Lancaster University (officially The University of Lancaster) is a public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several new universities created in the 1960s.The university was initially based in St Leonard's Gate in the city centre, before starting a move in 1967 to a purpose-built campus located on 300 acres (120 ha) at Bailrigg, 4 km (2.5 mi) to the south of the city.The campus buildings are arranged around a central walkway known as the Spine, which is connected to a central plaza, named Alexandra Square in honour of its first chancellor, Princess Alexandra.Lancaster is a residential collegiate university; the colleges are weakly autonomous. The eight undergraduate colleges are named after places in the historic county of Lancashire, and each has its own campus residence blocks, common rooms, administrative staff and bars.Lancaster has ranked in the top fifteen in all three UK national league tables for the past 10 years, and received a Gold rating in the Government's inaugural (2017) Teaching Excellence Framework. The annual income of the institution for 2021/22 was £357.9 million of which £48.1 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £402.9 millionLancaster University (officially The University of Lancaster) is a public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several new universities created in the 1960s.The university was initially based in St Leonard's Gate in the city centre, before starting a move in 1967 to a purpose-built campus located on 300 acres (120 ha) at Bailrigg, 4 km (2.5 mi) to the south of the city.The campus buildings are arranged around a central walkway known as the Spine, which is connected to a central plaza, named Alexandra Square in honour of its first chancellor, Princess Alexandra.Lancaster is a residential collegiate university; the colleges are weakly autonomous. The eight undergraduate colleges are named after places in the historic county of Lancashire, and each has its own campus residence blocks, common rooms, administrative staff and bars.Lancaster has ranked in the top fifteen in all three UK national league tables for the past 10 years, and received a Gold rating in the Government's inaugural (2017) Teaching Excellence Framework. The annual income of the institution for 2021/22 was £357.9 million of which £48.1 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £402.9 million