In 1921 we welcomed our first students. Our university had been founded in Leicester, funded by local people, as a living memorial to honour those who made sacrifices during the Great War. So that they may have life.
In academic year 2021/22 we celebrated 100 years since those first students started. Current students, alumni, current and former staff and the local community came together to mark this moment, to reflect on our past, and look ahead. The future is ours to change.
Commemorate our Centenary with a selection of clothing and gifts
Centenary Gallery
View our gallery of images from our centenary celebrations.
14/3/22 - ESA astronaut Major Tim Peake at the launch event for Space Park Leicester.
14/3/22 - Major Tim Peake with pupils from two Leicester schools at the launch of Space Park Leicester.
27/01/2022 - The plaque was unveiled by Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor, and Sam Barnett, entrepreneur and Leicester alumnus. Also in attendance were Professor Dan Ladley, Dean of the Business School, and Professor Henrietta O'Connor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities.
27/01/2022 - Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor, with descendants of Thomas Fielding Johnson, the University’s founding benefactor, who lived at Brookfield. The newly commissioned portrait of Fielding Johnson hangs in the Business School reception.
1/12/2021 - Guests pose for group photo at the Centenary Scholars Reception.
1/12/2021 - Guests pose for photo at the Centenary Scholars Reception.
30/11/2021 - President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nishan Canagarajah, and the City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby open the Percy Gee building.
30/11/2021 - Exterior of the newly refurbished and opened Percy Gee building.
11/11/21 - Our VC, Professor Nishan Canagarajah lays a wreath at the Poppy pilgrimage event.
11/11/21 - University staff lay wreaths and stand in silence at Poppy Pilgrimage.
23/10/21 - Michael Attenborough and wife Karen standing outside Michael's grandfather's house on campus ahead of the LSO Centenary Concert.
23/10/21 - Michael Attenborough talking to Egg Bix theatre group in the Attenborough Arts Centre before the LSO Centenary Concert.
4/10/2021 - to mark our 100th anniversary, VC Nishan Canagarah and SU president Rhiannon Jenkins plant the first of 100 trees.
4/10/2021 - Students take a selfie in front of our Big 100 at our Global Celebration.
2/10/2021 - Poetry in Motion perform at the ChangeMakers Centenary Festival
Since our founding, the University of Leicester has always been about our place, our people and our purpose. We want our centenary to be a chance to pause and celebrate these, reflect on our past and also be a time to look forward.
Centenary merchandise
Commemorate our 100th anniversary with our selection of clothing and gifts.