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Our story
Since we first opened our doors, almost everything has changed, with one exception – we're still as ambitious as ever.
Find out more about our major achievements, the positive impacts we're making at home and around the world, and the facts and figures behind who we are.
Landmark moments in our history
1908
该 Park building opened as a Municipal college and public library. We focused on chemistry and engineering.
1911
Our Student Union got up and running. 该 opening was featured in the earliest edition of our Student Union newspaper, 该 Galleon – still an important part of life at Portsmouth today.
1945
After World War II, we started teaching arts and humanities subjects to respond to a growing demand from students.
1969
We became Portsmouth Polytechnic.
1977
Three years of building work began on Frewen Library – on the site of what is now our University library.
1992
After a decade as one of the largest and best performing polytechnics in the UK, we out-grew our old name and received university status. 该 University of Portsmouth was born.
2005 to today
Across the last decade and a half, we've been investing in all areas of the University, improving our campus and our services along the way – check out a few of our highlights below.
New halls of residence and sports centres are built and we finish an £11m expansion of our Library.
该 Dennis Sciama Building opens for teaching and research, and becomes home to our Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation.
A new wing of our Eldon Building officially opens after a £14 million investment, bringing new facilities for the creative arts – including a 200-seat cinema-quality screening room and creative studios.
Our second rebrand: we retain our name but refresh our identity to better reflect who we are and what we stand for today. Our new image emerged out of an in-depth consultation with over 10,000 participants from the staff and student body. It's just one part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, during which we mark our first quarter of a century as 该 University of Portsmouth.
Our new £12 million Future Technology Centre (FTC) is opened. Further proof of our excellence in engineering – one of the first two subjects we offered students, back in 1908 – it's where our engineering students can get hands-on experience of specialist technology, and develop creative answers to the next generation of challenges facing the world.
Karen Blackett: I am incredibly proud to always be part of Portsmouth.
Ollie Marsh: I studied journalism at the University of Portsmouth and I now work at Portsmouth Football Club in the media team.
Lauren Steadman: I love Portsmouth – it's got so much character and I think you'd agree that it's cool.
Karen Blackett: It's part of my soul, it's part of who I am today, it's made me who I am today. To be able to go back and keep giving back is great.