Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a public research university in the city of Liverpool, United Kingdom. The university can trace its origins to the Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts, established in 1823. This later merged to become Liverpool Polytechnic. In 1992, following an Act of Parliament, the Liverpool Polytechnic became what is now Liverpool John Moores University. It is named after Sir John Moores, a local businessman and philanthropist, who donated to the university's precursor institutions.
The university had students in, of which are undergraduate students and are postgraduate, making it the largest university in the UK by total student population.
It is a member of the AACSB, MillionPlus, the Northern Consortium and the European University Association.
History
Origins
Founded as a small mechanics institution in 1823, the institution grew over the centuries by converging and amalgamating with different colleges, including the F. L. Calder School of Domestic Science, the C. F. Mott College of Education, before eventually becoming Liverpool Polytechnic in 1970. The university also has a long history of providing training, education and research to the maritime industry, dating back to the formation of the Liverpool Nautical College in 1892.A predecessor called the Liverpool Gymnasium College was founded in 1900 as a college for training physical education teachers by Irene Marsh, an early advocate for women's physical education. Initially located at 110 Bedford Street, near the city centre, the college expanded over time. In 1947 the institution was renamed the I.M. Marsh College of Physical Education, becoming the first state-maintained specialist college for women's physical education in the United Kingdom. In 1981, the college became part of Liverpool Polytechnic. The I.M. Marsh Campus remained in operation until its closure in July 2021, following the relocation of academic activities to LJMU's city centre campuses.
The institution then became a university under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 under the new title of "Liverpool John Moores University". This new title was approved by the Privy Council on 15 September 1992. The university took its name from Sir John Moores, the founder of the Littlewoods empire. Moores was a great believer in the creation of opportunity for all, which embodies the ethos of LJMU in providing educational routes for people of all ages and from all backgrounds. This belief led Sir John Moores to invest in the institution and facilities, such as the John Foster Building, designed by and named after leading architect John Foster. With the institution's backgrounds dating back as far as 1823, many of the university buildings date back also, with aesthetically pleasing Georgian and Victorian buildings found on a few of the campuses.
Present day
LJMU now has more than 27,000 students from over 100 countries world-wide, 2,400 staff and 250 degree courses. LJMU was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2005.Currently, Liverpool John Moores University is receiving more applications than previously seen; according to data in 2009, the total number of applications submitted to LJMU was 27,784.
On 28 March 2022, former student and founder of Mowgli, Nisha Katona was installed as Chancellor of the university. Previously, in 2008, astrophysicist and Queen lead guitarist Brian May was appointed the fourth Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University. He replaced outgoing Chancellor Cherie Blair, wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Honorary fellows in attendance at the ceremony included astronomer Sir Patrick Moore and actor Pete Postlethwaite. May was succeeded as Chancellor by judge Sir Brian Leveson in 2013.
LJMU is a founding member of the Northern Consortium, an educational charity owned by 11 universities in northern England.
Campuses
The university is separated into two campuses in Liverpool:- City Campus, mainly situated on Byrom Street and surrounding Great Crosshall Street up to Liverpool Exchange railway station, houses buildings such as the James Parsons Building, Avril Robarts Library and the faculties of Science, Engineering and Technology and Health.
- Mount Pleasant Campus, next to the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and the University of Liverpool, contains the John Lennon Art and Design Building, Aldham Robarts Library and is home to the faculties of Business and Law and Arts, Professional and Social Studies. The Knowledge Quarter is also regarded to be part of this campus.
Libraries
There are currently two libraries operated by LJMU, one for either campus:- The Aldham Robarts Library is part of the Mount Pleasant Campus, and provides for students studying at the Mount Pleasant Campus or otherwise residing in the central Knowledge Quarter area. The library is situated on Maryland Street and caters mainly for the Faculty of Business and Law and the Faculty of Media, Arts and Social Science.
- The Avril Robarts Library is part of the City Campus, and mainly provides services to students studying in the City Campus. It is located on Tithebarn Street, and covers three faculties: Faculty of Health, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Technology and Environment. The library hosts the Superlambanana sculpture at its front.
Students of the university can use any library in term-time and some non-term time periods within the library's opening hours. The Student Life Building is open 24/7 in term time. Students need their student identification card for entry to all buildings.
There are more than 68,500 books in the Libraries' collections, with 1,630 work spaces available for students 24 hours a day. In addition to this there are over 16,000 e-books and 5,000 e-journals available. It is a member of the Libraries Together: Liverpool Learning Partnership which formed in 1990. Under which, a registered reader at any of the member libraries can have access rights to the other libraries within the partnership.
Tom Reilly Building
The Tom Reilly Building houses the School of Sports and Exercise Sciences and the School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, which are both part of the Faculty of Science. Some 8,000 students use the building which is located at LJMU's City Campus on Byrom Street. The five storey, building was completed in November 2009 and opened in March 2010 by Liverpool F.C. captain Steven Gerrard. The building provides sports and science facilities including; appetite laboratories, psychology testing labs, neuroscience labs, an indoor running track, force plates, caren disc, physiology suites, a DEXA scanner, a driving simulator and a chronobiology lab.James Parsons Building
The James Parsons Building is located at the City Campus and was built in 1960 as part of Liverpool Polytechnic. Later additions were made in 1966 and 1970, an extensive modernisation took place internally and externally in 2010. The James Parsons Building has a gross floor area of and at its tallest is 13 storeys high. The Faculty of Science and part of the Faculty of Technology and the Environment are based in the building – which has laboratories, ICT suites and lecture theatres throughout as well as two cafés and university shop.The entire third floor of the James Parsons Building was the first internal aspect to be renovated, whilst cladding worth £3.4 million was applied to the external facade during 2009 and 2010.
Organisation and structure
Faculties
The university is organised into five faculties, most of the faculties are based at a particular campus site however, with many joint honours degrees and some conventional degrees, the faculties overlap meaning students' degrees are from both faculties. The five faculties are:; Faculty of Business and Law
- Liverpool Business School
- School of Law
- John Lennon Art and Design Building
- Liverpool Screen School
- School of Education
- School of Humanities and Social Science
- School of Justice Studies
- Institute of Culture Capital
- School of Nursing and Allied Health
- Public Health Institute
- School of Psychology
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology
- School of Sport and Exercise Sciences
- Astrophysics Research Institute
- School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment
- School of Computer Science and Mathematics
- School of Engineering
- LJMU Maritime Centre
Governance