History

Founded in 1899 at a time of ferment in political and educational ideas, Ruskin College aimed to provide university-standard education for working class people so that they could act more effectively on behalf of working class communities and organisations - trade unions, political parties, co-operative societies, working men's institutes and so on. Our founders understood that education is power. We remain deeply committed to the belief that education can and does transform individual lives and societies.

Over 75% of the students on our one-year CertHE programme in 2003-2004 stayed the course, passed, and a large number progressed to higher education institutions, including many of our most famous universities. Ruskin students have frequently gone on to work in education, in social work and social care, in the media, in trade unions, in management and in politics.