Loughborough University (abbreviated as Luff or Lboro for alumni) is a public research university in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. It has been a university since 1966, but it dates back to 1909, when Loughborough Technical Institute was founded. In March 2013, the university announced it had bought the former broadcast centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as a second campus. The annual income of the institution for 2024–25 was £386.2 million, of which £57.0 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £379.5 million. In 2024, Loughborough ranked ninth nationally for undergraduate education.
History The university traces its roots back to 1909, when the Loughborough Technical Institute was founded in the town centre. There followed a period of rapid expansion led by principal Herbert Schofield, during which there was renaming to Loughborough College and development of the present campus.
In early years, efforts were made to mimic the environment of an Oxbridge college, e.g. students wore gowns to lectures, while maintaining a strong practical counterbalance to academic learning. During World War I, it served as an "instructional factory", training workers for the munitions industry.Loughborough University 40th Anniversary Pages History.
The Loughborough colleges Following the war, the institute was divided into four separate colleges: Loughborough Training College (teacher training) Loughborough College of Art (art and design) Loughborough College of Further Education (technical and vocational) Loughborough College of Technology (technology and science)
The last would become the nucleus of the present university. Its rapid expansion from a small provincial college to the first British technical university was due largely to its principals, Herbert Schofield, who led it from 1915 to 1950, and Herbert Haslegrave, who oversaw its further expansion from 1953 to 1967 and steered its progress first to a College of Advanced Technology and then to a university in 1966.175 Heroes Herbert Haslegrave. In 1977, the university broadened its range of studies by amalgamating with Loughborough College of Education (formerly the Training College). More recently, in August 1998, the university merged with Loughborough College of Art and Design (LCAD). Loughborough College remains a college of further education.
Influence of Herbert Schofield Herbert Schofield became principal in 1915, and continued to lead the College of Technology until 1950. Under his guidance, the college changed almost beyond recognition. He bought the estate of Burleigh Hall on the western outskirts of the town, which became the nucleus of the present campus. He oversaw the building of the original Hazlerigg and Rutland halls of residence, which are now home to the university's administration and the vice-chancellor's offices.
School of Physical Education Frederick Annesley Michael Webster (27 June 1886 - 11 April 1949), of Bradwell Juxta Coggeshall in north-west Essex, with Evelyn Montague, an athlete who competed in the much-heralded 1924 Summer Olympics, started an AAA summer school at Loughborough, from August 18, 1934. It was the first summer school for athletics in the UK. Tutors on the course included the sprinter Harold Abrahams and javelin thrower Jock Dalrymple.Times Tuesday February 27, 1934, page 6Times Wednesday April 11, 1934, page 5Nottingham Evening Post Saturday 18 August 1934, page 4 At the summer school on August 12, 1938, Lord Burghley attended, with Austrian coach Franz Stampfl, giving a hurdling display.Leicester Evening Mail Monday 8 August 1938, page 12
The first Loughborough College Stadium was opened on the afternoon of Tuesday June 1, 1937,Times Tuesday June 1, 1937, page 6 by Clarence Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare, the chairman of the National Advisory Council for Physical Education, with Lt-Col R E Martin, the chairman of Leicestershire County Council. The stadium was the first in the UK for all track and field events, built on eight acres, and built by students, who were paid with only a cup of tea. A new School of Athletics, Games and Physical Education would begin later in September 1937.Times Wednesday June 2, 1937 It was founded by F.A.M. Webster; his son, Richard Webster, had competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, coming sixth in the pole vault.
From college to university An experienced educationist, Herbert Haslegrave took over as college principal in 1953. By increasing breadth and raising standards, he gained the institution the status of Colleges of Advanced Technology in 1958. He persuaded the Department of Education to buy further land and began a building programme.
In 1963, the Robbins Report on higher education recommended that all colleges of advanced technology be given university status. Loughborough College of Technology was granted a Royal Charter on 19 April 1966, and became Loughborough University of Technology (LUT), with Haslegrave as its first vice-chancellor. It gradually remodelled itself in the image of the plate glass universities of the period, which had also been created under Robbins.
Later history In 1977, Loughborough Training College (now Loughborough College of Education) was absorbed into the university. In 1996, the university dropped the "of Technology" from its title, becoming Loughborough University. The Arts College was also amalgamated with the university in 1998. These additions have shifted the technological leaning of the institution, causing it to function more as a traditional university, with a combination of humanities, arts and sciences.
The shortened name "Lboro", "Lufbra" or "Luff" is commonly used by the students' union, the alumni association and others.
Campus
The university's main campus is in the town of Loughborough. That campus (once the estate of Burleigh Hall) covers an area of 523 acres, and includes academic departments, 17 halls of residence, the Students' Union, two gyms, gardens and playing fields.
Of particular interest are The Walled Garden, with its Garden of Remembrance, the Hazlerigg-Rutland Hall fountain-courtyard, The Old Cottage and the Bastard Gates donated by and named after William Bastard, the Chairman of College Governors, which form the official entrance to Rutland Hall.
In the central quadrangle of the campus stands a famous cedar tree of veteran status, with a girth of 5.12 m. The cedar has often appeared as a symbol for the university and it was heavy snowfall in December 1990 that led to the collapse of the upper canopy which gave the tree its distinctive shape.
Library
The Pilkington Library opened in 1980. It covers 98,608 sq. ft. (9,161 square metres) over four floors with 1375 study places – up from 780 prior to the renovation in late 2013. The library has a history of undertaking research in the field of library and information work.
Holywell Park Conference Centre Holywell Park Conference Centre is a conference and meeting venue located on campus. It was used as the kitting out location for Team GB prior to the 2012 Summer Olympics.
University Stadium
The £4 million stadium for the university's rugby and football first teams was opened in 2012 and has a capacity of 3,000. It is home to Loughborough University FC, which is one of the few university sides to play in the English football league system, currently competing in the Northern Premier League. The stadium includes a digital scoreboard, conference facilities and 14 changing rooms. In 2018 it hosted four matches in the group stages of the European Under-17 Championships.
Organisation
Loughborough University is headed by a vice-chancellor and is organised into nine schools:
School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering (comprising the three departments of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Materials) School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering Loughborough Business School School of Design and Creative Arts Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering School of Science (comprising the five departments of Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics Education and Physics) School of Social Sciences and Humanities (comprising the five divisions of Communication and Media; Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy; English; Geography and Environment; International Relations, Politics and History) School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences Loughborough University London (comprising the Institute for Design Innovation, Institute for Digital Technologies, Institute for Diplomacy and International Governance, Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Institute for International Management, Institute for Media and Creative Industries, Institute for Sport Business)
Each of the 9 schools has a senior leadership team consisting of deans, associate deans for education and research, and operations managers. The University Executive Board is made up of the vice-chancellor, deputy vice-chancellor, chief operating officer, chief finance officer, the pro vice-chancellors for equity, diversity and inclusion, education and research, director of organisational development and the 9 deans.
In May 2022, the university launched a new strategy called "Creating Better Futures. Together", which sets out to guide Loughborough's activities and development over the next decade.
Traditions The official colour of the university is African violet. The coat of arms incorporates several symbols relevant to the history of the Loughborough area, including Offa of Mercia's cross (a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Mercia, within whose borders the town now stands) and the peafowl from the arms of the Dukes of Rutland. The motto of the university is veritate scientia labore ("with truth, wisdom and labour", or, alternatively, "with truth, knowledge and work", depending on the translation).
The university has a strong tradition in both engineering and sport. From its strong engineering and technical background it has now expanded, becoming a centre of excellence in the field of sports and sports science. It has graduated a number of world-class athletes including Paula Radcliffe and Lord Coe. In keeping with this tradition, Loughborough students have won the British Universities & Colleges Sport Association (BUCS) championship every year for four decades. The university is the home of the England and Wales Cricket Board's National Academy, opened in November 2003.
The university (and Loughborough College before it) once had a "mascot" consisting of an oversized knight's helmet with a lowered visor, commonly called "Thor". This was constructed in 1958 by students of Hazlerigg-Rutland hall in the college welding shop. In the late 1980s Thor was displayed in the Students' Union foyer, but it has since gone missing.
Academic profile The university has 20 academic departments and over 100 research groups, institutes and centres currently divided between nine schools. Previously the departments and research institutes had been split between three faculties: Science, Engineering and Social Science & Humanities.
It has students; of whom are undergraduates and are pursuing postgraduate courses and/or research (based on figures). Its current Chancellor is Lord Sebastian Coe. Loughborough's vice-chancellor and president is Nick Jennings, who took up the post in October 2021 following the departure of Robert Allison.