schools for working-class people. They wanted a school – this is what they said – ‘for the education of mechanics and engineers so they could have some practical understanding of science to apply to their work’. It wasn’t a university then, of course, only a college. It used to award diplomas, but not degrees. It was called the Stevenson Institute – you know – after the famous engineer who invented the first steam locomotive.
The university was ahead of its time in terms of equal opportunities. Women began to attend classes in 1870, long before other institutions. This was mainly the result of a vigorous campaign by Jenny Ellis – erm – she was the wife of one of the founders but, erm, she was also a member of the Women’s Movement. She convinced her husband that newly educated working men would want educated wives to talk to at home.
The Stevenson Institute quickly became very popular and, by 1880, the original buildings were overcrowded and in need of repair. The founders decided not to repair the buildings, but – erm – instead they decided to construct new buildings in the city centre. However, there were a lot of delays and the work was very expensive. So – erm – as a result, the institute experienced some financial problems – erm – so bad, in fact, it nearly had to close. Fortunately, it was rescued by a wealthy inventor who owed his fortune to his early studies there – at the institute. So, of course, the institute wanted to thank him for his support, erm, and they decided to change the name to include his name, so that’s when it became the Morgan-Stevenson College.
Now, the college expanded throughout the 20th century and, in
particular, it developed a reputation in the fields of Science and Engineering. It was given university status in 1967 – so this meant that it could award degrees. At the same time, a decision was made to relocate to a purpose-built campus outside the city – this campus that we are on now. It used to be a large estate, but the buildings were demolished long ago. The only thing left is, erm, part of the original arched gateway at the entrance. It was decided to rename the college Gateway University, to mark the move to the new campus. A new logo was designed and, erm, as you know, it features the gateway. So the university I went to in the 1950s had a different name and was located in a different place.
Since the 1960s, the main expansion has been in the number of international students who attend the university. Now, I think, more than one-third of the students on campus come from overseas, and there is also a large range of distance-learning programmes for students to study in their own countries.
So, I hope that’s given you an idea of some of the changes in the history of the university, but if you have any questions …
Unit 6, Lesson 2, Task 9
MAYSOUN: My lecturers keep using a word, revolution; what do they mean?
GUY: Well, a revolution is usually a time when there are big changes in politics, you know, a new government, like the French Revolution. Is it like that?
ACCESS EAP: Foundations 211
Key words
mechanics engineers called … after steam locomotive ahead of its time equal opportunities long before a vigorous campaign the Women’s Movement popular original overcrowded in need of repair instead to construct experienced financial problems fortunately was rescued wealthy owed his fortune to expanded developed a reputation university status award degrees to relocate a purpose-built campus estate were demolished arched the entrance to rename to mark the move a logo features
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