UNIVERSITY COLLEGES. The so-called university col leges in England owe their rise to the desire, in the 19th century, to bring higher education within the reach of the population of certain regions to whom the existing universities were, for reasons of cost or distance, inaccessible. The earliest of such colleges, Owens college, Manchester (opened in 1851), was specifically founded for that purpose, and many of its students were long pre pared for the external examinations of London university. Sub sequently, in Manchester and elsewhere, the technical side was developed. Other similar foundations were the Yorkshire college, Leeds, the New University college, Liverpool, the Mason college, Birmingham, the Firth college, Sheffield. Later on certain of these colleges became affiliated colleges of a single university (see UNIVERSITIES), but such colleges, and even others which did not go through the intermediate stage, have now become independent universities, with the exception of Armstrong college, Newcastle, which is still part of Durham university. In fact, a university college to-day is regarded as a university in the making. The most recent to attain that dignity is Reading, while University college, Nottingham (see below) should soon win its charter. (C. BR.) Exeter.—When the Royal Albert Memorial building was erected in 1865, part of the premises was set aside for educational purposes. Here various extension courses provided by the Univer sity of Cambridge were instituted. These were co-ordinated in 1893 and the work placed under the direction of a principal. At the beginning of the present century courses were developed to prepare students for the external degrees of the University of Lon don. In 1922, the institution was incorporated as the University college of the south-west of England, and its status was recognized by grants from the University Grants committee. It is hoped in time to develop this institution as a university of the south-west of England. In June 1927 the prince of Wales laid the foundation stone.
The University college of Hull opened for the first time in Oct. 1928. The college has been established as a result of gifts by the Rt. Hon. T. R. Ferrens, amounting to £272,000. The corpo ration of Hull has also given it5o,000 towards the initial building scheme and has resolved to make an annual maintenance grant of £2,500. The policy of the college is to aim at quality rather than
quantity. It has, theref ore, been decided to begin as only two faculties, arts and science.
In 1921 an institution was established to prepare students for the examinations of the University of London under the style of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland college. In 1926 the name was changed to Leicester University college, when the endowment fund had reached a total of £130,000.
The University college was first opened in 1881, having developed out of courses conducted by the Extension Board of the University of Cambridge. It was housed till 1928 in buildings in the centre of the town, provided by the municipality. Through the generosity of Sir Jesse Boot, an admirable site and a fine building, opened by the King in the year named, have been provided at a cost of over isoo,000. An appeal is now being made for an adequate endowment fund. The college prepares its stu dents, both in day and evening classes, for the London university examinations in art, science and law. It has a very active Univer sity Extension department.
University college was opened as the Hartley institution by Lord Palmerston in 1862. At the outset the work was mostly evening work, by which students were prepared for the examination of the Science and Art department ; the day was rather preparatory to university work than of real academic standard. In 1902, under a scheme of the Board of Education, the institution became the Hartley University college, and received a grant from the Treasury. Just before the World War new build ings had been provided at Highfield, but they were not occupied by the college till 1919.
Lampeter. St. David's college, Lampeter, was founded in 1827 to provide a liberal education to persons intended for the Church, especially in Wales. It was subsequently affiliated to Oxford and Cambridge, where its students have special privileges. Under royal charters it has received the right to confer degrees in arts and theology, the examinations being conducted by exam iners appointed by Oxford and Cambridge. Residence for a certain number of terms is also essential. (A. E. Tw.)