The University of Bolton (or simply Bolton Institute; legally: The University of Bolton Higher Education Corporation) is a public university in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It has approximately 6,000 students and 700 academic and professional staff. Around 70% of its students come from Bolton and the North West region. The university is a member of the North West Universities Association, Universities UK and Million+. History The University of Bolton traces its origins back to 1824 with the founding of Bolton Mechanics' Institute. In 1887, the Committee of the Mechanics' Institute decided that the town's apprentices required technical instruction for the rapidly expanding engineering advances being made at the turn of the nineteenth century. This resulted in the creation of the new Technical School with student numbers rising to more than 1,500. In 1926, Bolton Technical School became a college. Fifteen years later a new building was opened offering a wide range of technical education choices, with engineering the most popular. In 1964, Bolton Technical College and Bolton Institute of Technology were divided into two separate organisations. A J Jenkinson was Principal of the Technical College, Bolton College of Education (Technical) and then the first Principal of Bolton Institute of Technology. Bolton Institute of Higher Education was formed in 1982 by the merger of the Bolton Institute of Technology and Bolton College of Education. The first principal of BIHE was John McKenzie, who was succeeded by Bob Oxtoby. Oxtoby began the campaign for university status. An £8.3 million extension project began in 1991 with the purchase of the former Eagle Factory. Bolton Institute was awarded the right to award taught degrees in 1992, with the powers to award research degrees in 1996. In 1998, Mollie Temple became the third principal and successfully led the institution to achieve university status in 2004. In November 2014, it became the first university in the North West to become a Living Wage employer. Campus The university is primarily situated on an urban campus between Deane Road and Derby Street in Bolton. There are two halls of residence, although the university intends to relocate all services on to a single site in the centre of Bolton. There is an academic centre in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Facilities Senate House Formally known as Deane Tower, Senate House underwent refurbishment in 2004 to become a centre for design disciplines, research and consultancy services. The Chancellor's Building