Buckinghamshire New University

Founded in 1891 as the School of Science and Art,[3] it was initially established with public funds raised from a tax on beer and spirits and set about providing evening classes to residents of High Wycombe and the local area.[4]

After World War I, it was renamed the Wycombe Technical Institute, forging close links with local crafts such as furniture making and cabinetry and helping to provide skills to injured war veterans in order that they might find work in local industries.[4]

Further building took place after World War II, and on 6 May 1963 the new facilities were officially opened by the Minister of Education, Sir Edward Boyle.[4] A new change of name, the High Wycombe College of Technology and Art accompanied this expansion.[4]

Even as late as the 1960s, around 3,000 people worked in the manufacture of furniture in High Wycombe,[5] and 80% of the wooden chairs manufactured in Britain were made there.[6]

In 1975 High Wycombe College of Art and Technology merged with the Newland Park College of Education in Chalfont St Giles, and was renamed the Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education. In the same decade Missenden Abbey, a former Augustinian monastery founded in 1133, was acquired, and in May 1988 it was officially opened as a management centre by Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.[4]

In March 1999 it was awarded University College status by the government, changing its name once again to Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. Around this time the Which University guide described it as a "concrete labyrinth", which was unlikely to be "bringing home architectural awards".[7]

High Wycombe campus in 2004, before construction of the Gateway Building

In 2007 it changed its name again, this time from "Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College" to its current name of "Buckinghamshire New University" ("Bucks") when its application for university status was approved by the Privy Council.[8]

Alternative names such as 'University of Wycombe', 'Wycombe University', 'University of High Wycombe', 'High Wycombe University', 'University of Buckinghamshire' and 'Buckinghamshire Chilterns University' were rejected. The chosen name was swiftly attacked by the University of Buckingham for using the county name.[9] Critics have argued that the 'New' element of the university's name will look out of place in the long-term.

Bucks had ambitious plans to consolidate its divided campuses into a purpose-built site near to Hughenden Park in High Wycombe on land previously owned by CompAir. While these plans fell through, the University changed plans to renovate and enlarge the main campus as well as consolidate both the Wellesbourne and Chalfont campuses onto the High Wycombe site. Additionally new halls of residence have been built at the Hughenden Park site.

The University is a lead academic sponsor of Buckinghamshire University Technical College, a new university technical college which opened in Aylesbury in September 2013.

The University undertook a major development of the High Wycombe Campus with a large structure, known as the Gateway Building, being built onto the front of the existing building. It won a RIBA award in 2010.[10]

A state-of-the-art complex, the Gateway offers a rich mix of commercial-standard facilities, including a sports/events hall, fitness centre and performance lab, dance and drama studios, sound design labs, music recording studios and video production suites, a modern integrated learning resources centre, a cafe and meeting and conference rooms. It also has green screen facilities and a motion capture system.[11]

Brook Street Halls

There is a range of accommodation at Bucks New University including halls of residence, managed houses and the student village:

• Brook Street Halls, the first to be built for Bucks New University, has 396 rooms and is situated opposite High Wycombe bus station, a five minutes' walk from the University campus.
• Hughenden Park Student Village was completed in 2009. All 410 student rooms are en-suite and the area is a 15 minutes' walk from the University's Wycombe campus.
• Windsor House is located in High Wycombe town centre. Much of the estate used to build the halls has been bought from The Chilterns Shopping Centre.

In November 2013 it was ranked 12th in the UK by the Huffington Post in a list of creative universities.[17] It was also included in a list of the top 14 creative universities in the UK by The Daily Telegraph in December 2013.[18] Domestically, the university is ranked 113 out of 130 universities (Complete), 92 out of 121 universities (Guardian), 113 out of 131 (Times / Sunday Times).

For the most recent 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), the grading "internationally excellent" or "world leading" was for some submissions in the areas Allied Health Professions, Business and Management Studies, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Art and Design.[19]

The university runs several specialist courses.

The Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training is a course offering students the opportunity to study for a professional pilot's licence whilst undertaking university studies in areas such as globalisation of the air transport industry and health safety and security for airlines and airports.[20] Many former students (including Virgin Atlantic deputy chief pilot David Brooks) have gone on to attain jobs as pilots in flying schools, charter companies and airlines around the world including Susi Air, Cathay Pacific, Qatar, BMI and Ryanair.[21]

Although the Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training course aims to provide guidance and support to students with the aim of becoming commercial pilots, many students are inspired by various modules of the course and pursue careers in other areas within the air transport industry. In 2009 graduate Antony Coe set up his own business DexFix computer repairs. Following this and in conjunction with his studies in Health safety and security for airlines and airports Coe now provides contract services to the counter terrorism task forces worldwide.

The university offers several other innovative courses such as Music Management and Film and Television Production. The university also offers a course in Animation and Visual Effects, launched in September 2013.[22]

Bucks New University is one of very few universities that has created a degree in Policing. In partnership with territorial Police service Thames Valley Police, Bucks New University is one of only two UK Universities to offer the Foundation Degree in Policing as a pre-entry route into Police careers. The University also hosts a CKP course, which allows applicants into the majority of UK forces.