Foundation Day
The University of Manchester in its current form was created in 2004 by the amalgamation of the Victoria University of Manchester and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). We mark this occasion every October by celebrating our Foundation Day.
The event includes a ceremony at which we give honorary degrees to recipients from a range of fields in recognition of their achievements. This year’s recipients were Emeritus Professor John Casken, Sir Clive Lloyd, Emeritus Professor Tony Redmond and Dame Sharon White.
Foundation Day 2024: 200 years of Manchester
Watch our new film, Foundation Day 2024: 200 years of Manchester, and join us in celebrating two centuries of our inspiring institution. As we mark this milestone in our history, we’re coming together to reflect on our history of groundbreaking research, world firsts and extraordinary people. We shine a spotlight on the people making a difference in Manchester and in our communities across the globe. And we look forward and outwards to our third century and all its possibilities – new insights, ideas and innovations to address the world’s greatest challenges head on.
The year in review
It has been an important year for the University as we celebrate our bicentenary, marking the anniversary with events throughout 2024. We’re proud of what we have achieved against Our future, the University’s vision and strategic plan, and are looking ahead to what the next 100 years could bring.
We’re celebrating 200 years of making a difference. 200 years of learning, innovation and research. 200 years of our incredible people and community. To kick off our celebrations, we hosted Light Up – ‘painting the town purple’ – creating a brilliant pathway of purple light, illuminating our campus buildings along Oxford Road. We set our students a challenge to express what Manchester means to them through art, film or writing, in the Made in Manchester competition. Our newly created podcast, Talk 200, welcomed speakers including Professor Sir Chris Whitty and our own Chancellor Nazir OBE, to discuss a wide range of topics including health inequalities, AI and the justice system.
In June, we welcomed thousands of visitors, on campus and online, to four unforgettable days of celebration at Universally Manchester Festival. It boasted a packed programme of imaginative and immersive events, with entertaining talks, powerful performances, inspiring exhibitions, behind-the-scenes tours, family-friendly activities and much more.
We continue to perform exceptionally well in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, placing first in the UK and Europe, and second in the world in 2024. We are the only university globally to have ranked within the top ten for six years running – testament to our ongoing commitment to social responsibility, one of our three core goals.
Following the launch of our new environmental sustainability strategy, Our Sustainable Future, in 2023, we have been recognised again for our contribution towards our zero carbon target – winning the 2030 Climate Action Prize at the Green Gown Awards and receiving accreditation by the United Nations’ Environment Programme.
Our university continues to be a powerhouse of research, and the last year has seen generous support from our donors to further our work across cancer research, advanced materials development and global development.
After six years of development, the £150 million Paterson Building has officially opened, marking a milestone in Manchester’s commitment to cancer research. This transformed facility is set to become a world-leading cancer centre. Our Global Development Institute received a further transformational donation of £2 million from the Rory and Elizabeth Brooks Foundation to help deliver an ambitious programme of work aimed at redefining the role of global development research in the 21st century.
2024 also saw the first human trial of graphene with results suggesting it has no short-term adverse effects on lung or cardiovascular function in the human body. This marks an important step in understanding how to apply nanomaterials in medical devices, treatments and monitoring techniques.
The University was awarded £30 million funding by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to create four Centres for Doctoral Training as part of the UK Research and Innovation’s £500 million investment in engineering and physical sciences doctoral skills across the UK.
Knowledge exchange has remained a key priority and this year our university achieved the maximum possible rating of ‘very high engagement’ for intellectual property and commercialisation according to the Knowledge Exchange Framework. This reflects the work of the Innovation Factory in licensing, intellectual property incomes, investment and turnover of spinouts.
We continue to focus on improving the experience of university life for all our students. This includes continuing the redevelopment plans for student accommodation, due for completion in summer 2025. In the latest Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) we were awarded Gold for Student Outcomes – reflecting the quality of our outstanding graduates and our place as one of the most targeted universities by the UK’s top graduate employers (The Graduate Market Report). Our Silver rating overall and for Student Experience shows the progress we have made in flexible learning, support for teaching and the provision of resources, but also challenges us to continue improving.
Our global reputation is a continuing source of pride – we rose to 23rd place in the Times Higher Education Most International University rankings and welcomed one of the largest international student populations in the UK to our campus.
2024 sees us play host to the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit. The event will bring together thought leaders from across academia, policy and industry to explore the theme: ‘Making a difference: the role of universities in a rapidly changing world’. This high-profile event provides an important opportunity to discuss new innovations and ideas.
This year saw the University become the second institution in the UK to achieve the Platinum Watermark Award by the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE). This recognises our exceptional leadership in public engagement, high standard of professional support and excellence in partnership working.
Our people are at the heart of all we do, and we continue to make progress towards an inclusive, fair environment for all. We became the first university in the Russell Group to win a Silver Award in the Race Equality Charter evaluation.
Our submission to the Athena Swan and Disability Confident Leader accreditations also recognised our advancements in both areas; addressing gender inequalities and fostering inclusivity for staff and students in all disciplines and roles, along with meeting all three pillars of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy to become a leader in disability inclusivity.