The University of Worcester is the sole university in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It was founded in 1946 as an emergency teacher training college for the University of Birmingham.
Notable alumni include Bollywood actress and former Miss India Swaroop Sampat, Jo Yapp, the politician Jacqui Smith, and the former captain of England Women’s Rugby.
Founded on the location of a former World War II RAF airfield, this institution is the fastest-growing in the UK, with applications rising by 10.6% in 2009 from 100% since 2004. Today, the Worcester Wolves basketball team, the league-winning Worcester Allstars football squad, and the Worcester Royals American football team all call the university home. As per the Times Higher Education, it Ranks 201-300th in 2024.
The university has been seeking to acquire numerous new locations throughout the city since 2005. Its long-term plan calls for the construction of a joint community, additional university facilities, and the addition of a third campus. In 2012, Her Majesty the Queen officially opened The Hive, a library and study center with over a quarter of a million volumes and 12 miles of archival collections. It is a collaborative venture with the Worcestershire County Council and has a busy event schedule that includes regular public talks, exhibitions, and performances for the community and students.
