Lancaster University, also officially known as the University of Lancaster, is a public research university in the City of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964, one of several new universities created in the 1960s. The university was initially based in St Leonard's Gate in the city centre, before moving in 1968 to a purpose-built 300 acres (120 ha) campus at Bailrigg, 4 km (2.5 mi) to the south. Lancaster is one of only six collegiate universities in the UK; the colleges are weakly autonomous. The university has eight undergraduate colleges, seven of which are named after regions of the traditional county of Lancashire, and County College is named after Lancashire County Council, which financed its construction. There is a ninth college for graduates.