Liverpool John Moores University (brevis: LJMU) is a public research university in the city of Liverpool, England with more than 24,000 students — 20,410 undergraduate students and 4,270 postgraduate students, making it the largest university in Liverpool by student population – as well as being the twentieth largest in the United Kingdom. The university can trace its origins to the Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts, established in 1823 making it a contestant as the third-oldest university in England; this later merged to become Liverpool Polytechnic. In 1992, following an Act of Parliament the Liverpool Polytechnic became what is now Liverpool John Moores University.