The past, present, and future of Wrexham University

We are always looking to the future, whilst continuing to celebrate our origins in everything we do. Our campus improvements, opportunities for students and teaching quality, are key aspects of our University that contribute to us moving forward. 

As we work towards our 2030 vision, we are looking back at our roots, and invite you to discover our past origins, present achievements, and plans for the future. 

Wrexham University’s 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. 

What we’re doing now 

Since we became a university 15 years ago, our campuses and course offerings continue to expand. Our £80 million Campus 2025 strategy is ongoing, having completed several campus and facility improvements, enhancing the campus experience for current and future students, staff and visitors.

We've created a number of dynamic social and learning spaces, 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, Police Interview and Custody Suite, high-tech Cyber Innovation Academy (CIA), Veterinary Nursing Clinical Suite, and much more! 

We pride ourselves in our teaching quality and student satisfaction, which has been recognised in university league tables. We are currently ranked top 5 in the UK for both Teaching Quality (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025) and for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide, 2025).  

Our dedication to inclusion has also been consistently recognised, as we have remained number one for Social Inclusion in England and Wales for seven years running (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)

We are a close-knit community on our campuses and harbour this community spirit within the local area of Wrexham through our support of local endeavours. The Science Discovery Centre in Wrexham city centre, Xplore, used to have a home at our university campus. The centre changed from Techniquest to Xplore, and we currently support the centre to provide eye-opening, interactive scientific experiences to the community. We also have connections to supporting and promoting Ty Pawb, Wrexham’s multi-award winning, cultural community hub, which brings together arts and markets to celebrate Wrexham’s cultural identity. Theatr Clwyd currently leases the William Aston Hall on our Wrexham campus in a partnership to protect this vital arts venue as a community asset. This partnership ensures that the people of Wrexham and North Wales have access to the best in Welsh, UK and international entertainment. 

As our acclaim has grown, our graduate opportunities have also been enhanced with our degree offering.  Our dedicated Careers team are on hand to support our students during their studies and beyond. We are passionate about creating opportunity and sparking change in the lives of our students and graduates.

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. 

Looking to the future 

We are excited to be looking to the future with our 2030 vision to be a world leading modern civic university, regionally and globally engaged, delivering skills and impactful research which drive economic growth and innovation for the well-being of current and future generations. 

Our core values are:

• Excellence - Our students, staff, communities, partners and our future generations deserve the best. Individually and collectively, we strive to deliver quality and excellence in all that we do.
• Inclusion - We treat all people with kindness, dignity, and respect. We act with integrity for the common good. We actively promote inclusion, equity and diversity through our culture, environment and actions.
• Collaboration - We believe collaboration and partnership unlock solutions. We work in active partnerships with our students, colleagues, partners and communities to deliver our vision and realise our collective ambitions.
• Transformation - We are innovative and ambitious in our approach. We are ambassadors of change striving to make a positive difference through transformational impact to deliver social, economic and cultural benefits.
• Sustainability - We act in a sustainable way, ensuring environmental and financial sustainability are at the heart of our decision-making and actions.

As we work towards our 2030 vision, we remain committed to working collaboratively with our students, staff, industry partners, and the wider community. Together, we will continue to drive growth, spark innovation, and make a lasting impact both regionally and globally.