Shame on Sunderland University

1 May

Time is running out for the National Glass Centre and all glass and ceramics degree courses (BA, MA, PhD). The building and courses have been cancelled by the University of Sunderland. Apparently, it’s more important to have a campus in Canary Wharf, London than to retain 1350 years of glass-making heritage in Sunderland. It’s very clear where the City of Sunderland sits in their thinking — insultingly, the London website refers to Sunderland as a ‘partner college’.

Everything shuts down at the end of July 2026. Needless to say, all glass & ceramics staff and students are devastated. The University handled it very badly, announcing the closure of our course on the Friday before Spring Break via a cold email.

There is a campaign to save the “iconic” building, which the University didn’t maintain very well. (The University denies that, of course, but it’s been leaking badly for the six years I’ve been there). The future of the degree course is another matter. And the value of the building is not just that it’s a tourist attraction, museum and high-end art gallery — it’s that it has everything in one place. Losing the degree course is a terrible blow to arts and heritage.

The University should be ashamed of itself.

Learn more about the closure of the building and glass heritage.