The City of Birmingham Education Committee was invited to submit a scheme for the establishment of a polytechnic bringing together a number of different colleges in the city in 1967. Late in 1969, the post of director of the polytechnic was advertised.
Although the city lagged behind other parts of the country, Birmingham finally gained a polytechnic in 1971—then the 27th in the UK—designated by the Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher as the City of Birmingham Polytechnic. This was the second polytechnic in Birmingham, the first – Birmingham Polytechnic Institution – having existed in the mid-19th century for ten years.
Birmingham Polytechnic was designated as a polytechnic in 1971 and gained university status in 1992. Birmingham's polytechnic was formed initially out of five colleges. Some of the colleges' staff fought against the merger but later changed their minds. The colleges were:
In the early 1970s, the Perry Barr campus was the site of building work for what later became the centrepiece of the polytechnic: the Attwood and Baker buildings. Later in the 1970s, the campus was increased in size with the building of what later became the Cox, Dawson, Edge, Feeney and Galton buildings. In the early 1980s, the William Kenrick Library was added to the site. Other, smaller buildings were subsequently constructed, and the estate became known as the City North Campus of Birmingham City University.
- Birmingham College of Art and Design (originally the Birmingham Government School of Design, founded in October 1843);
- Birmingham School of Music (developed as a department of the Birmingham and Midland Institute around 1859);
- Birmingham College of Commerce (established in the early 20th century as a branch school of the Birmingham Central Technical College, which went on to become Aston University);
- South Birmingham Technical College (opened in 1961);
- North Birmingham Technical College (formerly Aston Technical College, opened in 1966).
In the early 1970s, the Perry Barr campus was the site of building work for what later became the centrepiece of the polytechnic: the Attwood and Baker buildings. Later in the 1970s, the campus was increased in size with the building of what later became the Cox, Dawson, Edge, Feeney and Galton buildings. In the early 1980s, the William Kenrick Library was added to the site. Other, smaller buildings were subsequently constructed, and the estate became known as the City North Campus of Birmingham City University.
Birmingham City University (abbrev. BCU) is a university in Birmingham, England. Initially established as the Birmingham College of Art with roots dating back to 1843. Birmingham Polytechnic was designated as a polytechnic in 1971 and gained university status in 1992. BCU is the second largest of five universities in the city, the other four being Aston University, University of Birmingham, University College Birmingham, and Newman University.
