The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) was founded in 1828 as the Institute for the Diffusion of Knowledge, based in Preston. ‘Ex solo ad solem’, or in translation, ‘From the Earth to the Sun’, has been its motto ever since – helping people from all walks of life to make the most of their potential is what UCLan’s all about – from ensuring the best facilities, teaching and support are in place to help undergraduate students succeed, to providing world-leading Astrophysics researchers with the opportunity to work with NASA and photograph the Sun.