Wrexham Glyndwr University Open Day - November 2024

Our open days and online events give you the opportunity to speak to staff and students and see why Wrexham University was ranked Top 10 for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024). Join us to find out more about our courses, discover our facilities and support services, and see why Wrexham University should be your top choice to study at.

Our history

We’ve been teaching students at our main Wrexham campus since 1887, when we were known as the Wrexham School of Science and Art. We first started offering degrees in 1924 but we’ve come a long way since then.

We became the Denbighshire Technical Institute in 1927 and moved to Regent Street, which is now home to our arts and design courses. As the Institute grew, the development of what is now our main Plas Coch campus began, and following the completion of developments in 1939, the Denbighshire Technical College was born.

The internal design of the College was created and executed by Sir Patrick Abercromby, the famous Liverpool-Dublin Architect. Our tiles in the main foyer of our campus were designed by Peggy Angus as a representation of the flow of learning, with a celebration of our Welsh background incorporated. The original tiles remain in our reception to this day.

It soon became necessary to merge the three main colleges of the County of Clwyd: Denbighshire Technical College, Cartrefle Teacher Training College (situated at the other end of Wrexham) and Kelsterton College in Connah’s Quay near Chester.

The resulting North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI) became one of the largest colleges of its kind in Britain, with over 9,000 students and an annual budget in 1975 of £5 million.

In 2008, NEWI gained university status and we decided on the name, Glyndwr University. This name came from Owain Glyndŵr, the last native-born Welshman to hold the title of Prince of Wales.

We wanted our new institution to encapsulate the values of Owain Glyndwr; to be bold, enterprising, and open to all.