[citation needed] It was renamed Polytechnic South West in 1989, a move that was unpopular with students as the name lacked identity.

[citation needed] In 2006, part of the remains of the World War II Portland Square air-raid shelter were rediscovered on the Plymouth campus.

[8] On the night of 22 April 1941, during the Blitz, a bomb fell on the site killing over 70 civilians, including a mother and her six children.

In 2010, students from the university occupied a room in the main campus to protest against rising tuition fees and cuts to courses.

[15] A linked case saw the chair of the board of governors, which had suspended Purcell, William Taylor investigated of sexual harassment of female staff.

[16] In August 2014, the university was instructed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to undertake an external review of its governance.

[17][18] Purcell was later appointed to a newly created role of president with compensation of £125,000 for loss of office and maintaining her salary of £250,000.

She joined Plymouth from the University of Southampton, where she had been pro-vice-chancellor research and enterprise and previously the inaugural dean of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (2010–2013).

[32] University-managed or approved accommodation in the first year of study is guaranteed for all applicants who choose Plymouth as their first choice institution.

[36] Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the owner and operator of the building, UPP Ltd. tested the cladding and found that it was safe to remain.

[43] One person was injured, suffering from smoke inhalation, and a 21-year-old woman was later arrested under for arson after an investigation to determine the cause of the fire was completed.

[47] In January 2012 the two founding members of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD), the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, outlined their plans to expand independently and grow the success of the now nationally recognised professional health education provider.

The scattering of small stars, represent navigation, which has played a key role in the history of the city and the university.

A Pelican and a Golden Hind support the shield and reflect both the original and later, better known, name of Sir Francis Drake's ship.

The crest contains the Latin motto, "Indagate Fingite Invenite" which translates as "Explore Dream Discover" and is a quote from Mark Twain, reflecting the university's ambitions for its students and Plymouth's history of great seafarers.

[63] Across all assessed subject areas Plymouth showed substantial evidence of 3* (internationally excellent) and 4* (world leading) research, and this was particularly evident in Clinical Medicine, Computer Sciences & Informatics, Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, and Earth Systems & Environmental Sciences, where 79–85% of research was ranked as 3* or 4*.