The University of Bolton (formerly Bolton Institute of Higher Education) is a university in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It has over 13,000 students across all sites and courses, with 700 academic and professional staff. Around 70% of its students come from Bolton and the North West region. The Times Newspaper profile states: ‘The University sees itself as a regional institution, with around three quarters of the students coming from the North West, many through partner colleges.’ Bolton Institute of Higher Education was formed in 1982 by the merger of the Bolton Institute of Technology and Bolton College of Education (Technical). Bolton Institute was awarded the right to award taught degrees in 1990, with the powers to award research degrees in 1994. In April 2004, the Institute was awarded university status with immediate effect. The institution then set about searching for a new name to match its university status.