York St John University

York St John University began in May 1841 as the York Diocesan Training School, when it opened with a single pupil, 16-year-old Edward Preston Cordukes, whose name is now given to the Students' Union building. A women's training school opened in 1846, and the two merged in 1974 as the College of Ripon and York St John. It became a university college in 1990 and gained full university status in 2006 as York St John University. Today the university teaches students from more than 100 countries, in the heart of the historic city of York, and it is known for a personal, supportive approach to teaching, with small classes and close contact between students and lecturers. Its strengths include education and teacher training, health and nursing, business, the creative arts, humanities and the social sciences, and it is the only university in York with a campus in the city centre. The university's main campus is on Lord Mayor's Walk, close to York Minster and the city walls, with historic buildings alongside modern teaching, library and sports facilities, and it opened a campus in London in 2018, giving students the chance to study in the capital. Graduation ceremonies have been held in York Minster since 1989, and 97 per cent of the university's students are in work or further study six months after graduation.