About the university

From a rich history to a bright future for education in North Wales - Wrexham University gives each student's learning and future personal attention.

Our history

We’ve been teaching students at our main Wrexham campus since 1887, when we were known as the Wrexham School of Science and Art. We first started offering degrees in 1924 but we've come a long way since then. 

We became the Denbighshire Technical Institute in 1927 and moved to Regent Street, which is now home to our arts and design courses. As the Institute grew, the development of what is now our main Plas Coch campus began, and following the completion of developments in 1939, the Denbighshire Technical College was born. 

The internal design of the College was created and executed by Sir Patrick Abercromby, the famous Liverpool-Dublin Architect. Our tiles in the main foyer of our campus were designed by Peggy Angus as a representation of the flow of learning, with a celebration of our Welsh background incorporated. The original tiles remain in our reception to this day. 

It soon became necessary to merge the three main colleges of the County of Clwyd: Denbighshire Technical College, Cartrefle Teacher Training College (situated at the other end of Wrexham) and Kelsterton College in Connah's Quay near Chester. 

The resulting North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI) became one of the largest colleges of its kind in Britain, with over 9,000 students and an annual budget in 1975 of £5 million. 

In 2008, NEWI gained university status and we decided on the name, Glyndwr University. This name came from Owain Glyndŵr, the last native-born Welshman to hold the title of Prince of Wales. 

We wanted our new institution to encapsulate the values of Owain Glyndwr; to be bold, enterprising, and open to all. 

Our present

In 2023, we rebranded and changed the name – but not the Welsh ethos – of the University to Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University, with the aim of increasing brand recognition and reach locally, regionally, nationally and globally. It was felt that the coupling of place and university was the most effective way to reach audiences and is replicated across the higher education sector across the UK.  It aligns our ambitions for our students to be bold in their approach to shaping their future in a city that is shaping theirs. 

As still one of the youngest universities in the UK, our mission is to inspire and enable; transforming people and places and driving economic, social and cultural success.

Our core values are to be:

• Accessible
• Supportive 
• Innovative 
• Ambitious

Grounded in our values is our Active Learning Framework (ALF). ALF supports flexible learning that makes best use of spaces on campus together with digitally-enabled learning opportunities designed to be accessed anytime, anywhere as appropriate. 

Our values are embedded in our Vison and Strategy 2025, preparing the university for future success. Read more about our values and vision.

Our future

We've created a number of dynamic social and learning spaces to enhance the campus experience for our students, staff and visitors. Three of these include the B-Hive - designed to encourage interaction and collaborative working, fostering a new campus wide culture - the Gallery - a vibrant multipurpose space that transforms into a versatile study and presentation area with flexible seating and advanced AV equipment – and the Study - featuring enclosed pods fitted with screens and charging facilities, making it an ideal area for solo and/or group study.  

Course-specific developments across our campuses include a £5m Colliers Park National Football Development Centre, Healthcare Simulation Centre, Biomechanics and Performance Sciences Laboratory, high-tech Cyber Innovation Academy (CIA), Veterinary Nursing Clinical Suite, and much more! 

We are currently constructing our Enterprise Engineering and Optics Centre (EEOC) and have several long-term plans, including the creation of a learning gateway building, located at the heart of the Plas Coch campus, which will become the main entrance to the University, featuring the new Students’ Union and a vibrant food outlet.