school of museum studies, university of leicester
Leicester
The University was founded as Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland University
College in 1921. The site for the University was donated by a local businessman,
Thomas Fielding Johnson, in order to create a living memorial for all local
people who made sacrifices during the First World War. This is reflected in the
University's motto Ut vitam habeant – 'so that they may have life'. Students
were first admitted to the college in 1921, sitting examinations for external
degrees awarded of the University of London. In 1927 the institution became
University College, Leicester; 30 years later the college was granted its Royal
Charter. This gave it the status of a University with the right to award its own
degrees.
