University of the West of England (UWE), also known as UWE Bristol, is a public research university, located in and around Bristol, England, UK. With over 38,000 students and 4,500 staff, it is the largest provider of higher education in the South West of England.
The institution was known as the Bristol Polytechnic in 1969; it received university status in 1992 and became the University of the West of England, Bristol. In common with the University of Bristol and University of Bath, it can trace its origins to the Merchant Venturers' Technical College, founded as a school in 1595 by the Society of Merchant Venturers.
UWE Bristol is made up of several campuses in Greater Bristol. Frenchay Campus is the largest campus in terms of student numbers, as most of its courses are based there. City campus provides courses in the creative and cultural industries, and is made up of Bower Ashton Studios, Arnolfini, Spike Island, and Watershed. The institution is affiliated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and validates its higher education courses. Glenside Campus is home to most of the College of Health, Science and Society.
== History ==
=== Early foundations ===
The University of the West of England can trace its roots back to the foundation of the Merchant Venturers Navigation School in 1595.
In 1894, the school became the Merchant Venturers Technical College. The University of Bristol was formed just a few years after this, leaving the college for the foundation of UWE Bristol. The college was partly responsible for the creation of the Bristol College of Science and Technology (BCST) in 1960, which later gained a royal charter to form the University of Bath in 1965.
The technical college in turn became Bristol Polytechnic in 1970; the then-main campus was at Ashley Down, now a campus of the City of Bristol College.
Bower Ashton Studios was formed in 1969 as the West of England College of Art, which was formerly the art school of the Royal West of England Academy in Queens Road, Bristol. The St Matthias site (which …
