to 1824, with the foundation of the Leeds Mechanics Institute. Leeds Polytechnic was formed in 1970, and was part of the Leeds Local Education Authority until it became an independent Higher Education Corporation on 1 April 1989. In 1992, the institution gained university status. The current name was adopted in September 2014.
== History ==
The university traces its roots to 1824 when the Leeds Mechanics Institute was founded. The institute later became the Leeds Institute of Science, Art and Literature and in 1927 was renamed Leeds College of Technology. In 1970, the college merged with Leeds College of Commerce (founded 1845), part of Leeds College of Art (f. 1846) and Yorkshire College of Education and Home Economics (f. 1874), forming Leeds Polytechnic. In 1976, James Graham College and the City of Leeds College of Education (f. 1907 as part of City of Leeds Training College) joined Leeds Polytechnic. In 1987, the Polytechnic became one of the founding members of the Northern Consortium.
=== Name change ===
After plans to change the name to Leeds Carnegie were abandoned, in 2013 it was announced that the Board of Governors had applied to the Privy Council to change the name to Leeds Beckett University, after one of the university's founding colleges, Beckett Park, which in turn was named after Ernest Beckett, 2nd Baron Grimthorpe. The proposed change resulted in a backlash among students. The Privy Council approved Leeds Metropolitan University's application to change its name to Leeds Beckett University in November 2013. The name change took place in September 2014.
=== Coat of arms and crest ===
Leeds Beckett University was granted its arms on 11 January 1994 under warrant authorised by Sir Conrad Marshall John Fisher Swan, Garter Principal King of Arms (1992–1995). Symbolism found within the coat of arms:
Green colour - conservation
Owl - Leeds and wisdom
Yorkshire rose - County symbol
Open books - learning
Chevron - represents a place of protection
Fountain - knowledge
== Campuses ==
=== City …
