With its main campus in the nearby town of Poole, Bournemouth University (abbreviated BU) is a public university in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. Although the university was established in 1992 as one of the newer institutions, its predecessor had its beginnings in the early 1900s. The institution was a nominee for two awards in British higher education in 2009: "University of the Year" and "Research Project of the Year" awards from the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards. Bournemouth University, which is historically recognized for emphasizing professional programs, made research investments in the 2000s to support its curriculum and increase its impact on the local and national economies. At the moment, the institution has over 16,000 students, including more than 1,500 students from outside.