Sunderland School of Art

Sunderland School of Art was established in 1901 and no notable changes occurred until January 1969 when it was incorporated into the then newly established Sunderland Polytechnic. Sunderland was among the first of thirty English Polytechnics and like polytechnics or technological universities they aimed to teach both academic and professional vocational subjects. Their focus was applied education for work and their roots concentrated on engineering and applied sciences and they also created departments concerned with the humanities. As a Polytechnic, Sunderland created the first part-time, Bachelor of Education programme in the United Kingdom. The Further and Higher Education Act of 1992 caused a change in status and thus the newly established Sunderland University came into being. Alumni and staff have included Harry Thubron, Norman Cornish, Ian Simpson,