Birmingham City University

Birmingham City University (formerly Birmingham Polytechnic and the University of Central England in Birmingham) is a University in the city of Birmingham, England.

The main university campus is located in Perry Barr, Birmingham. The University also incorporates Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD), the largest faculty of art, design and media education in the United Kingdom, located at Gosta Green, and the Westbourne campus in Edgbaston, home to both the University's NHS-supported healthcare training faculty, along with the Defence School of Health Care which is part of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) located at Selly Oak Hospital, and a moderate amount of student accommodation. The School of English is home to the National Academy of Writing.

Birmingham Polytechnic
Before it became a university, by statute on 6 March 1992, it was a polytechnic. The City of Birmingham Polytechnic was run by Birmingham City Council. Although Birmingham had first had a Polytechnic from 1843 to 1853, this one was created in 1971 from five different colleges with more colleges being added in the mid-1970s.

On 1 April 1989, the Education Reform Act made this, and all, polytechnics independent corporations with charitable status.

University status
The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 allowed all polytechnics to adopt the title of "university". The name University of Central England in Birmingham was approved by the Privy Council on 16 June 1992.

In 1995, two more colleges were absorbed:
 * Birmingham and Solihull College of Nursing and Midwifery
 * West Midlands School of Radiography

In August 2005 the University rebranded itself as UCE Birmingham for marketing and promotional purposes though the original name remained the official one. This decision was reversed in March 2007, following the arrival of a new Vice-Chancellor, and the fuller title "University of Central England in Birmingham" was resurrected for all purposes.

Merger proposals
In November 2003, the University asked neighbouring Aston University to consider a merger. This was rejected, as was a separate proposal to merge with the University of Birmingham.

Name change
In June 2007, it was announced that the University would be renamed, with three possible names being proposed; Birmingham City University, Birmingham Chamberlain University and Birmingham Metropolitan University. Staff and students (both current and alumni) were asked to complete a survey on what they wish the name to be changed to. On October 1, 2007, Vice Chancellor Prof David Tidmarsh unveiled the name chance from UCE Birmingham to Birmingham City University. 48.2% of those who voted on the survey, voted for the name to be changed to Birmingham City University.

The rationale for the name change was a perceived confusion of the location of the University and to give a "shorter, more powerful name". The rebranding of the university cost £200,000, which includes changing signage and stationary.

The new logo of the University is based on the tiger in the crest originally used by the University when it changed from being a Polytechnic. This crest itself originally came from the Birmingham College of Commerce which was one of the original institutions which formed the Polytechnic. Birmingham-based BHMG Marketing designed the new logo.

Faculties
The University now has seven faculties:
 * Birmingham Conservatoire
 * Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD)
 * Business School
 * Education
 * Faculty of Health
 * Law, Humanities, Development and Society (LHDS) as from 2005.
 * Technology Innovation Centre (TIC)

The University also includes the Birmingham School of Acting, which merged with the university in 2005 following a period of collaboration.

Former faculties are:
 * Built Environment - closed in 2005. Course provision moved to BIAD and LHDS
 * Computing Information Systems - closed in 2005. Computing courses have moved to the Business School

Following the University's change to Birmingham City University there are also plans to move to six faculties located at just 3 campuses with a number of course areas moving between faculties.

Research
The University is primarily a teaching institution. However, a notable piece of research into the phenomena of contract cheating was publicised by researchers at the University.

The University has five Centres of Research Excellence which are main focus of the University's research activities.

Mapplethorpe controversy
In 1998, the University was involved in a controversy over the inclusion of books by Robert Mapplethorpe in its library.

Notable alumni
Graduates of the University and its former entities include:
 * Comedian Frank Skinner
 * Novelist Jim Crace
 * Artist Rob Pepper
 * Radio & TV Presenter Margherita Taylor
 * Children's TV Presenter Kirsten O'Brien
 * Sport's TV Presenter Mary Rhodes
 * Fashion designer Betty Jackson
 * Politician Khalid Mahmood MP for Perry Barr
 * Politician Lynne Jones MP for Selly Oak

Notable staff
Current and former staff of the University and its former entities include:
 * Chris Baines