Founded on principles of excellence, equality and opportunity for all, the University of York opened in 1963 with just 230 students. Since then we have become one of the world's leading universities, carving out a reputation as an academic powerhouse where a clear focus on excellence has secured national and international recognition alongside longer established institutions.
The University of York is one of the success stories in UK higher education. Since our foundation in 1963, we have powered our way to a consistently high ranking in the UK and are one of just six post-war universities to have appeared in the world top 100.
All universities have a governing body that is responsible for overseeing their activities, determining their future direction and monitoring progress against strategic ambitions. The University's governing body is the Council. Council is also responsible for ensuring we remain financially sustainable and that we meet our legal obligations. It takes the final decision on matters which have a significant impact on the University
While Council takes on a monitoring and oversight role as the governing body, it delegates the operational running of the University to the Acting Vice-Chancellor and President. The Acting Vice-Chancellor and President undertakes his responsibilities with the support of his senior colleagues who meet twice a month as the University Executive Board.
Central Hall is a tiered auditorium located at the heart Heslington campus overlooking the lake. It has a capacity of 1190 and is used for concerts, conferences, competitions, fashion shows, graduations and other events. The University of York library and archives network consists of several libraries on the Heslington campus and in the local area. The JB Morrell library is the main library on campus as is located on University Road.