The University of Northumbria at Newcastle, often referred to as Northumbria University, is a public university located in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. It has its origins in the Rutherford College of Technology, founded in 1880. It became a university in 1992. The university is known for its professional and vocational focus, with a wide range of courses in subjects such as business, law, design, and engineering. Northumbria has a strong reputation for research and has a number of research centres and institutes.