Liverpool Hope University is a public university with campuses in Liverpool, England. The university grew out of three Christian teacher training colleges: Saint Katharine's College , Notre Dame College, and Christ's College. Uniquely in European higher education the university has an ecumenical tradition, with Saint Katharine's College having been Anglican and Notre Dame and Christ's both Catholic. The Anglican Bishop of Liverpool David Sheppard and the Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool Derek Worlock played a prominent role in its formation. Its name derives from Hope Street, the road which connects the city's Anglican and Catholic cathedrals, where graduation ceremonies are alternately held.Whilst the university includes active researchers, it has gained recognition primarily for its teaching. In the late 2010s it achieved a Gold rating in the UK Government's Teaching Excellence Framework , and rankings in teaching-focused league tables comparable with lower-performing Russell Group universities.The current Vice Chanceller Gerald Pillay has summarised the university as a small liberal arts college-style environment where "[students are] a name, not a number." Its "small and beautiful" ethos has been contrasted with the larger neighbouring University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University .
