The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) was founded in Preston in 1828 as the Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge.  Since those early days it has transitioned into one of the UK’s leading, modern universities with a student body comprising some 120 nations and an overall learning community approaching 38,000. 

Throughout its development ‘Ex solo ad solem’, or in translation, ‘From the Earth to the Sun’, has been its motto – helping talented people from all walks of life to make the most of their potential. Staff at UCLan pride themselves on putting the needs of students at the centre of everything they do and in 2014 this shared core value was highlighted when the University achieved IIP Gold status.   

In 2015 the Centre for World University Rankings placed UCLan in the top 3.8 percent of all worldwide universities and over the coming years UCLan’s £200 million Campus Masterplan development will create a truly world-class educational environment that will propel the University to new levels of excellence.