WHAT IS A RED BRICK UNIVERSITY?

The UK has one of the most highly respected university systems in the world. Higher education in Britain has a long history, which has helped to make it such a success. However, this impossible past can also make some aspects of UK higher education seem complicated.

•For example, if you've ever looked into studying at a university in the UK you've probably seen the

term 'red brick university'. Unless you're not familiar with the UK higher education system, this term might not mean very much to you!

In order to understand what a red brick university is, you need to know a little bit of British university history.

THE ORIGIN OF THE RED BRICK

UNIVERSITY

•In the 19th Century, Britain was undergoing great changes as a result of the Industrial Revolution. In the large industrial cities, there was an extra need for a workforce with technical and scientific skills to meet the requests of the new economy.

•This led to the creation of specialised schools and private education institutes, often dedicated to fields such as medicine or engineering. For example, the Manchester Mechanics Institute was established in 1924, and Birmingham Medical School in 1925.

•These institutions were unusually successful, and became centres of knowledge and research during the Victorian era. Some were granted independent university status; for instance, Birmingham Medical School became the University of Birmingham.

•Many of these new civil universities featured buildings built in the Gothic style with red bricks - a popular trend in the Victorian times. This led to institutions of this type being nick-named 'red brick' universities.

WHO ARE THE RED BRICK

UNIVERSITIES?

•There are 6 original red brick universities, each of which received official university status before the First World War. These institutions all evolved from specialised schools, and are dotted around England's traditional industrial cities. The 6 are:

•University of Birmingham

•University of Bristol

•University of Leeds

•University of Liverpool

•University of Manchester

•University of Sheffield

RED BRICK

UNIVERSITIES TODAY

• Red brick institutions were actually mocked at first by Britain's existing universities. The university establishment, expecially 'ancient' universities such as Oxford and Glasgow, saw them as low. This led to the term 'red brick' being used in a derogatory way.