| AdminHistory | The Sheffield College of Technology was built at Pond Street in 1950.
In 1963 the government set a target of 17% of school leavers entering higher education within 20 years. The Government White Paper, 'A Plan for Polytechnics and Other Colleges', published in 1966 outlined the vision for the proposed polytechnics. They were to differ from the traditional universities by the "comprehensive range and character of their work"', they were to be "mixed communities of full-time and part-time teachers and students" and they were to have "closer links with industry, business and the professions".
Local authorities were invited to submit schemes to merge some of their colleges and form them into polytechnics. In 1967 Sheffield proposed merging the College of Technology and the College of Art, and two years later Sheffield Polytechnic - one of the first three polytechnics - was established.
Early areas of study included design and science, building and domestic science. The main sites were Pond Street and Psalter Lane. Prior to the development of the Pond Street campus, teaching of the initial 4,400 students took place at Bowling Green Street in Shalesmoor, Arundel Street, Salmon Pastures, the City Grammar School and the Cathedral School. Within its first few years the range of courses expanded, for example Modern Studies, Public Administration, Education Management, Computer Science, Organisation Development. In 1974 the Department of Health Studies was established and two years later the Sheffield School of Physiotherapy was transferred from the Sheffield United Hospitals. From the mid 1970s courses could be combined e.g. Modern Languages with Politics or Engineering with Business Studies.
In 1970 the Regional Centre for Science and Technology was established at the Polytechnic and in 1971 the Polytechnic was designated as the Regional Management Centre for Yorkshire and Humberside.
1976 saw the mergers of the City College of Education (based at Collegiate Crescent) and the Totley-Thornbridge College of Education (specialising in domestic science) and the word 'city' was added to the Polytechnic's title. 1977 saw the merger with Lady Mabel College of Physical Education, based at Wentworth Woodhouse.
By the 1980s Sheffield was one of the largest and most popular polytechnics in the country. In 1985 it was one of the first to be given delegated powers by the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) to validate degree courses.
Other developments included SCEPTRE (Sheffield Centre for Product Development and Technological Resources) in 1983, offering product development services, technical advice and market research; South Yorkshire Microsystems Centre (1982) offering advice and assistance to companies purchasing computer systems, as well as learning courses; Sheffield Science Park (a joint venture with English Estates, Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield and the Polytechnic) providing high quality accommodation for new businesses involved in high technology and science-based knowledge industries. Sheffield Business School opened in 1986.
In 1988-1989 a professoriate was established.
In 1988 the Education Act severed connections between local authorities and polytechnics, which became independent bodies from 1 April 1989. In 1992 Sheffield City Polytechnic became Sheffield Hallam University and was given authority, along with other 'new universities', to award its own degrees. By 2000 there were approximately 28,000 students enrolled on its courses. |