Newcastle University is a public research university in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North-East of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne by an Act of Parliament in 1963. It is a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive universities in the UK. The university is known for its excellence in a wide range of subjects, including medicine, engineering, and the arts and humanities.