The University of Salford is located less than two miles from the city centre of Manchester in North West England.

The university can be traced back to two institutions that emerged during the industrial revolution of the 19th century: the Pendleton Mechanics Institute and the Salford Working Men’s College - both of which were founded in the 1850s to cater for the demand for industrial skills.

These two institutions became the Royal Technical Institute, Salford, just before the turn of the last century, which in turn became the Royal Technical College, Salford, in the 1920s.

After splitting again in 1958, two separate institutions developed, known as University College Salford and the University of Salford (this name was used for the first time in 1967). In 1996, the two merged again under the University of Salford name.

In addition to the main Peel Park campus, the university has a big presence in MediaCityUK, a development on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal which also houses offices for - among others - the BBC and ITV. This gives students the chance to work in close proximity to media professionals.

In 2004, the university began a £150 million investment programme. This included the building of the £22 million Mary Seacole Building, which now houses the College of Health and Social Care, and the Law School’s £10 million Lady Hale Building.

The University of Salford’s main library is named in honour of its first ever vice-chancellor, Clifford Whitworth. Among its well-known alumni are comedians Peter Kay and Jason Manford, and the actor Sir Ben Kingsley.