Our history

Rooted in Birmingham

Our early history can be traced back to as early as 1843, with the founding of Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design. Over time, five individual colleges were brought together to form The City of Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971, later becoming Birmingham City University.

Birmingham City University: A History in 100 Images

We are celebrating our extensive history as an educational institution in a new book: Birmingham City University: A History in 100 Images by BCU Professor of English, David Roberts .

The images bring together more than 180 years of history, uncovering how BCU has helped shape Birmingham and its legacy. If you are interested in getting a copy of the book, please contact: BCUPublicAffairs@bcu.ac.uk

Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design

Birmingham College of Art has its roots back in October 1843, when the Birmingham Society of Artists opened the Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design. In 1884 the School evolved into Birmingham College of Art, moving to a beautiful purpose-built Venetian Gothic building on Margaret Street designed by John Chamberlain. Today Margaret Street, which still houses our Department of Art, is a Grade I Listed Building.

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School of Jewellery

In 1888 Birmingham School of Jewellery, which was based in Ellen Street, became a branch of the College of Art. Two years later a new building was opened in Vittoria Street which has been the School's home ever since.

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School of Architecture

The School of Architecture was established within the College of Art in 1909 and won Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) recognition in 1923 and 1930 to become one of the UK’s major schools of architecture. On entry into the Polytechnic, the School became a leading department of the Faculty of the Built Environment.

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Birmingham School of Music developed as a department of the Birmingham and Midland Institute around 1859. The first phase of the present building in Paradise Circus was opened in 1973 by HM The Queen Mother.

Birmingham College of Commerce was established in the early 20th century and became a branch of Birmingham Central Technical College (CTC) with its main teaching centre in Edmund Street. A new CTC at Gosta Green was formally opened by HM The Queen in 1955 and the College of Commerce moved to the site in the early 1960s. In 1961, the CTC’s technology divisions became the UK's first College of Advanced Technology which, in 1966, became Aston University. The College of Commerce remained separate, however, before becoming part of the Polytechnic.

South Birmingham Technical College opened in 1961 on Bristol Road. In the early 1970s, the College's departments moved to new buildings in Perry Barr and the South Birmingham site was later occupied by Bournville College of Further Education until 2011.

North Birmingham Technical College was created in 1966 when Aston Technical College moved to new premises at Perry Barr. New buildings for the college formed part of the University's City North Campus until 2018.

Becoming a polytechnic

The City of Birmingham Polytechnic was designated in 1971 by then Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher.

In 1975 a further three colleges were incorporated into the Polytechnic – Anstey College of Physical Education, Bordesley College of Education and City of Birmingham College of Education. Bournville College of Art, which was founded in the early 1900s, merged with the Faculty of Art and Design in 1988 to create the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design.

University of Central England

On 6 March 1992, the Further and Higher Education Act gave all polytechnics the power to adopt the title of 'university'. The new name, 'University of Central England in Birmingham', was approved by the Privy Council on 16 June 1992. During the summer of 1995 the University merged with the Birmingham and Solihull College of Nursing and Midwifery, and the West Midlands School of Radiography.

Becoming Birmingham City University

In 2007, the University changed its name to Birmingham City University and received a new logo, a reworking of the tiger crest used by the University of Central England in Birmingham, which itself originally came from the Birmingham College of Commerce, one of the Polytechnic's founder institutions.

From 2011, the University has undertaken a major investment in its estates and facilities to create a campus fit for the future. The City Centre Campus has seen three major new developments – the Parkside Building; the Curzon Building, as well as new library, IT and student support facilities. The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire opened on City Centre Campus in 2017. A new extension to our City South Campus to house Education, Sport and Life Science courses opened in 2018.

Our Strategy 2030

STEAMhouse opens

In 2022, our STEAMhouse building opened, a reinvention of the former Belmont Bicycle Works, enabling innovation through collaboration. The space gives students access to outstanding facilities and equipment, as well as opportunities to collaborate with people and businesses across multiple sectors and work on real industry-based projects.

Discover STEAMhouse