Manchester Metropolitan University, often referred to as 'MMU' and simply referred to as 'Man Met', is a British public university located in North West England, was established in 1970 as 'Manchester Polytechnic'; it gained university status in 1992. Its headquarters and central campus are in the city of Manchester, and there are additional facilities in Cheshire. The university has its roots in the Manchester Mechanics' Institution (1824) and the Manchester School of Design (1838). It is the fifth largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers.