LJMU Bicentenary in 200 seconds

Celebrating 200 years in 2023

In July 1823 an institution was founded which became the catalyst for an educational revolution in the city of Liverpool. For the past two centuries, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) has evolved into the university in which we know it today.

Over the past year, there’s been celebrations, events, exhibits, public lectures, international academic conferences, Bicentenary merchandise for graduates plus the launch of LJMU’s new strategic plan 2023 –2030.

LJMU has shared some of their key achievements and activities undertaken over the past year, which you can read below:

As we near the end of the year in which our Bicentenary began, here are just a few of our highlights:

  • More than 9,000 students graduated at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral in our 200th year
  • 10 new honorary fellows were celebrated at an event in St George’s Hall
  • Our Artist in Residence created more than 150 sketches to capture the events over the year
  • Four Roscoe Lectures: LJMU’s public lecture series were held for the people of Liverpool
  • More than 100 members of students, staff and alumni joined the Liverpool Pride March
  • LJMU was awarded a gold rating for student outcomes and silver overall in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
  • We officially launched our Forensic Research Institute, our School of Education and our Centre for Educational Leadership
  • We received an overall Ofsted: Good for our degree apprenticeships and primary and secondary education courses
  • We began profiling 200 individuals (opens in a new tab) who have shaped and been shaped by the university
  • We showcased our exciting new £30 million Robotic Telescope
  • We collaborated with Humans of Liverpool to profile 50 individuals from LJMU on our social media channels
  • We celebrated our long serving staff members who achieved a milestone of 25, 35,45 and even 50+ years in our Bicentenary
  • Our exhibition: Re-think, re-design, re-present showcased 200 years of LJMU history, through the eyes of our students, who exhibited their work to the public
  • A colourful display of 80 umbrellas were installed in our Student Life Building as part of our partnership with the ADHD Foundation, to raise awareness and celebrate neurodiversity at LJMU
  • Our Bicentenary exhibition was launched at the Students at the Heart Conference and attended by staff with over 2800 years collectively
  • We invited staff, students and children from local schools to come and spend the afternoon with an astronaut: Helen Sharman
  • We signed a Memorandum of Understanding with both the LFC Foundation and ACC Liverpool

Plus, our Vice Chancellor Professor Mark Power celebrated 42 years at LJMU, we submitted to the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings with our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and we invited our graduates back to campus for an alumni homecoming. What a year!

As we look to 2024, we’ll be marking our 200 years until the end of the academic year, with more exhibitions and further profiling and celebrations with our LJMU community.

Our Bicentenary

Visit our Bicentenary webpages (opens in a new tab) to find out more about 200 years of LJMU and our 200 people profiled.

View our Bicentenary films (opens in a new tab) celebrating 200 years of LJMU.