Celebrating our bicentenary

years of education
and innovation

Our year-long celebration begins in January 2024.
Discover some of our key events and activities – and how you can get involved as part of Team 200.

Events and activities

Our diverse programme will celebrate our people, their incredible achievements and the impact they have made, in Manchester and around the world.

Here is a taste of what we have planned, with more to come throughout 2024.

Light Up

On 17 January 2024 we come together and start our celebration of The University of Manchester’s Bicentenary – marking 200 years of making a difference. There will be many activities reflecting on our history, present and future, through performance, food, games and prizes, with a very special light up event at 18:24 of the Middle East Centre; a time with a subtle nod to our origin year. Later in the evening at 22:00, join us for the live streaming of the Bicentary light up event from Manchester.

Be part of Team 200

We want our global community to come together as one for our 200th year.

Being part of Team 200 means being part of our bicentenary, in whatever form that takes.

Whether you're involved in an activity at the Middle East Centre, help to staff an event, listen to a podcast or watch events online, everyone who takes part in our bicentenary is part of the same universal team: Team 200.
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There will be many ways for you to get involved throughout 2024.

Contribute to our festival programme

Would you like to deliver an event or activity at our Universally Manchester Festival in June? Let us know your ideas.

Learn more and apply

Join the Purple Wave

Be one of the 1,824 people running the 2024 Great Manchester Run in May as part of the University's Purple Wave.

Learn more and sign up

Work opportunities at Light Up

Student Ambassadors have the opportunity to work our Light Up event in January. Please note, application capacity for this event has now been reached.

Visit our Founders and Funders exhibition

Visit the Founders and Funders exhibition at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, exploring legacies of slavery at our University.

Learn more and visit

Sign up for updates

We're planning an exciting programme of events throughout the year. Sign up to hear about event updates, features and opportunities to get involved.

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Bicentenary identity guidelines

Join in the celebrations and create your own communications and marketing materials using our bicentenary identity guidelines.

Download identity guidelines (PDF, 1.88MB)