Anglia Polytechnic University
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The Anglia Polytechnic University is a university in the United Kingdom, with campuses in Cambridge and Chelmsford.
It has its origins in a Cambridge Art School opened in 1858 by John Ruskin (the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology from 1960), and a further education college opened in Chelmsford in 1904 (the Essex Institute of Higher Education from 1984). They merged in 1989 as Anglia Higher Education College and this became a polytechnic in 1991 going by the name Anglia Polytechnic, which was then awarded university status in 1992.
It retained the word polytechnic in its title because of a pride in its history and inclusivity, although in 2000 there was some self-doubt about including the term polytechnic - it is the last university in the country to have done so. Wanting to keep the APU abbreviation, a suggestion put forward by the governors was 'Anglia Prior University' (after a former principal) - but shortly after the governors decided to keep polytechnic in the title.
However, the University is now considering another name change. From over two hundred suggestions, the University has selected Anglia University, Anglia Ruskin University and Anglia Metropolitan University as candidates. Anglia University is the institution's current preferred choice. Staff, students and local residents, communities and businesses are currently being consulted on the name change. When a new name is decided upon, the University will apply to the Privy Council, who will either approve or reject the new name.
The university has an unusually large proportion of mature students.
Trivia
APU is derided by some students at the University of Cambridge as the "Nahasapeemapetilon University" after The Simpsons character Apu (i.e. APU) Nahasapeemapetilon. Another nickname for the university used by Cambridge University students is the Early Learning Centre. It is more commonly and simply referred to as "Anglia" by its own students and staff.
Alumni include Adam Ant and Pink Floyd.
APU is parterned with Marshall University in Huntington, WV in a student exchange program. This allows credits earned at one university to count towards the other's degree programs with minimal hassle.
External link
- Anglia Polytechnic University website (http://www.apu.ac.uk/)