 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2017) |
| University Royal Naval Unit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1967 – present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Training establishment |
| Role | Officer Training |
| Size | 17 Units |
| Part of | Britannia Royal Naval College Royal Naval Reserve University Service Units |
| Nickname(s) | URNU |
| Equipment | Archer-class patrol vessels (P2000s) |
| Website | royalnavy.mod.uk/urnu |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Cdr Andrew Loring RN (2022- ) |
 |
| His Majesty's Naval Service of the British Armed Forces |
|---|
| Components |
|
| History and future |
| Operations |
| Equipment |
| Personnel |
| Auxiliary services |
The University Royal Naval Units (URNU) (/ˈər.nuː/ UHR-noo, less commonly /ˈɜːr.nuː/ ERR-noo) (formerly Universities' Royal Naval Units) are Royal Navy training establishments under the command of Britannia Royal Naval College, who recruit Officer Cadets from a university or a number of universities, usually concentrated in one geographical area. There are 17 URNUs in the UK, with each URNU having land-based facilities near the universities they recruit from, with the exception of URNU Virtual, whose drill nights are conducted virtually.
Students who join the URNU are members of Royal Naval Reserve and upon joining hold the rank of Officer Cadet,[1] and can progress to the rank of "Honorary" Midshipman, the position is Honorary due to the Officer Cadet not holding a Commission in the RNR.[2] Students of the URNU are classed as List 7 RNR[3] and as such have no call-out liability whilst in their University Unit. Some members of the URNU go on to pass AIB and undertake Officer Training to Commission as a Royal Naval Officer or Royal Marines Officer, however there is no requirement to do so and URNU members have no obligation of service after leaving University.[4]
Each unit has an affiliated P2000 ship, which is used for training Officer Cadets when not on duty with the Coastal Forces Squadron.[5]
- ^ "Wales University Royal Naval Unit (WURNU)". www.swansea-union.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "New location for University Royal Navy Unit | Royal Navy". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ NavyLookout (2018-09-01). "The University Royal Navy Units – student yacht club or valuable asset? | Navy Lookout". www.navylookout.com. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ "URNU | Royal Navy". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ "Royal Navy - HMS Archer". Royal Navy. Retrieved 2022-04-15.