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University of Portsmouth

Coordinates: 50°47′43″N 01°05′36″W / 50.79528°N 1.09333°W / 50.79528; -1.09333
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"UoP" redirects here; not to be confused with Savitribai Phule Pune University.

University of Portsmouth
Coat of arms of the University of Portsmouth
Other name
  • UoP[1]
  • Portsmouth University[2]
Former names
See History
MottoLatin: Lucem Sequamur[3]
Motto in English
Let us follow the Light
TypePublic
Establishedc. 1870; 155 years ago (1870) (as Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art)
Budget£290.5 million (2021/22)[4]
ChancellorKaren Blackett[5]
Vice-ChancellorGraham Galbraith[6]
Total staff
3,500[7]
Students29,000 (2021/2022)[8]
Undergraduates22,170 (2020/21)
Postgraduates6,110 (2020/21)
Location
Portsmouth
,
Hampshire, United Kingdom

50°47′43″N 01°05′36″W / 50.79528°N 1.09333°W / 50.79528; -1.09333
CampusCollege town with multiple sites including:
University Quarter
Northern Quarter
Langstone Campus
London Campus
Colours  Purple
  Black
  White
AffiliationsUniversities UK
Websiteport.ac.uk
University of Portsmouth is located in Hampshire
University of Portsmouth
Location in Hampshire

The University of Portsmouth (UoP) is a public university in Portsmouth, England. Its institutional origins trace back to 1870 with the establishment of the Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art.[9] Over the subsequent decades, the institution underwent a series of organisational transformations, becoming Portsmouth Polytechnic in 1969 before gaining university status in 1992. Comprising five faculties, the university offers a wide range of academic disciplines. in 2022, with around 28,280 students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programs, the university was the 25th-largest higher education institution by student enrolments in the United Kingdom. The university employed approximately 3,500 staff in 2020.

Portsmouth is one of five universities in the South East of England to have been awarded the highest rating of Gold in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework.[10] In the Times Higher Education REF ranking, the university was ranked third in research power for modern post-1992 universities.

In the 2021 edition of the Research Excellence Framework, 77 per cent of research submitted by the university was ranked as world-leading or internationally excellent, with impacts across society, health, culture and the environment, placing it in the top 3 modern universities for their research power.

Ceremonially, the university is headed by a Chancellor, currently Karen Blackett, a British Barbadian businesswoman known for her work in the advertising industry.

History

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19th century

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The University of Portsmouth traces its roots back to 1 June 1870 (or 1869 according to some sources) when it was first established as the Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art.[11][12][13] During the late 19th century, the school occupied several buildings in Old Portsmouth and Southsea.[14] The main premises, located at the Crown Sale Rooms in Pembroke Street, was attended by both male and female students.[14][12] Due to its coastal location, the school provided technical instruction to engineers and skilled workers, who often graduated to work at the city docks, including for the Royal Navy at the Portsmouth Royal Dockyard.[15] The curriculum comprised a range of skills including practical geometry, artistic anatomy, and architectural and mechanical drawing.[12] Additionally, the school provided evening classes for local artisans.[12]

Portsmouth Municipal Technical Institute and the College of Art

[edit]

In 1894, following education reforms which vested local authorities with control over technical and manual education, the Borough of Portsmouth established the Portsmouth Municipal Technical Institute.[16][17] Having acquired the school's science and technology courses, the Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art was restructured to become the College of Art.[14][18]

20th century

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In 1903, following the enactment of the Education Act 1902, construction began on a site behind the Portsmouth Guildhall.[19][20] Designed by local architect G.E. Smith and completed in 1908, the building incorporates a combination of Flemish and Renaissance architectural styles.[20] In the same year, the Portsmouth Municipal Technical Institute was succeeded by the newly established Portsmouth Municipal College.[19][21] Providing a range of further and higher education courses in chemistry and engineering, the college occupied the building together with the College of Art, the Portsmouth Day Training College, and a public reference library.[12][16][22] Today, the grade II listed building remains in use by the university and has since become known as the Park Building, having been named after an adjacent urban park known as Victoria Park.[20]

In 1911, male and female Students' union were established.[12] In autumn of 1911, the first addition of student magazine The Galleon, reported the creation of a women's basketball team and expressed discontent over the state of the common room.[12]

Following World War II, there was a decline in the need for engineering skills in Britain.[why?] In response, the college diversified its curriculum to include the arts and humanities.[16]

In 1953, the Portsmouth Municipal College, having changed its name to the Portsmouth College of Technology, became the Regional College for Southern England.[12]

The college was renamed Portsmouth Polytechnic after it gained polytechnic status in 1969 and by the late 1980s was one of the largest polytechnics in the UK.

On 7 July 1992 the inauguration of the University of Portsmouth was celebrated at a ceremony at Portsmouth Guildhall. As a new university, it could validate its own degrees, under the provision of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.

21st century

[edit]

On Friday 4 May 2018, the University of Portsmouth was revealed as the main shirt sponsor of Portsmouth F.C. for the 2018–19, 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.[23]

Campuses

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The University of Portsmouth campus is spread across Portsmouth city centre, including the Guildhall Campus and the nearby Northern Quarter. There are also sports facilities and halls of residence at Langstone in Milton, on the eastern edge of Portsea Island, as well as a recently established London Campus.

Guildhall Campus

Located in the city centre, Guildhall Campus includes most of the University’s teaching buildings and student accommodation, alongside key facilities such as the University Library, Students’ Union, and Ravelin Sports Centre. The campus blends historic and modern architecture, with highlights including the Park Building, the University’s original site, and the White Swan Building, a contemporary performing arts centre linked to the New Theatre Royal. Other major buildings include St Michael’s Building (pharmacy and biomedical sciences) and King Henry Building (psychology and biological sciences). The nearby Ravelin Park offers green space for events and relaxation, while Guildhall Square hosts graduation ceremonies.

The University Library (formerly the Frewen Library) was extended in 2006 at a cost of £11 million.[24]

Northern Quarter

The Northern Quarter lies just north of the railway line and is home to key academic departments for engineering, science, business, law, and the humanities. Notable buildings include the Anglesea Building (engineering and law), Richmond Building (Portsmouth Business School), and the Dennis Sciama Building, home to the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation and student café The Hub. The Milldam Building houses humanities in a former military barracks, while Burnaby, Buckingham, Lion Gate, and the Future Technology Centre support disciplines including computing, earth sciences, and civil engineering. The sustainable Portland Building hosts surveying and property development programmes.

Langstone

The Langstone Campus is located on the edge of Langstone Harbour and hosts the Langstone Sports Site. The site also includes Langstone Halls, quieter coastal accommodation ideal for students involved in sport.[25]

Langstone Campus used to be home of the university's School of Languages and Area Studies, which has since moved into Park Building in the University Quarter. It also used to be home to three halls of residence: Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother (QEQM), Trust Hall and Langstone Flats.

London Campus

In September 2023, the University opened its London Campus in Walthamstow. Offering a block-teaching model with fixed timetables and integrated assessments, the campus aims to support local economic growth and job creation.

Future Campus Investment

The University is investing £250 million into its city-centre campus to create world-class facilities for teaching, research, and innovation. Recent developments include the award-winning Ravelin Sports Centre, with a Student Hub and Technology Building in development.[citation needed]

  • James Watson building
    James Watson building
  • St Andrew's Court
    St Andrew's Court
  • Park building
    Park building
  • St Michael's building
    St Michael's building
  • Dennis Sciama building
    Dennis Sciama building
  • Library
    Library
  • Ravelin House
    Ravelin House

Organisation and structure

[edit]

Governance

[edit]

The university is ceremonially headed by Karen Blackett, who was installed as chancellor in 2017.[26] The university is, however, run day-to-day by the vice-chancellor, presently Professor Graham Galbraith, along with a single integrated decision-making body known as the university executive board. This includes deputy vice-chancellors, the provost, the chief financial officer and the executive deans of faculties, together with the chief people officer and the executive director of corporate governance.[27]

The university's board of governors is the university’s governing body and is ultimately responsible for the university and all of its activities.

Faculties

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The University of Portsmouth is composed of five faculties divided into a number of schools, institutes, academies and departments:[28]

Finances

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According to an independent assessment in 2017,[29] the University of Portsmouth is worth £1.1 billion to the British economy and brings £476 million to the city.

Academic profile

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Portsmouth offers more than 200 undergraduate degrees and 150 postgraduate degrees, as well as 65 research degree programs.[30]

Research

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Over 60% of research submitted by the university to REF2014 was rated as world-leading and internationally excellent.[31] In two subject areas respectively – Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy, and Physics – 90% and 89% of all research submitted was rated as world leading and internationally excellent.[31]

The university received the highest overall rating of Gold in the most recent Teaching Excellence Framework in 2021, one of only 27 Gold rated universities in England and one of five Gold rated universities in the South East.

Rankings

[edit]
Rankings
National rankings
Complete (2026)[32]42
Guardian (2026)[33]35
Times / Sunday Times (2026)[34]52
Global rankings
ARWU (2025)[35]901–1000
QS (2026)[36]635=
THE (2025)[37]401–500

Portsmouth was rated in the top 401–500 universities in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2025, #635 by QS World University Rankings for 2026, #901-1,000 by Academic Ranking of World Universities for 2024, #558 by U.S. News & World Report for 2025-2026, and #847 by CWUR rankings for 2025.

Internationally, the university was ranked 98th in Times Higher Education's '100 under 50' rankings of international modern universities 2017, but did not make the list in any subsequent year.[38]

The University of Portsmouth was one of four universities in 2017 in the south east to achieve the highest Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).[39][40]

Student life

[edit]
Students' Union

The University of Portsmouth Students' Union (UPSU) is a registered charity that represents and supports all UoP students, who automatically become members upon registering for their course. The Students' Union offers members support services, development opportunities and represent them at different levels throughout the university, in the community and beyond.

The earliest record of the Union is in the September 1911 edition of The Galleon student magazine. From 1965, the Union was based in Union House – now St Paul's Gym – on St Pauls Road. In 1983, it moved to the ex-NAAFI building, Alexandra House, where it remained for 19 years. Since 2002, the union has been situated at the north end of Ravelin Park. The Union previously housed two nightclubs, Lux and Co2, but these were closed and redeveloped for other uses in 2009.[41]

The Union Advice Service offers confidential, impartial and non-judgemental support. The service delivers a range of academic & non-academic, information, advice, and guidance to the students of the University of Portsmouth and partner institutions. The service also undertakes other activities and events throughout the year to promote the health and wellbeing of students. The Advice Service is based in Gun House at The Union, next door to Cafe Coco. Portsmouth was named the UK's most affordable city for students in the Natwest Student Living Index 2016.[42]

Societies and sports clubs

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The Union supports a range of over 150[43] student-led groups that provide extra-curricular opportunities to students, including sports clubs, societies, media groups and volunteering opportunities. Students can also create new societies with the support of the Union.

The Students' Union offers a range of sports clubs which are administered by the Athletic Union[44] The sports range from traditional team games like athletics, football, cricket, rugby union, netball, trampolining, and table tennis to octopush (a form of underwater hockey), lacrosse, polo and pole dancing. As of October 2020 there are 38 different sports clubs .[43]

The Students' Union runs a number of volunteering projects, such as HEFCE's Volunteering Team of the Year.[45] In 2010, the Union was awarded a £15,000 grant to work with elderly residents in the city.[46]

Student media

[edit]

The university has two functioning student media outlets. Spyglass, the student magazine, and Pure FM, the student radio station, which works alongside local radio stations including Express FM. The university formerly had an active newspaper, The Galleon, as well as a video production society called Victory Studios.

Notable people

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Faculty

[edit]

Alumni

[edit]
See also: Category:Alumni of the University of Portsmouth

Notable students of the University of Portsmouth and its predecessor institutions include:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "UoP Writing Prize 2023 Winner: Dascha Imani". University of Portsmouth. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Company information". University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  3. ^ "University of Portsmouth crest | Desray Preston". Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  4. ^ "University of Portsmouth – How We Spend Our Money". Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Our Chancellor". University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  6. ^ "University Executive Board". University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  7. ^ "University of Portsmouth – Our People". Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Our People".
  9. ^ "Celebrating 30 years at the University of Portsmouth". University of Portsmouth. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  10. ^ "TEF 2023 outcomes". tef2023.officeforstudents.org.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art (1869 – 1894)". port.ac.uk. March 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h Delaney, Anna (3 July 2017). "University of Portsmouth Archive". Archives Hub.
  13. ^ "At a glance facts and figures". University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  14. ^ a b c "Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art – Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  15. ^ "University Positions - University of Portsmouth". universitypositions.eu. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  16. ^ a b c "Portsmouth School of Art | Artist Biographies". artbiogs.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  17. ^ Thomas, James (1998). 'To Meet All Competition: Park Building and the Provision of Education in Portsmouth 1908 – 1997 – Studies in the History of the University of Portsmouth No.1. University of Portsmouth.
  18. ^ "College of Art – Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  19. ^ a b Thomas, James (1998). 'To Meet All Competition: Park Building and the Provision of Education in Portsmouth 1908 – 1997 – Studies in the History of the University of Portsmouth No.1. University of Portsmouth.
  20. ^ a b c "UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH, PARK BUILDING AND ATTACHED RAILINGS AND BALUSTRADE, Non Civil Parish – 1271860 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Portsmouth Municipal College - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  22. ^ Stuart (2 July 2011), Portsmouth Day Training College - student's badge (c.1910), retrieved 24 May 2023
  23. ^ "University of Portsmouth named as new Pompey shirt sponsor". portsmouth.co.uk. 4 May 2018.
  24. ^ "Library". University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original on 9 February 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  25. ^ Silman, Martin. "Univ of Portsmouth Re-Opens Langstone Campus". Portsmouth & District Private Landlords Association. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  26. ^ "Karen Blackett OBE announced as new University Chancellor". University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  27. ^ "Vice-Chancellor's Executive" (PDF). University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  28. ^ "Our academic structure". University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  29. ^ Cleary, Simon (12 June 2017). "Portsmouth University generates £1.1bn for UK – BiGGAR Economics".
  30. ^ "Facts & Figures" (PDF). University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  31. ^ a b "Results & submissions: REF 2014: View results and submissions by institution". results.ref.ac.uk.
  32. ^ "Complete University Guide 2026". The Complete University Guide. 10 June 2025.
  33. ^ "Guardian University Guide 2026". The Guardian. 13 September 2025.
  34. ^ "Good University Guide 2026". The Times. 19 September 2025.
  35. ^ "Academic Ranking of World Universities 2025". Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. 15 August 2025.
  36. ^ "QS World University Rankings 2026". Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd. 19 June 2025.
  37. ^ "THE World University Rankings 2025". Times Higher Education. 9 October 2024.
  38. ^ "University of Portsmouth". Times Higher Education (THE). 15 March 2018.
  39. ^ Archives, The National. "The National Archives – UK Government Web Archive". nationalarchives.gov.uk.
  40. ^ "Gold rating for teaching excellence at the University of Portsmouth – UoP News".
  41. ^ "Students' anger over axed clubs". BBC News. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  42. ^ "Student Living Index 2018 – Life Moments – NatWest". personal.natwest.com.
  43. ^ a b "Group Lists". membership.upsu.net. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  44. ^ "Activities". Upsu.net. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  45. ^ "Credits for your career : Volunteering Advice". National Union of Students (United Kingdom). Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  46. ^ "Old folk and students to learn from each other". The News. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  47. ^ "Deborah Sugg Ryan".
  48. ^ "Jen Gupta".
  49. ^ "Poets: Simon Armitage". BBC. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  50. ^ "Lord Chidgey – Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on International Affairs (DfID)". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  51. ^ "The man who would have been leader". BBC News. 27 October 1998. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  52. ^ Vallely, Paul (14 January 2006). "Ben Fogle: Action man". The Independent. London. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  53. ^ Jones, Craig (20 November 2019). Fighting with Pride. Pen & Sword Books Limited. ISBN 978-1-5267-6525-3.
  54. ^ "Nick Kennedy". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  55. ^ Tabbitt, Sue (29 October 2012). "Bouncing back from bankruptcy". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  56. ^ "Staff – University of Portsmouth". Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  57. ^ "Timothy Peake". European Space Agency. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  58. ^ "The 100 most powerful people in British culture". The Daily Telegraph. London. 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  59. ^ Henry, Alan (3 March 2008). "Whitmarsh was groomed to be safest bet in the one-horse race to succeed Dennis". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
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