Legal title: University of Sunderland
Head office address, to be used for all formal notices and legal correspondence:
University of Sunderland
4th Floor Edinburgh Building
Chester Road
City Campus
Sunderland
SR1 3SD
The University of Sunderland is a Higher Education Corporation established by Order of the Secretary of State under Section 121 of the Educational Reform Act, 1988, which included provisions that existing Polytechnics, including Sunderland Polytechnic, should become Higher Education Corporations, independent of the Local Education Authorities. They became formally established on 21 November 1988.
The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 subsequently made provision for the Privy Council to grant degree-awarding powers to Higher Education Corporations and to allow a Higher Education Corporation to change its name to 'university'.
The Privy Council formally agreed to Sunderland Polytechnic having the power to award degrees by Order in Council made on 4 June 1992 and to its becoming 'University of Sunderland' by letter dated 16 June 1992; this power taking effect on 1 September 1992.
Sunderland Polytechnic was one of the first polytechnics established in 1969; however its roots as an educational institution go back to 1860 when the School of Science and Art was founded.
The Privy Council on 26 April 1993 made an Instrument of Government under the provisions of the 1992 Act, which (inter alia) regulates the composition of the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors pursuant to the 1988 Act (as amended by the 1992 Act) have, with the consent of the Privy Council, adopted Articles of Government for the management of the University which came into effect on 27 June 1996.
Published: 1 April 2019