University of Salford

Our University’s past is rooted in the great Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century which changed the world. Salford’s thriving textile industry was fed by the Manchester Ship Canal built which was opened in 1894 and gave the city direct trade access to the sea. The Salford docks brought employment until the latter half of the 20th Century when the old industries went into decline. Demand for new industrial skills led to the formation of the Pendleton Mechanics Institute in 1850 and the Salford Working Men’s College in 1858. At the end of the century they merged to create the Royal Technical Institute, Salford, which was opened by the Duke and Duchess of York (who later became King George V and Queen Mary) in 1896.

Today the University has a successful global presence and a turnover of £189m. Our 7 schools, 20,000 students and 2,500 staff have all grown to serve the needs of industry, commerce and education.
The regeneration of Salford is creating new opportunities which bring our university firmly into the 21st Century. We have joined the BBC and ITV at the MediaCityUK development in Salford Quays and have ambitious plans to redevelop the existing campus over the next 20 years. With these strong foundations we look forward to even greater achievements in the future.