Britain’s newest university which has a heritage spanning 150 years has officially opened in Canterbury.

The University for the Creative Arts, the country’s first specialist creative arts university, is the new name for the University College for the Creative Arts, in New Dover Road.

Full university status was granted by the Privy Council in May. It follows the merger of the Surrey Institute for Art and Design, University College and Canterbury’s Kent Institute for Art and Design in 2005.

Professor Elaine Thomas, the vice-chancellor said: “We underwent rigorous scrutiny as part of the process and it is wonderful to receive confirmation that we are operating as an authoritative and well respected institution of university standing.

“Although we are technically the newest university in Britain at the current time, we have a heritage spanning almost 150 years through our founder institutions.”

Those institutions have already produced famous alumni including Turner Prize winner Tracey Emin and Oscar winner Susie Templeton.

The university has five campuses in Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester offering 80 courses to 6,500 students.

Last year, with its status still as a university college, it was ranked 88th in the country in The Sunday Times University Guide.