The Central Institute London, was established in 1989. Its role was to encourage the use of
academic dress
Academic dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, mainly tertiary (and sometimes secondary) education, worn mainly by those who have obtained a university degree (or similar), or hold a status that entitles them to assum ...
and to encourage excellence in the execution of academic ceremonial; to this end, it assigned academic dress to its own members. Membership was based on the academic degrees or professional qualifications held by members, and also included Honorary Life Member (HonCIL) and Companion (CompCIL) as honorary awards, Companion being the highest award and limited to a maximum of one new Companion per year. In the sixteen years of the Institute's existence, there were only three elected CompCIL:
*Professor Colin Parsons
*Professor
Ian Tracey
*Dr Maurice Merrell
Due to falling membership numbers, its activities were permanently suspended in 2005 and members encouraged to join
The Burgon Society
:''Not be confused with the Dean Burgon Society, concerned with the advocacy of the King James Bible''
The Burgon Society is a learned society and educational charity for the study and research of academic dress. The society was founded in 2000 ...
.
Academic dress
Educational organisations based in London
Learned societies of the United Kingdom
History organisations based in the United Kingdom
1999 establishments in England
Organizations established in 1999
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