The term plate glass university (or plateglass university or plate-glass university) refers to a group of universities established or expanded in the United Kingdom during the mid-twentieth century. In 1963, the Robbins Report on higher education recommended a major expansion of the British university system, which was realised through the establishment of nine completely new universities and the conversion of the ten existing Colleges of Advanced Technology into full universities. Keele University was established in 1949 but has a similar history and is usually considered part of this group as well. While the Robbins Report was responsible for the broader policy that governed the early development of these institutions Lord Robbins was not responsible for most of the individual institutions as many applications for reclassification had already been accepted by the University Grants Committee in the later 1950s/early 1960s.