Coventry University

Coventry University is a post-1992 university in Coventry, UK. Under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, the institution's name was changed from Coventry Polytechnic to Coventry University. However, its roots can be traced as far back as 1843 to the Coventry College of Design. Much has changed since then and the university has made great strides in its development as an institution, particularly over the last ten years.

The expanding main campus is situated on the east side of Coventry city centre, which boasts one of the most innovative (and unusual-looking) university libraries in the UK. The university is particularly noted for its world-renowned automotive design and engineering degree courses as well as the UK's first disaster management programme.

History
Coventry University has a long tradition as a provider of education. It can trace its roots as far back as Coventry College of Design in 1843. It was in 1970 that Coventry College of Art amalgamated with Lanchester College of Technology and Rugby College of Engineering Technology. The resulting institution was called Lanchester Polytechnic: 'Lanchester' after the Midlands automotive industry pioneer, Dr Frederick Lanchester. In 1987 the name changed to Coventry Polytechnic and in 1992 it adopted the title Coventry University.


 * 1843 Coventry College of Design
 * 1970 Lanchester Polytechnic (due to merger of Coventry College of Art, Lanchester College of Technology & Rugby College of Engineering Technology)
 * 1987 Coventry Polytechnic
 * 1992 Coventry University

Between 1970 and 1987 the institution's name (then Lanchester Polytechnic) caused a certain degree of confusion as it was occasionally mistaken for both Manchester Polytechnic and Lancaster University, whilst there is also a small town in Co. Durham called Lanchester.

Logo
The University's logo shows a phoenix, a mythical bird with splendid plumage, reputed to live in the Arabian Desert. Fabled to be the only one of its kind, it lived for five or six centuries, after which it burned itself to death on a funeral pyre of aromatic twigs ignited by the sun and fanned by its own wings. It rose from the ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle. Such a symbol is a fitting reminder of the way in which the City of Coventry rebuilt itself after suffering devastation during the Second World War. It is a symbol with which Coventry University is proud to be associated and to have adopted as its own. In the summer of 2006 the symbol was flipped on its vertical axis in order to portray the head of the phoenix looking to the right. The reason behind the decision was the desire to portray the university as looking forward rather than back. As such all of the signs on the campus buildings were removed and replaced with new stainless steel ones in which the phoenix looked right. The difference can be seen on this page. The logo to the top right of this page is the revised logo (post 2006). In the picture of Coventry University's main building, the Alan Berry Building to the right, the logo is pre-2006, as the building predates the change of logo.

Campus
The University currently occupies a purpose-built 33-acre campus in the heart of Coventry City-centre, close to shops, bars and restaurants. The campus buildings and environment are constantly being developed and enhanced. Recent activities have included upgrading the accommodation for Nursing and Midwifery students in the newly refurbished Richard Crossman Building, and the opening of a state-of-the-art Sport Centre. In addition, Coventry University Advanced Digitising and Modelling Laboratory opened in December 2002 and is formally known as the Bugatti Building. It provides full-sized vehicle design and styling facilities and is the only resource of its kind in the world attached to a university. A stunning feature of this University is the £20m Library, which adds considerably to its profile in the city in a 'love it or loath it' capacity. It has won awards for its highly innovative interior design.

One of the most recent additions to the campus is an aerospace laboratory, which features a full-size Harrier Jump Jet and Scout helicopter.

An exciting development for both the University and for the city has been the creation of the 20-acre Coventry University Technology Park. It is home to the TechnoCentre, a unique complex offering a focus for training, conferences and business opportunities; the Enterprise Centre, a £3m development providing dedicated accommodation for new small- and medium-sized enterprises; and the Coventry and Warwickshire New Technology Institute, which works with companies to address skills shortages in ICT and advanced technology.

Its transport design courses are world-renowned and are generally considered to be the best in the world, with many graduates gaining immediate employment with leading automotive industry manufacturers.

Building names
Coventry University has adopted a policy of naming its buildings after those with a significant local or regional impact. Around the campus, you will find:
 * Ellen Terry, English actress of the nineteenth century.
 * George Eliot, pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans, nineteenth century novelist, critic and poet.
 * Graham Sutherland, painter and print-maker.
 * Richard Crossman, political journalist and British Labour politician.
 * Sir Frank Whittle, inventor and pioneer of the jet engine and supersonic flight.
 * John Laing, Famous Engineer.
 * William Morris
 * Jaguar Building, Aerospace Engineering building sponsored by the car/engineering company 'Jaguar'.
 * Charles Ward Building
 * Sir William Lyons, co-founder in 1922 of the Swallow Sidecar Company, maker of motorcycle sidecars, and which became Jaguar Cars Limited

Radio station
Source Radio is the radio station of the University. The hot mix station has been running for several years, previously under the guise of Phoenix Radio, set-up by now Virgin Radio jockey Kelly-Anne Smith. The station was rebranded Source FM in 2001, ahead of a full relaunch in January 2006 as Source Radio. In Early 2007 Source Radio acquired its AM license.

Students' Union
Coventry University Students' Union has over 60 Sports Clubs and Societies.