About us
Vision and values
Our vision is to be recognised worldwide as a leading university for inspiring learning, advancing knowledge and enriching society through the fusion of education, research and practice.
BU is an inclusive, forward-looking and ambitious university, with an exciting and developing international profile.
We have around 17,000 students and we are ranked as one of the top 100 young universities in the world (THE Young University Rankings 2024) but our ambition doesn’t stop there.
Our motto at BU is Discere Mutari Est – to learn is to change. It’s a principle that runs through everything we do across education, research, professional practice, and public engagement. When you join us, you become a part of a learning community that strives to make an impact on the world around us – aiming for a more sustainable, inclusive, and healthy society.
Our values are creativity, responsibility, excellence and inclusivity.
Our people and culture
BU people are welcoming and friendly. We are open minded and informal, and do our best to live our values of creativity, responsibility, excellence and inclusivity.
Through the impact of our research and education, and the contribution of our staff, students and graduates, we are able to make a difference to the world we live in. We help people live better for longer; protect and preserve a sustainable environment; help to prepare for and recover from crisis; challenge marginalisation, misinformation and underrepresentation; and help creative industries and cultural heritage to thrive. BU is a catalyst for growth to boost local skills and advance the region we call home, with regional partnerships in healthcare, business, sport and more. Many students and staff benefit directly from these partnerships, with organisations like University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) and Premier League football club AFC Bournemouth.
Across BU, we work closely with employers, practitioners and professional organisations. This supports graduate employability as well as informing our research. BU has a long-established reputation for our commitment to work placements and experiences as part of a degree. Every undergraduate student at BU has the opportunity to undertake a work placement or work-based learning experience as part of their course, adding vital experience to their CVs and helping them to gain employment after their course.
In the Research Excellence Framework 2021, 94% of our research was found to be internationally-recognised or above, with 19% found to be world-leading in quality. This reflects our commitment to provide an inclusive and supportive environment for research to flourish, and ensuring research activity supports our engagement with industry and practice and informs education.
Finance
The University has strengthened its financial position in recent years but is not immune to the challenges the sector is facing. After two challenging recruitment cycles, we are looking to rebuild on recruitment in our key markets so BU can grow and flourish. The financial statements show a strong performance for 2022/23 which continues to be reflected in our 2023/24 accounts (currently awaiting audit finalisation). Our future plans are for growth in new markets and diversification in order to remain financially resilient.
Our locations
We benefit from a wonderful location, situated between one of the UK’s newest national parks and a seven-mile long sandy beach. We’re also home to the second largest natural harbour in the world, with the World Heritage Jurassic Coast located nearby. This makes for an excellent test-bed for our research, and a wonderful place to relax and call home after work or study. Good transport links means that London is only two hours away.
We employ around 1,800 staff and we continue to invest in our buildings and facilities, such as our Poole and Bournemouth Gateway Buildings, or our sports facility, Chapel Gate.
Together with our strategic partners we embarked on a c£250m development programme in 2013. This led to the refurbishment of many buildings within our legacy estate and the delivery of several new landmark constructions. These landmark buildings include our Poole and Bournemouth Gateway Buildings. Sitting at the entrance of the town, the Bournemouth Gateway at 10,000 sqm and c£50m represents the largest single capital investment ever made by the University.
In 2019 we purchased Chapel Gate, a 56-acre green field sports campus adjacent to Bournemouth International Airport. This is home to SportBU and is a complex used by the community across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch.
We are extremely proud of our sustainability record. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024 measure the work of universities against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), and BU is ranked 39th in the world and 8th in the UK (out of 1,963).
Sustainability
We are serious about our commitment to sustainability and we are delighted to have been ranked in the top 40 universities measured across the world in the THE Impact Rankings 2023 for our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). BU also ranks first internationally for UN SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production. The rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ SDGs, which aim to protect people and the planet. We are committed to achieving carbon net zero by 2030.
History
Our origins can be traced to the early 20th century, with the foundation of Bournemouth Municipal College. In the early 1970s we became the Bournemouth College of Technology and new buildings were constructed in Talbot Village, the area now known as our Talbot Campus. In 1976 our name changed again to the Dorset Institute of Higher Education. We became Bournemouth Polytechnic in 1990, and then were inaugurated under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 on 27 November 1992 as Bournemouth University.
Facts and figures
- Around 17,000 students
- Over 1,800 staff
- 4 academic faculties teaching across multiple campuses
- Turnover of more than £180m
- Our latest alumni survey found that 95% of undergraduates would recommend BU as a great place to study and live
Awards and accolades
- One of the top 100 young universities in the world (Times Higher Education Impact Young University Rankings 2024)
- REF – 94% of research internationally-recognised or world-leading. Top third of UK institutions for research power. Ranked 51st out of the 157 UK institutions who participated in REF 2021.
- TEF Silver
- In the top 50% of UK Universities in the Complete University Guide 2025 table and 55th overall
- Times and Sunday Times 2024 – 81st out of 131 institutions
- Guardian University Guide 2024 – 99th out of 122 institutions
- Race Equality Charter (REC) bronze award
- Athena Swan bronze award
- THE Impact Rankings – 8th in the UK, and 39th in the world and first in the UK for UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.