Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) is an Anglican new university in Canterbury, Kent,England. Founded as a Church of England college for teaching training in 1962, it has grown to full university status and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012.
The focus of its work is in the education of people going into public service. The university retains its status as a Church of England foundation. It is also known as England's "missionary university".
The university has developed rapidly since its inception in 1962 and now has nearly 20,000 students based at campuses across Kent, in Canterbury, Broadstairs, Folkestone, Medway andTunbridge Wells. As well as being the largest centre of higher education in Kent for the public services – notably teacher training, health and social care and the emergency services – the university also offers academic and professional programmes, including credit-bearing higher education entry certificates, doctorates and research degrees. Policing and law courses have also been delivered both for UK and overseas law enforcement agencies. The university gives academic validation to ordination and post-ordination training courses for Anglican clergy delivered by the Canterbury and Rochester dioceses.
