University of Gloucestershire

The University of Gloucestershire is a public university based in Gloucestershire, England. It is located over four campuses; two in Cheltenham and two in Gloucester.

The university is the successor of a large number of merged, name-changed and reformed institutions of further and higher education. Its history spans nearly two centuries. The university was established through two distinct strands of educational provision in Gloucestershire, being that provided by Local Government and that founded by the Anglican Church. The university can trace its earliest history to the Mechanics Institutes of Cheltenham (1834) and Gloucester (1840), and the Cheltenham Training College, which was established in 1847 by the Reverend Francis Close. In 1921, the Cheltenham Training College separated into two schools, St Paul's College of Education and St Mary's College of Education, which eventually merged in 1979. The College of St Paul & St Mary went on to combine with the Gloucestershire College of Arts & Technology in 1990, forming the Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education. In October 2001, the college was awarded university status.

The university provides over 100 undergraduate courses and around 70 taught post-graduate courses within three academic schools.

A 10-year memorandum of understanding exists between the university, Gloucestershire College and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College to support access to higher education.