Under the new guidelines, University College Birmingham was granted university status in December.

BBC: Newman University

Newman University College in Birmingham will now be Newman University and the vice chancellor Professor Peter Lutzeier said that the quality of the institution had already been established, but the change in title would clarify its status, particularly for overseas students.

BBC: 'New' universities set to be created in England

Scientific instruments would be supplied by Imperial College London, Birmingham University and the Mullard Space Science Laboratory.

BBC: UK seeks to go it alone in space