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The University of Birmingham is an English university in the city of Birmingham . It was founded in 1900 as a successor to Mason Science College , and is thus the earliest of the so-called " Red Brick " universities. A major research-led institution, it currently has nearly 17,000 undergraduate and 7,000 postgraduate students. ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY Its main campus, in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, is arranged around the 100 m-high Chamberlain clock tower (nicknamed Old Joe) commemorating Joseph Chamberlain , the University's first Chancellor . The Great Hall of the University is in the domed Aston Webb Building, which is named after one of its architects (the other was Ingress Bell ). building, Chancellor's Court.]] The University's Selly Oak campus is a short distance to the south of the main campus. It was the home of a federation of nine higher education colleges, mainly focused on theology and education, which were integrated into the University for teaching purposes in 1999 . Among these was Westhill College (later the University of Birmingham, Westhill) which merged with the University's School of Education in 2001 . On this campus the UK daytime TV show Doctors is filmed. The University also operates on several other sites in the city. Due to Birmingham's role as a centre of light engineering, the University traditionally had a special focus on science, engineering and commerce, as well as Coal Mining . It now teaches a full range of academic subjects and has five-star rating for teaching and research in several departments; additionally, it is widely regarded as making a prominent contribution to cancer studies. It is also considered as one of the best universities in the country for its sports teams. HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY On 23 February 1875 , Sir Josiah Mason , the Birmingham Industrialist and Philanthropist , who made his fortune in making key rings, pens, pen nibs and electroplating, founded Mason Science College . It was this institution that would eventually form the nucleus of the University of Birmingham. In 1882 their Departments of Chemistry , Botany and Physiology were transferred to Mason Science College, soon followed by the Departments of Physics and Comparative Anatomy . The transfer of the Medical School to Mason Science College gave considerable impetus to the growing importance of that College , and in 1896 , a move to incorporate it as a University College was made. As the result of the Mason University College Act 1897 it became incorporated as Mason University College on 1 January 1898 , with the Right Honourable Joseph Chamberlain MP becoming the President of its Court of Governors. It was largely due to Chamberlain's tireless enthusiasm that the University was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria on 24 March 1900 . The Calthorpe family offered twenty-five acres (10 hectares) of land on the Bournbrook side of their estate in July. The Court of Governors received the Birmingham University Act 1900, which put the Royal Charter into effect, on 31 May . The transfer of Mason University College to the new University of Birmingham, with Chamberlain as its first Chancellor and Sir Oliver Lodge as the first Principal , was complete. The University Charter of 1900 also included provision for a Faculty of Commerce, as was appropriate for a university itself founded by industrialists and based in a city with enormous business wealth. Consequently, the faculty, the first of its kind in Britain, was founded by Sir William Ashley in 1901, who from 1902 until 1923 served as first Professor of Commerce and Dean of the Faculty. ARCHITECTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY The University occupies a site some 3 miles south-west of Birmingham city centre. The original buildings on the Edgbaston site were built at the turn of the twentieth century. The original semi-circle of red-brick domed buildings, form Chancellor's Court, at the centre of which stands the clock tower. Affectionately known as 'Old Joe', as it is dedicated to the University's first chancellor Joseph Chamberlain , the design of the clock tower draws its inspiration from the that of the Torre Del Mangia , the medieval clock tower forming part of the Town Hall in Siena , Italy . CHANCELLORS OF THE UNIVERSITY
PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY
GUILD OF STUDENTS See Also: University of Birmingham Guild of Students
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