Anglia Ruskin University - Cambridge Campus Cambridge UK 2025

ARU is an innovative global university with students from 185 countries coming to study with us. We've once again been named as one of the top 350 institutions in the world in The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 – and one of the top 40 universities in the UK.

Our story starts in 1858 when the art critic, patron and philanthropist John Ruskin opened the Cambridge School of Art. The art school grew to become Anglia Ruskin University, shortened to ARU, and it’s still at the heart of our modern-day campus in Cambridge.

Over the years, a number of colleges and institutes have become part of ARU. They include the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology (CCAT) and the Essex Institute of Higher Education (formerly the Chelmer Institute – itself formed from the Mid-Essex Technical College and the Brentwood College of Education). At first, these colleges combined to become Anglia Polytechnic, and then Anglia Polytechnic University in 1992.

Cambridge Campus
Our friendly, bustling campus is a stone’s throw from the centre of Cambridge, often described as the perfect student city.
Cambridge has been renowned as a centre of learning since the 13th century. It’s a beautiful city with outstanding architecture, a picturesque riverside setting, bags of history and culture, and a buzzing social scene.

Our campus: past, present and future
We’ve been here since 1858 when Cambridge School of Art first opened its doors. The art school grew to become Anglia Ruskin University and it’s still at the heart of our modern-day campus on East Road. Surrounding the red-brick Victorian building, with its vaulted ceilings and light-filled studios, is a host of new facilities. You’ll find:

• Our Business School, which wraps around a tree-filled central courtyard
• High-quality study facilities – lecture theatres of course, but also a mock law court, forensic science labs, and a TV studio
• A dedicated Science Centre featuring molecular biology and psychology labs, a 220-seat SuperLab, and five crime scene rooms
• The university library and open access computer area
• Cafés and roof terraces
• The Mumford Theatre and Ruskin Gallery
• A range of services including our Students’ Union shop, medical centre, gym, ARU Temps, and finance and accommodation offices.