A university that began as a mechanics classroom, produced astrophysics research, produced Olympic athletes, and once had Queen’s lead guitarist as its chancellor is quietly impressive. In UK higher education, Liverpool John Moores University doesn’t always make the biggest news. However, it’s difficult to avoid feeling that the location is somewhat underappreciated if you spend any time observing what it’s actually doing.
The Liverpool Mechanics’ School of Arts, which was established in 1823, was founded on the straightforward but impactful principle that education shouldn’t be restricted to a select few. Really, that ethos has never gone away. More than 200 years later, LJMU continues to embody the spirit of its namesake, Sir John Moores, an Eccles working-class boy who, by sheer willpower, created the Littlewoods empire and then generously donated money to the city that molded him. Though it now sounds a bit like a motivational poster, the university has made an effort to live by his belief that anything is possible if you want it enough.
As you stroll along Byrom Street’s City Campus, you become aware of the peculiar architectural blend. Adjacent to a 13-story modern block is a Victorian brick building. Students are working in neuroscience labs, using DEXA scanners, and running on an indoor 70-meter track inside the Tom Reilly Building. It doesn’t appear to be a coastal location. LJMU is the only university in the UK to receive an Ofsted Grade A in physical education, and its research output in that field has continuously been ranked among the top post-1992 institutions in the nation, earning the department of Sports and Exercise Sciences a reputation that extends beyond local pride.
In some academic circles, LJMU is still referred to as “post-92,” as if becoming a university in 1992 instead of 1892 automatically puts you in a second division. Even though the rankings gradually reveal a different picture, it’s still unclear if that perception has completely changed. In 2026, LJMU was ranked 42nd in the Guardian University Guide. It is ranked 76th in the Complete University Guide. These individuals aren’t exceptional, but they’re also not insignificant, and they’ve been making progress.
While studying here, gymnast Beth Tweddle won medals at the World Championship. During his tenure as Chancellor from 2008 to 2013, astrophysicist Brian May added a certain energy to graduation ceremonies and perhaps served as a reminder that intellectual curiosity can take many different forms. Nisha Katona, the founder of Mowgli Street Food, was appointed Chancellor in 2022. It seems deliberate that the university selects individuals who embody aspirations derived from humble beginnings.
Instead of isolating itself from the city, LJMU has shaped itself around it with two campuses: Mount Pleasant Campus next to the Metropolitan Cathedral and City Campus close to Liverpool Exchange station. The Student Life Building, which is open 24 hours a day during term, is located at the Copperas Hill site, which opened in 2021 and is purposefully situated between the two. The libraries contain thousands of digital resources in addition to over 68,500 physical books. Although the infrastructure isn’t particularly attractive, it works, and students appear to know where everything is.
A 2012 study that suggested dinosaurs might have contributed to their own extinction by producing methane is one example of how the university’s research has occasionally made an unexpected impact on public discourse. That tale most likely went farther than the majority of scholarly discoveries. It’s important to note that respectable climate science research from LJMU’s faculty was hidden behind the catchy headline.
This is a large operation with more than 25,000 students from more than 100 countries and 250 degree programs. It’s possible that LJMU will never completely overcome the underdog narrative. However, being undervalued might not bother a university that was founded on the notion that background shouldn’t determine outcome.
