Harper Adams University, founded in 1901 as Harper Adams College, is a public university located close to the village of Edgmond, near Newport, in Shropshire, England. Established in 1901, the college is a specialist provider of higher education for the agricultural and rural sector. It gained university college status in 1998, and university status in 2012.[3]
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 Coat of Arms Harper Adams University | |
Former name | Harper Adams Agricultural College |
|---|---|
| Motto | Utile Dulci (Latin) |
Motto in English | Useful and agreeable |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1901: as Harper Adams Agricultural College 1998: gained University college status 2012: gained University Status |
| Chancellor | The Princess Royal |
| Vice-Chancellor | Professor Ken Sloan |
| Students | 4,680 (2019/20)[1] |
| Undergraduates | 4,125 (2019/20)[1] |
| Postgraduates | 555 (2019/20)[1] |
Other students | 60 FE[2] |
| Location | , , TF10 8NB , United Kingdom 52°46′47″N 2°25′39″W |
| Website | www |
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The university provides more than 50 foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes to students from over 30 countries. The university is set within a 550 hectare (1360 acre) working farm.[4]
History
Harper Adams College, which would become the university, was founded in 1901. Its first Principal was Headworth Foulkes (1901–1922). Thomas Harper Adams, a wealthy Shropshire gentleman farmer, died in 1892, bequeathing the estate which was the original foundation. The college had just six students to begin with.
In 1909 a specialist poultry husbandry was created.[5]
During the First World War, Harper Adams remained open, and in 1915 the first women were admitted into the college on wartime farm courses. Harper Adams was the first institute to do so, and in 1916 women were admitted as full-time students onto a wide variety of courses. Approximately, 200 staff and former students served during the war and 40 are known to have died as a result.[6] In 2015, 10 additional names were added to the university's memorial board, after previously unrecorded alumni were also discovered to have been killed in action.[7] A board in the Old Library listing the names of those killed was dedicated in March 2015, crafted by Peter Nunn of the university's estate department, whilst a new memorial garden was also created outside the library.
The agricultural depression of the 1920s onward led to a drop in student numbers. In 1922, Charles Crowther (1922–1944) became Principal and efforts were taken to ensure the College stayed open. The National Institute of Poultry Husbandry opened in 1926, bringing with it to Harper a high profile in areas of teaching and research. The college managed to stay open during the Second World War, and in 1939 the first girls arrived at the college. Bill Price (1946–1962) become Principal in 1946 and student numbers steadily rose to 222. The Jubilee Hostel was opened in 1951.[8]
Reginald Kenny became principal in 1962 until 1977. In 1964, the funding of the college was passed from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Department of Education and Science. The first Higher National Diploma students were enrolled in 1969. Tony Harris was later appointed principal in 1977 until 1994. Degree courses were first introduced at Harper Adams in 1981. The university was one of the first institutions to introduce a BSc. sandwich course. The CNAA granted Harper Adams the authority to validate its own courses. In 1985, the science building was opened by Princess Margaret.[8]
Student numbers passed 1000 for the first time in 1991. In 1994, three new student residences were opened. Wynn Jones became principal in 1996, and later that year the Privy Council granted the university degree awarding powers. In 1998, Harper Adams gained the title of University College. In 2004, Harper Adams was awarded £2.1 million in funding to develop its work with rural businesses. Harper Adams gained the power to award research degrees in 2006 and shortly after, a new Biomass Hall was opened. Dr David Llewellyn was appointed principal in 2009.[9] In the September, a new £2.3 million dairy unit was opened[10] and in December, a £3million award-winning Regional Food Academy (RFA) was officially opened by The Princess Royal.[11] In 2010, Nick Herbert opened a Postgraduate and Professional Development Centre, and in the same year the Faccenda student centre and a new student hall of residence were opened. An anaerobic digester opened in 2011, expects to offset the carbon emissions of the university three times over annually. It won a Renewable Energy Infrastructure Award and hosts an award-winning anaerobic digestion facility.[12] Ken Sloan was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Harper Adams University in 2021, its eighth institutional leader.
Harper Adams is an academic sponsor of the JCB Academy which opened in 2010. JCB Academy was the first university technical college to be established in England.[13]
In 2012, Harper Adams had the title 'university' conferred upon it. This ended the institution's long history of being a college and consequently, Harper Adams became Shropshire's first university.[14]
In 2020, the University received its first student intake to Harper and Keele Veterinary School, a new joint venture with Keele University offering a BVetMS degree.[15]
Campus
The campus is on farm land on the outskirts of Edgmond near Newport, Shropshire. Over the last decade more than £45 million has been invested in the campus.[citation needed] Harper Adams operates a 635 hectare (1569 acres) commercial farm on campus.[citation needed] Undergraduate students live on campus in one of 15 halls.[16]
Organisation
Academic departments
Undergraduate courses are offered via 5 academic departments and courses fall under 10 broad subject areas
- Agriculture
- Animal Sciences (behaviour and welfare)
- Business and Agri-Food
- Environment, Sustainability and Wildlife
- Engineering
- Food Science, Technology and Innovation
- Land and Property Management
- Veterinary Nursing
- Veterinary Physiotherapy
- Zoology
Academics
Research
In 2014 Harper Adams University has been recognised for the quality of its research by the Research Excellence Framework.[17]
Areas of research include; management of soil and water, crop disease resistance, agricultural technology, livestock carbon footprint reduction, genetic approaches to improving food quality, bioenergy and renewable sources, agricultural landscape biodiversity, pedagogy and animal welfare.[18]
Research facilities
Facilities for the university's research work include:
- Elizabeth Creak Building
- Princess Margaret Science Laboratories
- Jean Jackson Entomology Building
- Crop and Environment Research Centre
- Dairy Crest Innovation Centre
- Poultry Research Unit
- Regional Food Academy
Hands Free Hectare
Since 2016 the "Hands Free Hectare" project within the engineering department has been developing robotic farming operations.[19]
Ranking and awards
Awards
- In 2016 Harper Adams University was voted university of the year.[20]
- The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Further and Higher Education, winner of Innovative applications in agricultural engineering and technologies to address UK and global food security, 2017.[21]
Rankings
| National rankings | |
|---|---|
| Complete (2025)[22] | 32 |
| Times / Sunday Times (2024)[23] | 36 |
| Global rankings | |
| QS (2025)[24] | 1201–1400 |
Sunday Times
Times Higher Education
- UK's Best Modern University (Times Higher Education), 2017.[27]
- 1st Student Experience (Times Higher Education), 2017
Employment
The 2020 Graduate Outcomes survey showed 98.8% were in work or further study 15 months after completing their studies.[28]
Sports
 |
Harper Adams has a variety of sports clubs, including rugby, shooting, football, hockey, fencing, netball, polo, tug of war, basketball, motorsport, off-roading, rowing, running, field sports, equestrian and mountain biking. The university competes in the British Universities and Colleges Sport leagues and championships.[29]
Rowing
Harper Adams University Boat Club (HAURC) is located at Pengwern Boat Club on the River Severn in Shrewsbury.[30] Members compete in the BUCS Rowing League, local regattas. The club's registered blades are dark blue, cyan and gold.[31]
Shooting
Harper Adams University Clay Shooting Club (HAUSC) is the largest club in the university with over 100 members.[32] The club competes in local competitions, BUCS League, the Countryside Alliance Cirencester Cup Competition and also holds private matches against the Royal Agricultural University and St Andrews University. The HAUSC is consistently placed amongst the most successful shooting clubs in the UK. In 2011 and 2012, the HAUSC won the national title at the BUCS Clay Pigeon Shooting Championships.[33]
Motorsport
The Motorsport Team has its own VW Golf GTi rally car and Ford Fiesta R2 National.[34][35] In January 2017, the team announced a partnership with the M-Sport World Rally Team. The team regularly competes in BRC events.[35]
Coat of arms and flag
The arms of the university are those of the Harper Adams family, which were formally transferred to the university by letters patent presented in May 2018 Rouge Croix Pursuivant, of the College of Arms in May 2018.[36] As a banner of arms these are in use as the university flag.
The arms appear in stained glass in the main building.[37]
Governance
Chancellor
The Chancellor has been HRH The Princess Royal, from its opening in 2013 until the present. This is a ceremonial role.
List of College Principals and University Vice-Chancellors
- Hedworth Foulkes (1901–1922)
- Charles Crowther (1922–1944)
- Bill Price (1946–1962)
- Reginald Kenney (1962–1977)
- Tony Harris (1977–1994)
- Wynne Jones (1996–2009)
- David Llewelyn (2009–2021): the role was renamed Vice-Chancellor on full university status being conferred in 2012.
- Ken Sloan (2021–present)
Notable people
Notable alumni
- Scott Bemand (born 1978) a retired English rugby union player[38]
- Christopher Borrett (born 1979) an English cricketer[39]
- Helen Browning an organic livestock and arable farmer in Wiltshire[40]
- Sarah Dyke (born 1971), Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament[41]
- Robin Faccenda (born 1937) wealthy businessman in the poultry industry[42]
- Rachael Hamilton (born 1970) a British politician, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire[43]
- Jorian Jenks (1899–1963) an English farmer, environmentalism pioneer and fascist[44]
- Michael Paget-Wilkes (born 1941) Archdeacon of Warwick 1990–2009[45]
- Boyd Rankin (born 1984) an Irish cricketer[46]
- Rob Strachan (born 1960) the heir presumptive to the Mill of Strachan[47]
- Julian Sturdy (born 1971) a farmer and MP for York Outer[48]
- Barbara Woodhouse (1910–1988) a dog trainer, author, horse trainer and TV personality.[49]
Notable governors
- Arthur Colegate, Governor and Conservative party MP[50]
- Francis Fitzherbert, 15th Baron Stafford, Landowner, Peer
Honorary degree and fellowship holders
- Adam Henson[51]
- Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch and 12th Duke of Queensbury[51]
- Julia Slingo[52]
- Hugh Pennington[52]
- Jimmy Doherty[53]
- Anthony Bamford, Chairman of JCB[53]
- Baroness Hazel Byford DBE, Conservative bench and Shadow Minister[53]
- Peter Kendall, NFU President[54]
- Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster[55]
- John Beddington[56]
- Justin King, Chief Executive of J Sainsbury PLC[57]
- Geoffrey Davies, Managing Director of Alamo Group Europe Ltd[57]
- The Princess Royal[58]
Notable staff
- F. P. Raynham (1893–1954) In 1909 he was an office worker at the Harper Adams Agricultural College, he then became a British pilot[59] from the early days of aviation
- David Llewellyn (born 1960) Vice-Chancellor[60] of Harper Adams University from 2009 to 2021
- Simon Leather, Professor of Entomology[61] at Harper Adams University, aphid specialist
In popular culture
Ruth Archer, a fictional character played by English actress Felicity Finch from the BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers, attended Harper Adams University College as part of her fictional backstory.[62]
References
External links
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