Features / things you probably didn't know
Things you probably didn’t know about UWE
Almost 6,000 graduates, their friends and families will come together over the next two weeks for UWE Bristol’s graduation ceremonies at Bristol Beacon.
But how much do you know about the university? Here are our some of our favourite facts.
The old hospital is now Glenside Hospital Museum – photo: Glenside Hospital Museum
1) Part of UWE’s campus used to be Beaufort Military Hospital and later Glenside Psychiatric Hospital. In 1857, Glenside Hospital was approved as an asylum. Now repurposed for health and social care courses, the campus today hosts the Glenside Hospital Museum inside the hospital’s former chapel.
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2) UWE boasts a host of famous alumni, including comedians Russel Howard and Miranda Hart, actress Adjoa Andoh and presenter Bear Grylls.
3) Part of UWE dates back to 1737, with the former Merchant Venturers’ Navigation School forming part of its current campus.
The old crest reflects Bristols long connection with the sea – photo: UWE Bristol
4) The university’s crest, which is no longer used, features some other-worldly creatures including a unicorn and sea stag, which represents both the city of Bristol and the former county of Avon. The unicorn and sea stag support an apple tree, representing the tree of knowledge.
5) UWE is famed for some rather intriguing discoveries. In 2018, a team of scientists at the university found a system to turn urine into electricity. This technology was test-run at Glastonbury Festival, being used to charge mobile phones and power information displays.
UWE Bristol officially became a university in 1992 – photo: UWE Bristol
6) Psychologists at UWE have made attempts to understand what seagulls are thinking. From gathering information about nesting sites and feeding behaviours, researchers found that birds were smart enough to target pubs at closing time when inebriated punters were more likely to drop food.
Part of UWE’s campus was Glenside Psychiatric Hospital – photo: Glenside Hospital Museum
7) St Matthias Campus in Fishponds used to belong to UWE. The campus is remembered for its impressive neo-Gothic architecture and picturesque gardens, as well as being a pioneering institution for women’s higher education as a teacher training school.
Main photo: UWE Bristol
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