The City of Birmingham Education Committee was invited to submit a scheme for the establishment of a polytechnic bringing together a number of different colleges in the city in 1967.[13] Late in 1969, the post of director of the polytechnic was advertised.[14] Although the city lagged behind other parts of the country,[15] Birmingham finally gained a polytechnic in 1971—then the 27th in the UK[16]—designated by the Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher as the City of Birmingham Polytechnic.