Sunderland is a city in the North East . A former coal-mining, ship-building industrial town, Sunderland has undergone a transformation in the last few decades and has worked hard to shake-off the grim image it often inspired. The banks of the River Wear, at one time covered in shipyards, is now adorned with expensive apartment blocks, the National Glass Centre, and the impressive Stadium of Light. The creation of the University of Sunderland in 1992 has helped to turn Sunderland into a young, vibrant city with a great nightlife.