New name options for Leeds Met revealed

It is considering Leeds Beckett, Leeds Headingley or Leeds Ridings University.

The university announced yesterday that the board of governors were formally exploring a new name.

A final choice will be submitted to the Privy Council later this year .

Its vice chancellor, Prof Susan Price, said: “Our university has seen much progress since 1992 when Leeds Polytechnic, as it was then, was granted university status and the name Leeds Metropolitan University adopted. The last three years in particular have seen a re-positioning of our university to become a university of choice. We have built on already substantial strengths across our subject areas, developed our international profile, seen steady improvement in our National Student Survey results and are in a strong financial position.

“In short the university we see today is remarkably different from that which existed in 1992. We have outgrown our “Metropolitan” name and are now looking towards the future for our institution, and our students and graduates. It is for these reasons that the board has agreed that the time is right to re-name our university.”

Leeds Met has previously applied to change its name to Leeds Carnegie University under its previous vice chancellor Professor Simon Lee.

The university has used the Carnegie name in its sporting partnerships with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds rugby sides at Headingley.

However Prof Price said when she took over in 2010 that pursuing the name change was not a priority.