Cardiff Metropolitan University (Welsh: Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd), formerly University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), is a university situated in Cardiff. It operates from two campuses: Llandaff on Western Avenue and Cyncoed campus to the north-east of the city.

The university has over 12,000 students. The university offers degree courses in a variety of disciplines. Study is available at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, full-time and part-time, and research opportunities are offered. Cardiff Metropolitan University has a number of research and enterprise centres, including the Food Industry Centre, the Welsh Centre for Tourism Research, and the National Centre for Product Design and Development Research.

Cardiff Metropolitan University has been independently acclaimed for its academic standards, with its most recent QAA Institutional Report (2008) stating that ‘confidence can be placed in the soundness of the institution’s current and likely future management of the quality of its programmes and of the academic standards of the associated awards.

• 1865 – The School of Art opened in the Old Free Library Building, St Mary’s Street.
• 1900– School of Art moved to the Technical Buildings in Dumfries Place.
• 1940 – (circa) Cardiff College of Food Technology and Commerce opened at Crwys Road.
• 1949 – The School of Art moved to The Friary.
• 1950 – Cardiff Training College opened at Heath Park.
• 1954 – Llandaff Technical College opened at Western Avenue, home to health sciences, design and engineering students.
• 1962 – Cardiff Training College moved to Cyncoed, now home to the Schools of Education and Sport.
• 1965 – The College of Art (as the Cardiff School of Art and Design was then called) moved to a new Campus in Howard Gardens.
• 1966 – Cardiff College of Food Technology and Commerce moved to a new Colchester Avenue Campus, home to management, business, leisure, hospitality, tourism and food students.
• 1976 – The four colleges merged to form South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education.
• 1990 – Name changed to Cardiff Institute of Higher Education in preparation for Incorporation.
• 1992 – The Institute joined the University of Wales as an autonomous body, no longer under the jurisdiction of the county council.
• 1993 – Teaching Degree Awarding Powers (TDAPs) granted by the Privy Council. The Institute was given the power to award its own degrees in August but placed the powers in abeyance, choosing instead to strengthen their links with the University of Wales.
• 1996 – Granted University College status within the University of Wales and named the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC).
• 1999 – National Indoor Athletic Centre opened at the Cyncoed Campus.
• 2003 – Became a Constituent Institution of the University of Wales. Enters into and then withdraws from merger talks with the University of Glamorgan
• 2004 – Launch of the FE2HE-UWIC Consortium: an FE/HE partnership established with Barry, Bridgend, Coleg Glan Hafren and Ystrad Mynach FE colleges, with St David’s College joining in 2009. Professor Tony Chapman becomes Senior Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Wales
• 2005 – Enters into and then ends merger talks with the University of Newport. A vote of no confidence is passed by the staff in the Vice Chancellor Professor Tony Chapman.
• 2006 – London School of Commerce became an Associate College.
• 2008 – Awarded for a record fifth time by the Cabinet Office the Charter Mark (for excellence in Public Service) and also recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for the high quality of academic procedures.
• 2009 – Launch of the UWIC Foundation to advance the highest quality of teaching and research. The opening of the Food Industry Centre at Llandaff with a multi purpose Campus Centre to be unveiled at Cyncoed in the Autumn.
• 2010 – In October the new building for the Cardiff School of Management opened in Llandaff with the closure of the Colchester Avenue campus. Also at Llandaff, the refurbished campus centre and the new i-zone reception areas were opened.
• 2011 – In June the new Learning Centre on the Llandaff campus was officially opened. Starts and then ends merger talks with Swansea Metropolitan and Trinity St David Universities. In November UWIC formally ended its association with the University of Wales and was renamed Cardiff Metropolitan University.

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