History of the University
The theme running through Cranfield’s 60-year history is a commitment to and passion for applied research which makes a difference to the world in the fields of science, technology and management.
The forerunner of Cranfield University was the College of Aeronautics, created in 1946 and based at the RAF station in Cranfield, Bedfordshire. Through the 1950s and 1960s, the development of many aspects of aircraft research and design led to considerable growth and diversification into other technologies and into manufacturing and management.
In 1969, the College of Aeronautics became The Cranfield Institute of Technology incorporated by Royal Charter with full degree-awarding powers, and new departments were set up to cover the work in the new subject areas, such as the Cranfield School of Management.
The last thirty years have seen further substantial progress, including an academic partnership with the Defence College of Management and Technology at Shrivenham in Wiltshire. The result is that Cranfield has grown to become the largest centre in Europe for applied research, development and design.
