University of Suffolk

The University of Suffolk is a transformational university, absorbing the best of UK university traditions and aligning them with a twenty first century audience and a modern world of employment and entrepreneurship. We are a distinctive, thriving academic community which makes a clear and immediate impact. Our purpose is to change lives – of individuals and communities - for the better.

In a world where nothing ever stays the same, we all need to change, evolve, succeed and change again. That’s what we do. Be bold and do the same. Together we’ll achieve more.

Our history 

The University of Suffolk was originally established as University Campus Suffolk (UCS) in 2007, and transformed the provision of higher education in Suffolk and beyond. Subsequently, on the 1 August 2016, the first independent University of Suffolk was officially launched.

The story actually stems back to the Tudor times, when Cardinal Wolsey established Cardinal College (now Christ Church College), for which he planned a number of feeder colleges; the main one of which was to be in Ipswich. Some 500 years later, Suffolk now has its own university and the legacy of Cardinal Wolsey is firmly rooted within the history of education in Ipswich.

Our values

We are strongly embedded in our local region, and our unique and integrated partnership with four colleges is central to our identity. Our national and international impact through research and innovation brings recognition and opportunity to the region.

The student experience is at the heart of what we do; the strong partnership between students and staff at the University is central to our ambitions. Our students experience the highest quality in teaching, learning and social environments. Scholarship and high impact research is pervasive within the institution, and we offer our students a transformational experience.  

Our vision

The University of Suffolk is a cohesive, self-critical and student-centred academic community. Our vision over the next five years is to develop a broader base, be of higher academic standing, with a larger student population drawing from the region, nationally and internationally.  The University will be underpinned by an embedded scholarly base, with nationally and internationally recognised research in targeted areas.  Our role as a community impact university will be having a clear, measurable and positive impact on the economic, cultural and educational lives of the communities we serve.