earth to the sun’; and remains an important part of who we are today. We help people from all walks of life to achieve their potential.

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Investing in your future

Our Preston Campus has recently undergone a radical transformation as a result of our £200m masterplan project. Our vision is to create a world-class campus for the benefit of students, staff and the surrounding community.

Our brand-new Student Centre which opened in 2021, looks out over our new University Square. The University Square is an exciting hub of activity, a focal point for community events and an iconic gateway linking together the city and the University.

Our new £35m Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC), which opened in 2019, has become a hive of innovation, bringing together University researchers, industry experts, local businesses and students in a spirit of collaboration and discovery.

The new development of our innovative four-storey Veterinary School is now underway. Located on our Preston Campus, the 45,000 square feet Veterinary School will be the first of its kind in Lancashire and 11th in the UK.

Values and initiatives

Our values reflect who we are as a university and what we stand for. They define the things that are most important to us and nurture our sense of shared purpose. Supporting our values and initiatives are a number of networks, creating positive change throughout our university, for our students, colleagues and the wider communities.

Find out more