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Sunderland has been an important centre for education since 674 AD, when Benedict Biscop built St Peter’s Church and monastery. Among its early students was a seven-year-old boy who became known to history as The Venerable Bede, a renowned scholar and teacher.

St Peter’s Church was the site of the greatest scriptorium north of the Alps, and has been described as the Oxford of its day. The oldest existing Latin version of the Bible - the Codex Amiantinus - was written at St Peter's Church, close to the University’s £9m state-of-the-art Media Centre, which was launched in 2004.

The University’s modern roots lie in Sunderland Technical College, which opened at the Galen Building in Green Terrace in 1901. The local Taxation and Customs and Excise Act of 1890 paved the way for the new College, which was paid for from so-called ‘whiskey money’ at a cost of £27,800.

The dynamic new College was the first in England to introduce the ‘sandwich course’ – enabling engineering apprentices to gain higher qualifications whilst working. By 1908, 25 engineering firms were involved in the scheme. The concept of educational progression, familiar nowadays, was already in place by 1910, when evening classes were re-structured to allow specialist study after two preliminary years.

Sunderland Polytechnic was created on January 1, 1969, with a new department of education, for teacher training, established in the same year. The Polytechnic was among the first three of the 30 such national institutions, which were set up to concentrate on professional and vocational courses and develop part-time provision.

The Polytechnic brought together the Technical College with two other institutions which had played a significant role in the town - the School of Art and, later, Sunderland Teacher Training College.

In 1990, Dr Anne Wright was appointed Rector at Sunderland. She then became one of the first female university Vice-Chancellors when the Polytechnic gained university status in 1992. In the same year, HM The Queen granted Sunderland city status to mark the 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

In 1993, HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visited Sunderland and the University to celebrate. Her Majesty met University staff and saw plans for the flagship St Peter’s Campus development, which has made a significant contribution to Sunderland’s regeneration.

On the north bank of the River Wear, the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's is at the heart of the university's development plans. Sunderland Business School, the impressive David Goldman Informatics Centre, and the brand new Media Centre are all based at this riverside location. A total investment of over £50m provides some of the best learning and support facilities in the country

At the University's City Campus they have made a multi-million pound investment to create their new The Gateway a 'one stop shop' for student services and information on their City Campus. It enables students to tap in to resources and help - from careers and financial advice to welfare, accommodation and student support. It also provides an attractive open access learning space and catering facilities helping students to get the most out of student life. Other state-of-the-art facilities include the impressive Murray Library and the science complex, a modern range of laboratories for students undertaking science programmes.