The university was founded as Chester Diocesan Training College in 1839 by a distinguished group of local leading figures in the Church of England, including future Prime Ministers William Ewart Gladstone and the 14th Earl of Derby. The original College building (still in use and now known as Old College) in 1843, a year after it opened The University of Chester is the fifth oldest higher education establishment in England, with only the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and London outdating it.

It holds the Silver Award in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The university is a member of AACSB, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Cathedrals Group, the North West Universities Association and Universities UK. It offers a range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as undertaking academic research. The university originated as the first purpose-built teacher training college in the UK.Īs a university, it now occupies five campus sites in and around Chester, one in Warrington, and a University Centre in Shrewsbury. The University of Chester is a public university located in Chester, England.

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