The Royal Agricultural College (RAC), now the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), is the oldest agricultural college in the English-speaking world and has been at the forefront of agricultural education since 1845. "To be a center of excellence for developing the leaders of tomorrow in sustainable development relating to the rural economy, built environment and food chain, and to provide leadership regionally, nationally and internationally through its education, research, and knowledge exchange activities."
The Royal Agricultural College (RAC), now the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), was the first agricultural college in the English-speaking world. In 1842, the seeds were sown at a meeting of the Fairford and Cirencester Farmers Club. Concerned by the lack of government support for education, Robert Jeffreys-Brown addressed the meeting on the 'Advantages of a Specific Education for Agricultural Pursuits.' A prospectus was circulated, a general committee was appointed, and Earl Bathurst was elected President. Funds were raised by public subscription, with much of the support coming from the day's wealthy landowners and farmers. There was no Government support.
Earl Bathurst leased a site to build the College, and construction in the Victorian Gothic style began in April 1845. Queen Victoria granted the Royal Charter to the College in the same year, and Sovereigns have been Patrons ever since, visiting in every reign. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, became President in 1982.
The first 25 students were admitted in September 1845, and the following year student numbers increased to 108. Many early students went on to careers in Colonial Agricultural Administrations and the Diplomatic and Foreign Service.
From its early days, the College was staffed with innovators and pioneers and impacted farming practice and agricultural science. In 1931, Professor R ("Bobby") Boutflour, CBE, became Principal. Professor Boutflour was mostly responsible for raising the prestige of the College to its current high standards. It was said of Boutflour, on his death in 1961, that he was "... the most capable, colorful and forceful character that ever adorned the fields of agriculture". Frank Garner, the next Principal, enhanced the educational standards, and Sir Emrys Jones, his successor, was responsible for the Hosier Library and the Frank Parkinson Lecture Theatre.
Vic Hughes, whose service to the College is one of the longest recorded, uplifted the teaching standards by establishing the many degree programs that the University can now offer. The first modern degree program, started in 1984, was in co-operation with Reading University - a BSc (Hons) degree in Rural Land Management. Subsequently, as the RAC, the University reclaimed its right to award degrees from the Privy Council. The RAC had been independent of government control since its foundation until 2001 when it first received funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), allowing it to widen access to its courses to students of all backgrounds.
In 2013, the Privy Council awarded the College full University Status in recognition of its provision as a higher education institution. The Royal Agricultural University will continue to develop teaching and research in agriculture, agri-business, equine, food, and land & property management. The University motto is 'Arvorum Cultus Pecorumque,' a quote from Virgil's Georgics, it means 'Caring for the Fields and the Beasts'. What more appropriate maxim could there be for a University which, in every facet of its teachings, now incorporates a broader understanding of our countryside?
Founded in 1845, the RAU has a long-standing reputation in learning, research, and consultancy. Undergraduate and postgraduate study is managed and taught by experienced staff and specialist consultants in an exciting learning environment in which our students play a pivotal role. Our unique portfolio includes disciplines as varied as Rural Land Management, Real Estate, Business, Agriculture, Food, Environment, and Equine matched by an extensive choice of research areas at the Masters and Doctoral level.
The University maintains solid links with its industry partners. Our courses are designed and updated to meet the market demands, both in the UK and worldwide, and employment rates for RAU graduates are amongst the highest in the country. Leadership and enterprise have always featured strongly at the RAU, and our former students have gone on to perform at the highest levels across a broad range of careers both in the UK and overseas.
There has rarely been a more critical time for agriculture, food, and land management – and the opportunities that flow from our courses are numerous and stimulating. Our student community is enriched by its diversity, with students from around the globe. We encourage applicants from urban as well as rural backgrounds and all cultures and faiths.
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