The University of Manchester is a public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre on Oxford Road. The university is a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive universities in the UK. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of the Victoria University of Manchester and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. The university is known for its excellence in a wide range of subjects, including the sciences, engineering, humanities, and social sciences.