City, University of London is a publicresearch university in London, United Kingdom, and a member institution of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute, and became a university when The City University was created by royal charter in 1966.[3] The Inns of Court School of Law, which merged with City in 2001, was established in 1852, making it the university's oldest constituent part.[4] City joined the federal University of London on 1 September 2016, becoming part of the eighteen colleges and ten research institutes that then made up that university.[5] In August 2024, City will merge with St George's, University of London to form City St George's, University of London.[6]
City has strong links with the City of London, and the Lord Mayor of London serves as the university's rector.[7][8] The university has its main campus in Central London in the London Borough of Islington, with additional campuses in Islington, the City of London, the West End and East End. It is organised into six schools, within which there are around forty academic departments and centres,[9] including the Department of Journalism, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass Business School), and City Law School which incorporates the Inns of Court School of Law.[10] The annual income of the institution for 2021–22 was £262.1 million, of which £12.9 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £328.2 million.[1]
City is a founding member of the WC2 University Network which developed for collaboration between leading universities of the heart of major world cities particularly to address cultural, environmental and political issues of common interest to world cities and their universities.[11] The university is a member of the Association of MBAs, EQUIS and Universities UK. Alumni of City include a founding father, members of Parliament of the United Kingdom, governors, politicians and CEOs.
History
Origins
Northampton Square in front of the main university building
City traces its origin to the Northampton Institute and the City Law School (established in 1852). The first was named after the Marquess of Northampton who donated the land on which the institute was built, between Northampton Square and St John Street in Islington. The institute was established to provide for the education and welfare of the local population. It was constituted under the City of London Parochial Charities Act (1883), with the objective of "the promotion of the industrial skill, general knowledge, health and well-being of young men and women belonging to the poorer classes".[12]
The six original departments at the institute were Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering; Artistic Crafts; Domestic Economy and Women's Trades; Electro-Chemistry; Horology (the science of time and art of clock-making); and Mechanical Engineering and Metal Trades.
20th century
A separate technical optics department was established in 1903–04. In 1909, the first students qualified for University of London BSc degrees in engineering as internal students.[12] The Institute had been involved in aeronautics education since that year, and the School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences celebrated the centenary of aeronautics at City in 2009.[15] The institute was used for the 1908 Olympic Games;[12]boxing took place there.[16]
The institute's involvement in information science began in 1961, with the introduction of a course on "Collecting and Communicating Scientific Knowledge". City received its royal charter in 1966, becoming "The City University" to reflect the institution's close links with the City of London.[17] The Apollo 15 astronauts visited City in 1971, and presented the Vice-Chancellor, Tait, with a piece of heat shield from the Apollo 15 rocket.[18]
In October 1995, it was announced that City University would merge with both the St Bartholomew School of Nursing & Midwifery and the Charterhouse College of Radiography, doubling the number of students in City's Institute of Health Sciences to around 2,500.[19]
21st century
The university formed a strategic alliance with Queen Mary, University of London, in April 2001.[20] In May 2001, a fire in the college building gutted the fourth-floor offices and roof.[21] In August 2001 City and the Inns of Court School of Law agreed to merge.[22] Following a donation from Sir John Cass's Foundation, a multimillion-pound building was built at 106 Bunhill Row for the Business School.[23]
The Grade II listed College Building
A new £23 million building to house the School of Social Sciences and the Department of Language and Communication Science was opened in 2004. The reconstruction and redevelopment of the university's Grade II listed college building (following the fire in 2001) was completed in July 2006.
In 2007 the School of Arts received a £10m building refurbishment. A new students' union venue opened in October 2008 called "TEN squared", which provides a hub for students to socialise in during the day and hosts a wide range of evening entertainment including club nights, society events and quiz nights.
In January 2010, premises were shared with the University of East Anglia (UEA) London, following City's partnership with INTO University Partnerships. Since then City has resumed its own International Foundation Programme to prepare students for their pre-university year. City was ranked among the top 30 higher education institutions in the UK by the Times Higher Education Table of Tables.[24]
In April 2011, it was announced that the current halls of residence and Saddler's Sports Centre will be closed and demolished for rebuilding in June 2011. The new student halls and sports facility, now known as CitySport, opened in 2015.
In September 2016 The City University became a member institution of the federal University of London[5] and changed its name to City, University of London.
In 2023, a merger was proposed between City and St George's, University of London.[25] In 2024, the merger was approved by both institutions with a new joint institute called City St George's to commence operations on 1st August 2024.[26]
Campus
A map showing the location of the main campus of City, University of London, in central London
City has sites throughout London,[27] with the main campus located at Northampton Square in the Finsbury area of Islington. The Rhind Building which houses the School of Arts and Social Sciences is directly west of Northampton Square. A few buildings of the main campus are located in nearby Goswell Road in Clerkenwell.
Other academic sites are:
The City Law School (incorporating the former Inns of Court School of Law) on Sebastian Street, Islington.
The main entrance of City, University of London, in Northampton Square. The entrance was substantially remodelled in 2017 and opened by the Chancellor, The Princess Royal
In the financial year ended 31 July 2011, City had a total income (including share of joint ventures) of £178.6 million (2008/09 – £174.4 million) and total expenditure of £183.62 million (2008/09 – £178.82 million).[28] Key sources of income included £39.58 million from Funding Council grants (2008/09 – £39.52 million), £116.91 million from tuition fees and education contracts (2008/09 – £104.39 million), £7.86 million from research grants and contracts (2008/09 – £9.29 million), £1.04 from endowment and investment income (2008/09 – £1.83 million) and £15.05 million from other income (2008/09 – £19.37 million).[28]
During the 2010/11 financial year, City had a capital expenditure of £9.77 million (2008/09 – £16.13 million).[28]
At year end, City had reserves and endowments of £112.89 million (2009/10 – £110.05 million) and total net assets of £147.64 million (2008/09 – £147.27 million).[28]
City, University of London, offers Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoraldegrees as well as certificates and diplomas at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. More than two-thirds of City's programmes are recognised by the appropriate professional bodies such as the BCS, BPS, CILIP, ICE, RICS, HPC etc. in recognition of the high standards of relevance to the professions. The university also has an online careers network where over 2,000 former students offer practical help to current students.[35]
The City Law School offers courses for undergraduates, postgraduates, master graduates and professional courses leading to qualification as a solicitor or barrister, as well as continuing professional development. Its Legal Practice Course has the highest quality rating from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.[36]
City, University of London, has links with businesses in the City of London.[38] City has also joined forces with other universities such as Queen Mary and the Institute of Education (both part of the University of London) with which it jointly delivers several leading degree programmes.
City has joined the executive group of UCL Partners, one of five accredited academic health science groups in the UK. City was invited to join the partnership in recognition of its expertise in nursing, allied health, health services research and evaluation and health management.[39]
City Research Online
City Research Online provides open access to, and reliable information about, research produced by City staff and research students, as permitted by publishers and copyright law, of content and metadata.[40]
The City Students' Union is run primarily by students through four elected sabbatical officers, the chief executive and an elected assembly (composed of current students), with oversight by a trustee board. The Students' Union provides support, representation, facilities, services, entertainment and activities for its members. It is run for students, by students.[41]
The Students' Union manages most aspects relating to students' societies, such as booking spaces for events on campus, holding funds and distributing grants, and providing training to their committees.
Student media
City currently has two student-run media outlets, including Carrot Radio, which was co-founded by journalism postgraduates Jordan Gass-Pooré and Winston Lo in the autumn of 2018.[42] Carrot Radio currently records weekday podcasts. The second is the student-led online magazine, Carrot Magazine. They released their first print magazine in December 2017.
Other
For a number of years, City students have taken part in the annual Lord Mayor's Show, representing the university in one of the country's largest and liveliest parades.
Sustainability ranking
City ranked joint 5th out of the 168 universities surveyed in the 2019 People & Planet league table of the most sustainable UK universities[43] having climbed from 7th place in the 2016 league. In both the 2016 and 2019 rankings, it was the highest ranking University of London institution, and one of only four London institutions in the top twenty.
The league table's Fossil Free Scorecard report, drawn from Freedom of Information requests, found that £800,000 (6.4%) of City's £12.5m endowment was invested in fossil fuels, and that the institution had not made a public commitment to fossil fuel divestment. It also noted nearly £1m of research funding into renewables since 2001 with just £64k of total funding from fossil fuel companies; and no honorary degrees or board positions held by fossil fuel executives.[44]
City announced on 4 July 2023 that it was divesting its investments from fossil fuel producers.[45]
Sir Tony Blair – Labour Party Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007, graduated from the Inns of Court School of Law (now part of The City Law School)
Margaret Thatcher – Conservative Party Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, graduated from the Inns of Court School of Law (now part of The City Law School)
Muhammad Iqbal – Muslim poet, philosopher and politician, born in present-day Pakistan, graduated from the Inns of Court School of Law and University of Cambridge
John Hodge – Aeronautical Engineer who played a key role in NASA and America's space race.[48]
