[4][5][6] Anglia Ruskin University has its origins in the Cambridge School of Art, founded by William John Beamont in 1858.

[7] In the 1920s, the governing body included two remarkable pioneers in the civic history of Cambridge: Clara Rackham and Lilian Mellish Clarke, after whom buildings on the East Road campus were later named.

Initially called Anglia Polytechnic University (APU), it retained the term 'polytechnic' in its title because it symbolized the type of education known for equipping students with practical skills for the workforce.

[14] Former students include the Victorian poet Augusta Webster, who signed John Stuart Mill's petition for women's suffrage in 1866.

In 2018, the London County Court ruled in favor of the university and ordered Wong to pay £13,700 of Anglia Ruskin's legal costs.

[17][18] Anglia Ruskin University awarded Junius Ho, a pro-Beijing lawmaker in Hong Kong, an Honorary Doctor of Laws in 2011.

The campus features a blend of modern facilities and historical architecture, including the original building of the Cambridge School of Art.

In 2009, one of the university's largest buildings, Rackham, located in the campus center, was demolished to make way for the new Lord Ashcroft International Business School.

[28][29] As of 2015, all sports, computing, and technology courses were relocated to the newly established Compass House building, which is situated approximately 0.3 miles (0.5 km) along East Road from the main campus.

The campus features modern buildings that house facilities including Essex's first School of Medicine, which opened in 2019.

The East and Frederick Chancellor buildings are located within a conservation area, meaning they cannot be demolished without planning permission due to their historical significance in the early days of higher education in Essex.

[40] Construction of Essex's first School of Medicine began in May 2017, and the facility was officially opened in 2019 by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

This campus has facilities, including lecture theatres, seminar rooms, PC-equipped study areas, and a library.

The second teaching building, which includes specialized facilities for biomedical sciences and engineering, as well as a Living Lab, was completed in August 2024.

[49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57] Anglia Ruskin University Writtle campus, located in the Essex countryside near Chelmsford, is an educational facility that specialises in land-based, animal sciences, and sport-related programs.

The campus spans 150 hectares and features a variety of facilities, including a working farm, equine center, science laboratories, and design studios.

The institution has also developed a range of degree programmes in applied life sciences, sport, and health subjects.

Students have been recognized multiple times by the Royal Horticultural Society, including awards at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.

[76][77] In 2014, Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab was opened for finance, banking, accounting, and economics students at the Chelmsford campus.

The department maintains close links with the electronics, software, automotive, and creative industries and is a Cisco Systems Regional Networking Academy.

Notable successes include the discovery of new animal species, the design of new car bonnets for improved pedestrian safety, and leading studies on the toxic effects of benzylpiperazine (BZP).

Cambridge School of Art was home to students including, caricaturists Roger Law and Peter Fluck, known for their work on TV’s Spitting Image, as well as Pink Floyd members Syd Barrett and David Gilmour, who played one of their first gigs in 1966 from the balcony of what is now the illustration studios.

[100] On 10 October 2016, Anglia Ruskin University announced plans to open Essex's first School of Medicine at its Chelmsford campus.

It is designed to include skills facilities, specialized teaching spaces, a lecture theatre, and a cadaveric anatomy suite.

[101] On 19 May 2017, Anglia Ruskin University announced that it had begun construction on the purpose-built medical school at its Chelmsford campus, which was scheduled to open in September 2018.

[42] On 21 September 2017, the university announced that the General Medical Council had approved its curriculum and that it now had official School of Medicine status.

[109] Anglia Ruskin University's past and present working life partners are NHS, British Armed Forces, Cambridge University Press, Essex County Council, UPS, Barclays, Capita, Russian Railways, Willmott Dixon, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Softwerx, Triangular Alliance, Greenwoods Legal, Virgin Money, Timberland, Volvo, and Harrods.

[110][111][112][113][114][115][116][117][118] Anglia Ruskin University founded the Arise Innovation Hubs, which are located in Chelmsford and Harlow.

[119][120][121] Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy (AREA) supports entrepreneurship among university students and alumni.

ARU is accredited by the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE) and the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE).