Cardiff Metropolitan University

What Cardiff Metropolitan University does

Cardiff Metropolitan University (Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd) is a UK higher education corporation and registered charity (no. 1140762) established under the Education Reform Act 1988 and headquartered at Llandaff Campus, Cardiff, Wales. It operates five academic schools (Art & Design; Education & Social Policy; Management; Sport & Health Sciences; and Technologies) delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, research, degree apprenticeship and CPD programmes to 12,088 on-campus students drawn from 115+ nationalities, with a further 20,000+ students placed with global transnational education partners. The university reported £149M turnover for the financial year ending 31 July 2025 across tuition fees, accommodation services (Cyncoed, Plas Gwyn and partner halls), commercial operations, overseas subsidiary activity, and research grants from UKRI, Innovate UK and Breakthrough T1D UK.

The technology stack centres on the Moodle learning management system, the MetSearch/MetSearch (ChwilioMet) library discovery platform with its AI research assistant, and a set of research and reading tools (Figshare, Pure, BrowZine, Leganto, StudySmart). The Cardiff Met AI Hub coordinates AI activity across teaching and research, and the SmartViz building optimisation platform underpins the "Halve the Half" carbon reduction programme that has saved £5.1M in capital costs and £102,000/year in operational costs. Distribution is primarily direct to consumers (prospective students) via open days, the UCAS pathway, podcast and social content (TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), and a network of international recruitment agents; commercial services (ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, PDR International Centre for Design and Research, Conferences & Events, Met Sport) generate additional B2B revenue and are operated alongside a wholly owned commercial trading subsidiary and an overseas operating subsidiary.

Name

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Legal name

Cardiff Metropolitan University (Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd)

Website

https://cardiffmet.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cardiff Metropolitan University is a Wales-based higher education corporation operating five academic schools, serving 12,088 on-campus and 20,000+ transnational students, with £149M FY2025 turnover from tuition, accommodation, research grants, and commercial units.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban/Metropolitan Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate degrees
• Postgraduate research
• Degree apprenticeships
• University teaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, postgraduate, and international student tuition fees across five academic schools
2. Accommodation Services: Revenue from student halls of residence (Cyncoed, Plas Gwyn, and partner halls) including catered and self-catered options
3. Commercial Operations: University turnover of £149M for the financial year, including commercial trading subsidiary and overseas operating subsidiary
4. Research Grants and Funding: Funding from bodies including UKRI, Innovate UK, Breakthrough T1D UK for research projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cardiff Metropolitan University is a higher education institution delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programmes across five academic schools (Art & Design, Education & Social Policy, Management, Sport & Health Sciences, and Technologies). It also provides student accommodation, conferences and events, commercial design and food industry consultancy through its branded units (ZERO2FIVE, PDR), and a range of student support and sport services.

Product overview

Cardiff Metropolitan University (Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd) operates as a multi-school higher education institution with five academic schools (School of Technologies, School of Art & Design, School of Education & Social Policy, School of Management, and School of Sport & Health Sciences) and a broad portfolio of student and commercial services. Core educational delivery is supported by the Moodle learning management system and Library Services, which includes the MetSearch Discovery Platform for e-resource search, Figshare for open research data, Pure for research information management, BrowZine for journal access, and Leganto for reading lists. The university's AI Hub connects AI research and teaching activities. Commercial operations are channelled through branded units including the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, PDR International Centre for Design and Research, and Conferences & Events. Cardiff Met's sustainability work uses SmartViz for energy optimization. The Met Sport division provides sport facilities, performance programmes, and community sport. Students access online services through MetCentral, Moodle, and the Cardiff Met E-Store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre: Commercial food industry centre operated by the university
• PDR International Centre for Design and Research
• Cardiff Met Sport
• Met Active

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programmes

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% decrease in carbon emissions between 2005/6 and 2020/21
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration20 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Joint research collaboration with University of Bristol on Type 1 diabetes burnout study funded by Breakthrough T1D UK, including national online survey and biomarker research investigating genetic factors affecting diabetes burnout vulnerability
• UKRI Innovation Launchpad NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Research partnership for developing compact antenna technology for Low Earth Orbit satellite systems, specifically for CubeSats enabling high-speed data transmission
• Satellite Applications CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Partnership with government-backed innovation organization supporting development of satellite antenna technology for UK space sector commercialization
• Airbus EndeavrminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Additional funding partner for advancing satellite antenna technology for commercial and strategic applications in UK space sector
• Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer PartnershipsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Funding support for knowledge transfer and commercialization of satellite antenna technology research
• Fairtrade FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing commitment to Fairtrade since 2003, achieving accreditation in 2007. Supports and sells Fairtrade products across campus catering and retail operations
• Rainforest AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoffee served in Atrium, The Bench and Gallery is sourced from Rainforest Alliance certified farms, ensuring sustainable production with workers and farms supported and protected
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified sustainable paper and print products used across campus operations
• Sustainable Restaurant AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with three-star Food Made Good rating (88% score) covering sustainability across sourcing, society, and environment for campus catering
• Higher Education Purchasing Consortium Wales (HEPCW)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaborative procurement consortium membership working with other UK universities on responsible procurement including modern slavery prevention and ethical supply chains
• UK Universities Procurement Consortia (UKUPC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSector-wide procurement collaboration for shared suppliers and responsible procurement standards across UK higher education
• Electronics WatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization providing monitoring of electronics supply chains for labor and human rights issues
• SmartVizcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital building optimization platform used by Cardiff Met to achieve £5.1M capital cost savings and £102,000/year operational savings through energy reduction
• Morgan SindallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction firm partner using CarboniCa carbon accounting tool to monitor and reduce carbon footprints across projects
• Horus Security Consultancy LimitedminorOthersPrivate intelligence firm engaged by multiple UK universities including Cardiff Met for monitoring student protest activities through social media surveillance and AI analysis

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swansea University: Welsh public research university competing for the same domestic and international student pool in Wales, with a stronger research focus but overlapping degree portfolio and sports-science heritage. Closest geographic peer and a direct competitor for Welsh-domiciled and international applicants.
• Northumbria University: UK post-92 urban university with comparable scale, strong sport and professional programmes, and a similar internationalisation-led growth strategy. Comparable on size, urban multi-campus model, and student demographics.
• University of South Wales: Welsh post-92 university with a comparable multi-school structure, similar student scale (~20,000), and a comparable mix of applied/professional and postgraduate programmes. Most directly comparable peer given shared Welsh geography, post-92 heritage, and similar revenue scale.
• University of the West of England (UWE Bristol): Large UK post-92 university with a similar multi-school applied/professional portfolio, comparable internationalisation strategy, and a similar ranking band. One of the closest non-Welsh comparables for student scale, fees model, and applied-research positioning.
• Oxford Brookes University: UK post-92 university with broadly comparable student numbers, applied and professional programme mix, and a similar position in UK domestic league tables. A standard benchmark peer for Cardiff Met's size and category.
• Sheffield Hallam University: Large UK post-92 university with comparable multi-school structure, applied research profile, and sport/health science offerings. A natural size and category comparator within the post-92 segment.
• De Montfort University: Mid-sized UK post-92 university with a similar portfolio across art & design, management, and technology schools. Comparable on size, multi-disciplinary structure, and applied research emphasis.
• University of Westminster: London-based UK post-92 university with a comparable international student mix, professional and applied portfolio, and similar ranking band. Relevant peer for internationalisation-led growth and applied education positioning.
• Nottingham Trent University: One of the largest UK post-92 universities, with a similar professional/applied portfolio and a strong sustainability and employability narrative. Slightly larger scale makes it a relevant upper-bound benchmark for Cardiff Met's strategic positioning.
• University of Bedfordshire: UK post-92 university of broadly comparable student scale, with a similarly high proportion of international students and an applied multi-school portfolio. Useful for benchmarking the lower end of Cardiff Met's peer cohort.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cardiffmet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cardiffmet
• Facebookfacebook.com/cardiff.metropolitan.university
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cardiff-metropolitan-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/cardiffmet

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cardiff Metropolitan University