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The University of Westminster is a public university based in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, it was the first
polytechnic Polytechnic is most commonly used to refer to schools, colleges, or universities that qualify as an institute of technology or vocational university also sometimes called universities of applied sciences. Polytechnic may also refer to: Educat ...
to open in London. The Polytechnic formally received a Royal charter in August 1839, and became the University of Westminster in
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
. Westminster has its main campus in
Regent Street Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It is named after George, the Prince Regent (later George IV) and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash and James Burton. It runs from Waterloo Place ...
in
central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...
, with additional campuses in Fitzrovia, Marylebone and
Harrow Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England ** Harrow, London, a town in London ** Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) ...
. It also operates the Westminster International University in Tashkent in Uzbekistan. The university is organised into three colleges and 12 schools, within which there are around 65 departments and centres, including the Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI) and the Centre for the Study of Democracy. It also has its
Policy Studies Institute The Policy Studies Institute (PSI) is a British think-tank and research institute. PSI began in 1931 as Political and Economic Planning and became the Policy Studies Institute in 1978 on its merger with the Centre for Studies in Social Policy (est ...
,
Business School A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in business administration or management. A business school may also be referred to as school of management, management school, school of business administration, o ...
and
Law School A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...
. Westminster had an income of £205.1 million for 2017–2018, of which £22 million was from funding grants, research grants and contracts. The university is a member of the
Association of Commonwealth Universities The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) was established in 1913, and has over 500 member institutions in over 50 countries across the Commonwealth. The ACU is the world's oldest international network of universities. Its mission is ...
, the
Association of MBAs The Association of MBAs (AMBA) is a global organisation founded in 1967 which focuses primarily on international business school accreditation and membership. Roles Based in London, AMBA is one of the three main global accreditation bodies in ...
,
EFMD The European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) is an international not-for-profit association based in Brussels. Europe's largest network association in the field of management development, it has over 890 member organizations from academ ...
, EQUIS, and the
European University Association The European University Association (EUA) represents more than 800 institutions of higher education in 48 countries, providing them with a forum for cooperation and exchange of information on higher education and research policies. Members of th ...
. Westminster's alumni include a Nobel laureate in Medicine, the inventor of cordite, heads of state, politicians and mayors, Olympians, scientists, BAFTA- and Oscar-winning filmmakers,
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
inductees, Grammy Award-winning musicians, journalists, and poets.


History


1837–1881: Royal Polytechnic Institution

The Royal Polytechnic Institution was built by William Mountford Nurse in 1837 and opened at 309 Regent Street on 6 August 1838 to provide (in the words of its prospectus of 1837) “an institution where the Public, at little expense, may acquire practical knowledge of the various arts and branches of science connected with manufacturers, mining operations and rural economy.” Sir George Cayley (1773–1857), the "father of aeronautical engineering", was the first chairman and the Polytechnic formally received a Royal charter in August 1839. The Polytechnic housed a large exhibition hall, lecture theatre and laboratories, and public attractions included working machines and models, scientific lectures and demonstrations, rides in a diving bell and, from 1839, demonstrations of photography. Prince Albert visited the institution in 1840, when he descended in the diving bell, and became a patron in 1841. The first public photographic portrait studio in Europe opened on the roof of the Polytechnic in March 1841. In 1847,
John Henry Pepper John Henry "Professor" Pepper (17 June 1821 – 25 March 1900) was a British scientist and inventor who toured the English-speaking world with his scientific demonstrations. He entertained the public, royalty, and fellow scientists with a wide r ...
joined the Polytechnic and oversaw the introduction of evening lectures in engineering, applied science and technical subjects for young working Londoners. Pepper wrote several important science education books, one of which is regarded as a significant step towards the understanding of continental drift. In 1848, a theatre was added to the building, purpose-built to accommodate the growing audiences for the Polytechnic's optical shows. These combined magic lantern images with live performances, music, ghosts and spectres, spreading the fame of what was arguably the world's first permanent projection theatre. In 1862, inventor Henry Dircks developed the
Dircksian Phantasmagoria Henry Dircks FRSE FCS (26 August 1806– 17 September 1873) was an English engineer who is considered to have been the main designer of the projection technique known as ''Pepper's ghost'' in 1858. It is named after John Henry Pepper who impleme ...
, where it was seen by Pepper in a booth set up by Dircks at the Polytechnic. Pepper first showed the effect during a scene of Charles Dickens's novella '' The Haunted Man'' (1848) at the Regent Street theatre to great success. However, Pepper's implementation of the effect tied his name to it permanently. Though he tried many times to give credit to Dircks, the title " Pepper's ghost" has endured. Under the chairmanship of
Joseph Butterworth Owen The Reverend Joseph Butterworth Owen (22 July 1809 - 24 May 1872) was an English clergyman, social reformer and author of the nineteenth century. Known primarily for his published work, he is also notable for being the last minister of the famed ...
, the Royal Polytechnic Institution increased its presence in formal classes for young men traditionally denied the opportunity of higher education in the United Kingdom during the nineteenth century. Expansion gradually gave way to financial difficulty, reflecting a long-standing tension between education and the need to run a successful business. A fatal accident on the premises in 1859 caused the first institution to be wound up and a new one formed. Various regeneration schemes were considered, but in 1879 a fire damaged the roof, precipitating the final crisis.


1881–1970: Polytechnic Regent Street

In September 1881, the Royal Polytechnic Institution closed, marking a transition to new ownership and a new era of educational development. Christian philanthropist Quintin Hogg (1845–1903) acquired the lease to the building in December 1881 for £15,000, and the premises re-opened on 25 September 1882. About 6,000 members and students – three times the anticipated number – attended during the first 1882/3 session. The institute gradually adopted the name the Polytechnic Young Men's Christian Institute, or simply, the Polytechnic, for short. From 1882 an expanded programme of classes began, including science, engineering and art classes held in conjunction with the Science and Art Department (of the Board of Trade), and a scheme of technical and trade education, related to the City and Guilds of London Institute of Technical Instruction and to the London Trades Council. The building housed classrooms, a swimming bath, gymnasium, and a refreshment room. Activities included daily chapels, Parliamentary debating, a Reading Circle, music and drama societies and several sports clubs. In the early 1880s the Institute attracted much favourable attention from the technical education lobby. Following the City of London Parochial Charities Act in 1883, it became clear that funds would be available to endow the Polytechnic and to found and support institutions on the same model across London. A public appeal was launched in 1888 to raise the required matching funding. The Scheme was finalised under the auspices of the Charity Commissioners in 1891, when the Institute was reconstituted as The Polytechnic-Regent Street (often referred to as the Regent Street Polytechnic), managed by a newly created governing body. On 21 February 1896, the first performance of a moving film ( Cinématographe) to a paying UK audience was delivered by the Lumière brothers at the Regent Street Cinema. For this reason the cinema has been described as "the birthplace of British cinema". The building at 309 Regent Street was rebuilt in 1910–1912 to reflect the needs of a growing institution whose student members exceeded 15,000. Pioneering work in emerging professional and commercial disciplines, alongside general interest subjects, was the hallmark of the institution. When Hogg died in 1903, he was succeeded as President by Sir Kynaston Studd (1858–1944), who remained in office until his death in 1944, and did much to continue the traditions of the founder. Two major appeals were launched to support expansion, the first for the rebuilding of 309 Regent Street in 1910–1912, and the second to build the Polytechnic Extension building for the Women's Institute in Little Titchfield Street, which was formally opened in 1929. Both buildings continued to provide sporting and social facilities for members of the Institute as well as workshops and classrooms for students of the Education Department. The Education Department provided a wide range of courses, with a rapid expansion of commercial subjects alongside the original trade and technical classes. Courses ranged from post-elementary school entry for craft and technical training at 13 to degrees accredited by the University of London external degrees programme. Most teaching was in the evening and part-time, though day classes increased throughout the period. Following World War Two there was a rapid growth in the demand for further education and training, which was reorganised following the White Paper on Technical Education in 1956. The variety of levels of work at Regent Street meant that it was designated a regional college rather than a college of advanced technology, after which the governors decided to reduce the proportion of lower level work. Following the establishment of the Council for National Academic Awards ( CNAA) in 1964, a number of degree courses were approved and became operational; including Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, Civil, Building, Production, and Manufacturing), Architecture, Photography (1966), Arts Administration (1967), Life Sciences (1973) and Media Studies (1975).


1970–1992: Polytechnic of Central London

In 1960 the London County Council announced a plan to turn Regent Street into a tri-partite federal college by adding a new College of Architecture and Advanced Building Technology (CAABT) and also a College of Engineering and Science (CES). The existing commercial subjects would remain centred on no 309 Regent Street. CAABT was allocated the Luxborough Lodge site in Marylebone Road and CES a site in New Cavendish Street. Both schemes suffered prolonged delays and the new buildings were not finished until 1970. Holborn College of Law, Languages and Commerce was merged with Regent Street Polytechnic to form the Polytechnic of Central London (PCL). At a ceremony on 21 May 1971, the Lord Chancellor Lord Hailsham, grandson and namesake of Hogg, opened the new buildings and designated the new institution. In 1990, Harrow College of Higher Education became part of the PCL.


1992–present: University of Westminster

The PCL was re-designated as the University of Westminster following the
Further and Higher Education Act 1992 The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 made changes in the funding and administration of further education and higher education within England and Wales, with consequential effects on associated matters in Scotland which had previously been ...
, which created a single funding council, the Higher Education Funding Council, for England and abolished the remaining distinctions between polytechnics (degrees awarded nationally) and universities (degrees awarded by individual university). The newly established university was re-dedicated at Westminster Abbey on 1 December 1992. As a university, Westminster gained the power to grant its own degrees. Dame Mary Hogg (great-granddaughter of Quintin Hogg, founder of the Regent Street Polytechnic) was awarded an honorary doctorate of law (LLD) by the University of Westminster in 1995. Hogg also became part of the court of governors at the university, thus continuing the university's close association with the Hogg family. Westminster's efforts in overseas expansion resulted in the university being awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2000, and again in 2005. In recent years, the university has established the Africa, Arab and
China Media Centre The China Media Centre was launched in 2005 by Jeremy Paxman and Sun Yusheng, vice-president of state-owned China Central Television (CCTV). It was set up within the University of Westminster’s Culture and Media Research Institute (CAMRI). The ...
s; the Centre for the Study of Democracy, the institute for Modern and Contemporary Culture, and absorbed the 90-year-old
Policy Studies Institute The Policy Studies Institute (PSI) is a British think-tank and research institute. PSI began in 1931 as Political and Economic Planning and became the Policy Studies Institute in 1978 on its merger with the Centre for Studies in Social Policy (est ...
. In 2002 Westminster established the Westminster International University in Tashkent at the invitation of the government of Uzbekistan. In 2013, the university celebrated 175 years of research, teaching, and providing education for all, regardless of background or financial status. Special events were organised both at campuses in the UK, and with their teams around the world. Celebrations included an interfaith service at Westminster Abbey on 30 January 2013.


Campuses

Westminster has four main campuses, three of which are in
central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...
. The Regent Campus comprises a group of buildings clustered around its historic headquarters at 309 Regent Street. The Regent Street Cinema lies within the 309 Regent Street building, and serves as a fully functioning cinema, open to the public. Located nearby is the Little Titchfield Street building, which houses the library for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, including the Westminster Law School, and the Wells Street building. The Marylebone Campus is located on
Marylebone Road Marylebone Road ( ) is an important thoroughfare in central London, within the City of Westminster. It runs east–west from the Euston Road at Regent's Park to the A40 Westway at Paddington. The road which runs in three lanes in both direction ...
directly opposite
Madame Tussaud's Madame Tussauds (, ) is a wax museum founded in 1835 by French wax sculptor Marie Tussaud in London, spawning similar museums in major cities around the world. While it used to be spelled as "Madame Tussaud's"; the apostrophe is no longer ...
and
Baker Street Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid out the street in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detec ...
underground station. Built in the 1960s it is home to the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Westminster Business School and the
Policy Studies Institute The Policy Studies Institute (PSI) is a British think-tank and research institute. PSI began in 1931 as Political and Economic Planning and became the Policy Studies Institute in 1978 on its merger with the Centre for Studies in Social Policy (est ...
. The P3 exhibition area, a space located in the former concrete construction hall of the School of Engineering, was opened in 2008. The Cavendish Campus is a modern glass and steel building in New Cavendish Street ( Fitzrovia), close to the BT Tower. It houses science, engineering and computer laboratories. The campus is close to Warren Street, Great Portland Street and Goodge Street underground stations. The
Harrow Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England ** Harrow, London, a town in London ** Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) ...
Campus is in a suburb, outside Central London. It is the base for Media, Arts and Design courses. It is also home to London Gallery West which exhibits a broad mix of contemporary media, art and design work. The nearest Tube station to the Harrow campus is Northwick Park on the
Metropolitan line The Metropolitan line, colloquially known as the Met, is a London Underground line between in the City of London and and in Buckinghamshire, with branches to in Hertfordshire and in Hillingdon. Printed in magenta on the tube map, the line i ...
. ;Non-campus sites: * Quintin Hogg Memorial Sports Ground (Polytechnic Stadium) **Cavendish Road, Chiswick * Quintin Boat Club (QBC) **Ibis Lane, Chiswick ;International campus sites: * Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) **12 Istiqbol Street, Tashkent, Uzbekistan


Organisation and administration

The University of Westminster is incorporated under the Companies Act as a charity and company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. It is also an exempt charity under the Charities Act 1993. The university's governing body is the Court of Governors. It meets five times per year and is ultimately responsible for the effective conduct of the activities of the university, including its strategic development, educational character and mission, and finances. The members of the Court of Governors are the trustees of the charity.


Colleges and Schools

The University of Westminster is organised into three colleges and 12 schools, within which there are around 65 departments and research centres: * College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries, incorporating the School of Architecture and Cities, the School of Computer Science and Engineering, the Westminster School of Arts and the Westminster School of Media and Communications. * College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, incorporating the School of Humanities, the School of Life Sciences, the School of Social Sciences and Westminster Law School. * Westminster Business School, including the School of Applied Management, the School of Finance and Accounting, the School of Management and Marketing and the School of Organisations, Economy and Society. The University is also home to the institute for Modern and Contemporary Culture, the Centre for the Study of Democracy and the
Policy Studies Institute The Policy Studies Institute (PSI) is a British think-tank and research institute. PSI began in 1931 as Political and Economic Planning and became the Policy Studies Institute in 1978 on its merger with the Centre for Studies in Social Policy (est ...
.


Finances

Westminster had an income of £205.1 million for 2017–2018, of which more than £22 million was from funding grants, research grants and contracts.


Coat of arms

The university's coat of arms reflects a number of key aspects of its heritage. The
portcullis A portcullis (from Old French ''porte coleice'', "sliding gate") is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down gr ...
is the symbol of Westminster whilst the open book symbolises learning. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who agreed to continue as the Patron, is represented by the Tudor rose, one of the royal emblems. The motto of the university, "The Lord is our Strength", is influenced by Quintin Hogg and his Young Men's Christian Institute. The open book on the
escutcheon Escutcheon may refer to: * Escutcheon (heraldry), a shield or shield-shaped emblem, displaying a coat of arms * Escutcheon (furniture), a metal plate that surrounds a keyhole or lock cylinder on a door * (in medicine) the distribution of pubic ha ...
contains a Latin motto which reads as "'' Veritas''", meaning "truth".


Rankings

Westminster offers Bachelor's, Master's, and
Doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...
degrees as well as certificates and diplomas at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. More than two thirds of Westminster's programmes are recognised by the appropriate professional bodies such as the BCS, BPS, CIOB,
CABE Cabe or CABE may refer to: * Cabe (river), a tributary of the Sil River in Spain *CABE, the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, professional body for building engineers in the UK and overseas established in 1925 *CABE, the Commission for ...
, ICE, RICS, HPC etc. in recognition of the high standards of relevance to the professions. The university has numerous centres of research excellence and was ranked sixth in the UK and 40th globally for Media and Communications by '' QS World University Rankings'' 2018. The university was also ranked 15th for Art and Design in the UK, and 18th in the UK for Architecture. The '' Times Higher Education'' Young University Rankings 2019, which lists the world's best under 50-year-old universities out of 351 universities, ranked Westminster 151–200 in the world. The university achieved world leading and internationally excellent status for most of their work, ranking second for Communications, Cultural and Media Studies research, 6th for Art and Design research, in addition to the university performing strongly in Architecture and the Built Environment, and Geography and Environmental studies. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, almost 80 per cent of Westminster's submitted research across 20 subject areas was judged to be of international quality. In 2013, Westminster was ranked joint second in the UK by the ''Architects’ Journal'' in their "AJ Top 100" special issue.


Student life

A Student Representative Council (SRC) was established at the polytechnic in 1933, to create a sense of unity and expand the social activities of its day students. The SRC was affiliated to the National Union of Students but initially restricted itself largely to social activities. After 1945 it began to campaign on issues such as lifting a ban on religious or political activity within the Polytechnic, and establishing a formal Students’ Union. The ban was lifted in 1962 and a Union granted in 1965.


Students' Union

University of Westminster Students' Union (UWSU) was founded in 1966 as The Polytechnic Students' Union. Its first President was Owen Spencer-Thomas (1966–1967). During the 1970s the newly formed Polytechnic of Central London Students’ Union (PCLSU) engaged in a strategy of protest and direct action. Against a backdrop of general social unrest, PCLSU campaigned against cuts in student grants, lack of accommodation and the rise in costs for overseas students. After 1992, the Union was based primarily at the Marylebone site, where the SU served all students across four of its campuses. It now has offices on all campuses. The union also operates a bar, The Undercroft, and the Loft venue, located on the
Harrow Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England ** Harrow, London, a town in London ** Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) ...
Campus. The union has hosted to numerous musical events and gigs including
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
, and most notably the first and only encounter between Cream and Eric Clapton and
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
. The union is run by five elected Officer Trustees who are campus based.


Student and university media

Smoke Radio is a student-run radio station at the University of Westminster. It was founded in 2004 and broadcasts online from a studio in the university's Harrow campus. Since September 2005 the station has run a 24-hour playout system and broadcast a schedule of live programmes during the week. Smoke Radio has won numerous awards at the Student Radio Association Awards (SRA), and recorded a record six wins in 2018. Smoke TV is the
student television station A student television station is a television station run by university, high or middle school students that primarily airs school/university news and in many cases, student-produced soap operas, entertainment shows, and other programming. At the h ...
of the University of Westminster. Launched in September 2011 it is run by students and targeted at students. The station produces programmes covering campus news, film reviews and sport events and showcases student productions such as short films, TV shows, documentaries and music videos.


Press

From 1970-1992 the Students' Union published a magazine called McGarel. In the early 1990s, the Students' Union began expressing an interest in new print media, and The Smoke was conceived in 1992. However, in 2006, The Smoke briefly switched to a newspaper format, initially being published fortnightly during term time. The newspaper format was later scrapped for a much smaller magazine format. ''The Quintin Hogg'' (informally known as "The QH" or "The Hogg") was launched in September 2012 as a university-wide newspaper. The paper is circulated at all four of the university's campuses. Past student publications included the ''Polytechnic Magazine'' (1935–1971), ''Poly-hoo'' (1938–1939), ''The Poly Tribune'' (1946), ''Publicity Committee News'' (1946), the ''Journal of the Maths and Physics Department'' (1945–1946), ''the Student Forum'' (1949–1953), ''New Chameleon'' (1962), ''Polygon'' (1963), ''Polygen'' (1964), ''West One'' (1966–1969), ''McGarel'' (1968–1993), and ''Gen'' (1970). The university also publishes an annual alumni magazine, ''Network'', as well as several academic student journals such as the ''Law Review'' and ''Wells Street Journal''.


Sport

Sport has played an important role at the institution since the late 19th century. In 1883, the athletic club, the Harriers, was established and was for many years the largest athletics club in the country. In 1908, the polytechnic organised the opening and closing ceremonies of the
1908 London Olympic Games The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were o ...
, also hosting a venue at
The Polytechnic Stadium The Polytechnic Stadium is a sports venue on Hartington Road, Chiswick, London. It is the centre piece of the Quintin Hogg Memorial Grounds (now known as University of Westminster Sports Grounds). In 1888 Quintin Hogg built a boathouse near ...
in
Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district of west London, England. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth; Chiswick House, a neo-Palladian villa regarded as one of the finest in England; and Full ...
. From 1898, the polytechnic awarded the
Studd Trophy The Studd Challenge Trophy was presented annually from 1898 for the best performance by a Royal Polytechnic Institution athlete during the previous year. History The winners' names are engraved in marble on the staircase wall at the back of the R ...
, an annual trophy for the best sports performance. Over the years, the award was given to sportsmen from various disciplines, such as swimming, boxing, and cycling, but the majority of awards have been given to track and field athletes. Noted award holders include: *
Willie Applegarth William Reuben Applegarth (11 May 1890 – 5 December 1958) was a British track and field athlete, and winner of a gold medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay at the 1912 Summer Olympics. Biography Born in Guisborough, then in the North Riding ...
(1912/13), Olympic medallist sprinters * Albert Hill (1919/20), Olympic gold medallist and middle-distance runner * Harry Edward (1922), Olympic sprint bronze medallist * Alan Pascoe (1971/72/73/74/75), hurdler The university has grounds in Chiswick on the Thames with boat house, tennis courts, athletics track and about 12 pitches. There are sports pitches and a sports hall at the Harrow campus while the Regent Campus has a gym, badminton courts and offers sports, martial arts and yoga classes. In the 2017-18 basketball season, the Westminster Dragons won their first university title in over seven years.


Notable people


Notable alumni

Notable Westminster alumni (and others who attended) include: * Architects and sculptors including Sir Thomas Bennett (architect and designer of Saville Theatre and London Mormon Temple), Alfred Bossom ( Magnolia Hotel), Laurence Broderick (sculptor of '' The Bull'', Birmingham Bullring), Ludo Campbell-Reid (
2004 Olympic Games The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...
), Sir Anthony Caro (''Dream City'' at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park),
Trevor Dannatt Trevor Dannatt OBE (15 January 1920 – 16 February 2021) was a British architect. Career He studied architecture at the Regent's Polytechnic. In 1943 he joined the practice of modernist architects Max Fry and Jane Drew. In 1948 he joined the ...
, Ron Herron ( Walking City), Ian Ritchie ( Royal Shakespeare Company Courtyard Theatre and Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art),
Fred Roche Frederick Lloyd Roche, CBE (11 March 1931 – 9 November 1992), was a British architect who worked on the programme of new towns in the United Kingdom. He was Chief Architect of Runcorn Development Corporation from 1965 to 1970 and General Mana ...
( Milton Keynes Development), Alireza Sagharchi ( Kings Cross regeneration programme), Cameron Sinclair (co-founder of
Architecture for Humanity Architecture for Humanity was a US-based charitable organization that sought architectural solutions to humanitarian crises and brought professional design services to clients (often communities in need). Founded in 1999, it laid off its staff and ...
), Michael Webb (founding member of Archigram), Michael Wilford (
Lowry Centre The Lowry is a theatre and gallery complex at Salford Quays, Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is named after the early 20th-century painter L. S. Lowry, known for his paintings of industrial scenes in North West England. The complex op ...
and British Embassy in Berlin) and Chris Wilkinson ( Gateshead Millennium Bridge). * Artists and photographers including
Sybil Atteck Sybil Marjory Atteck (3 February 1911 − 15 April 1975)Keith Atteck"A short story of Sybil Atteck (1911–1975)" Trinidad & Tobago Association of Ottawa, 6 October 2019. was a pioneering Trinidadian painter known for her work in watercolor, oils, ...
(Trinidadian painter), Norman Blamey (''Ordination'', ''The Lavabo''), John Frederick Brill (creator of the '' Bardia Mural''), Fougasse (editor of '' Punch'' magazine),
Iain Macmillan Iain Stewart Macmillan (20 October 1938 – 8 May 2006) was the Scottish photographer famous for taking the cover photograph for the Beatles' album ''Abbey Road'' in 1969. He grew up in Scotland, then moved to London to become a professional ...
(photographer of The Beatles' '' Abbey Road'' album), Charles Keeping (children's author and lithographer '' Les Misérables'', ''
Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. The ...
'' and various works by Charles Dickens) and John Ryan (animator and creator of '' Captain Pugwash''). * Authors and poets including Margery Allingham,
Mary Jo Bang Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
, George Barker, Samit Basu, Quentin Crisp, David Gascoyne, Mengistu Lemma and
Siddharth Dhanvant Sanghvi Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi (born 1977) is an Indian author. His debut novel ''The Last Song of Dusk'' (2004) won the Betty Trask Award (UK), the Premio Grinzane Cavour in Italy, and was nominated for the IMPAC Prize in Ireland. Translated int ...
. * Business-oriented people including
Sinclair Beecham Pret A Manger (''prêt à manger'' is French for ''ready to eat'') is an international sandwich shop franchise chain based in the United Kingdom, popularly referred to as Pret, founded in 1983. As of December 2022, Pret had 434 shops in the UK, ...
and Julian Metcalfe (co-founders of Pret à Manger), Robert Bellinger (former director of Arsenal Football Club),
Wilfred Cass Wilfred Cass CBE FRSA (11 November 1924 – 18 April 2022) co-founded the Cass Sculpture Foundation. Biography Cass was born in Berlin and came from the Jewish Cassirer family. His great uncle, Paul Cassirer, was a significant dealer for the impr ...
(businessman and philanthropist),
Moorad Choudhry Moorad Choudhry was formerly Head of Business Treasury, Global Banking and Markets at Royal Bank of Scotland. Education Choudhry attended Claremont Fan Court School. He graduated from the University of Westminster (known as Polytechnic of Ce ...
(Managing Director at Royal Bank of Scotland plc), Michael Jackson (former controller of BBC1 and
BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
, and Chairman of Universal Television), Tej Lalvani (CEO of
Vitabiotics Vitabiotics is a British nutraceutical company that specializes in vitamin and mineral based food supplements focused in various health categories, with many including vitamins based on national guidelines for infants, children and during pregnanc ...
and dragon on '' Dragons' Den''), and Adar Poonawalla (CEO of Serum Institute of India). * Entertainers and filmmakers including Raya Abirached (celebrity journalist, and host of the hit TV talent show ''
Arabs Got Talent ''Arabs Got Talent'' ( ar, أرابز غوت تالنت) is an Arab reality television talent show broadcast by MBC 1 in the Arab world; it is produced by the MBC and was first broadcast on 14 January 2011. The show features contestants with a va ...
''), Charlie Brooker ( BAFTA-nominated broadcaster), Andrew Dunn ( BAFTA winning cinematographer '' Edge of Darkness'', ''
The Bodyguard A bodyguard is an individual who protects another from harm or threats. Bodyguard may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * The Bodyguard (1944 film), ''The Bodyguard'' (1944 film), a Tom and Jerry short * Bodyguard (1948 film), ...
'', '' Precious'' and '' The Butler''), Asif Kapadia ( Oscar winning filmmaker '' Senna'' and ''
Amy Amy is a female given name, sometimes short for Amanda, Amelia, Amélie, or Amita. In French, the name is spelled ''"Aimée"''. People A–E * Amy Acker (born 1976), American actress * Amy Vera Ackman, also known as Mother Giovanni (1886– ...
''),
Arthur Max Arthur Max (born May 1, 1946) is an American production designer. Biography The native New Yorker began his career as a stage lighting designer in the music industry following graduation from New York University in the late 1960s. Those assign ...
( Oscar nominated and BAFTA winning art director '' Se7en'', ''
Gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...
'', '' Prometheus'' and '' The Martian''),
Seamus McGarvey Seamus McGarvey, ASC, BSC (born 29 June 1967) is a cinematographer from Armagh, Northern Ireland. He lives in Tuscany, Italy. He has received two Academy Award nominations for his cinematography, on Joe Wright's 2007 drama ''Atonement'' and his ...
(cinematographer '' Atonement'', '' Anna Karenina'', ''
The Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes ** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...
'' and '' The Greatest Showman''),
Neal Purvis Neal Purvis (born 9 September 1961) and Robert Wade (born 1962) are screenwriters who co-wrote the seven ''James Bond'' films from 1999's ''The World Is Not Enough'' to 2021's ''No Time to Die'', as well as other works. Early lives Purvis's ...
(scriptwriter James Bond series including '' Casino Royale'', ''
Quantum of Solace ''Quantum of Solace'' is a 2008 spy film and the twenty-second in the List of James Bond films, ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. It is the sequel to Casino Royale (2006 film), ''Casino Royale'' (2006). Directed by Marc Forst ...
'' and '' Spectre'') and
Stanley Unwin Stanley Unwin may refer to: * Stanley Unwin (comedian) (1911–2002), South African-born comedic writer and performer * Stanley Unwin (publisher) Sir Stanley Unwin, KCMG (19 December 1884 – 13 October 1968) was a British publisher, who founde ...
. * Fashion designers including Christopher Bailey (Chief Executive and Chief Creative Officer at Burberry), Markus Lupfer, Carri Mundane (founder and creative designer at CassettePlaya,
Stuart Vevers Stuart Vevers (born 17 November 1973) is a British fashion designer. He graduated from the University of Westminster in 1996. His first job was at Calvin Klein, followed by Bottega Veneta, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton, where he worked with Mar ...
(executive creative director at
Coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...
) and Vivienne Westwood. * Journalists and commentators including Mo Abudu (media mogul), Talal Al-Haj (New York bureau chief for the
Al-Arabiya Arabiya ( ar, العربية, transliterated: '; meaning "The Arabic One" or "The Arab One") is an international Arabic news television channel, currently based in Dubai, that is operated by the media conglomerate MBC. The channel is a flag ...
news network), Carrie Gracie (journalist and newsreader at BBC News), James King ( BBC film critic), Riz Lateef ( BBC London newsreader),
Annie Nightingale Annie Avril Nightingale (born 1 April 1940) is an English radio and television broadcaster. She was the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1 in 1970, and is its longest-serving presenter. Early life and career Nightingale was born in Osterley ...
( BBC Radio 1 DJ),
Rob Powell Robert Powell (born ) is the head coach of Kent London & South East Men's League side Medway Dragons and the Head of Youth at the London Broncos in the Super League. He is the former head coach of the London Broncos Rugby League Club and forme ...
(political correspondent at ''
Sky News Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel and organisation. Sky News is distributed via an English-language radio news service, and through online channels. It is owned by Sky Group, a division of Comcast. John Ryley is the hea ...
''), Jon Ronson (journalist and author of '' The Men Who Stare At Goats''), Brian Whitaker (former Middle East editor at '' The Guardian'' newspaper) and Sian Williams (principal presenter at '' 5 News at 5''). * Musicians including
Caroline Alvares Four of Diamonds are an English girl group composed of Caroline Alvares, Lauren Rammell, Sophia Saffarian and Yasmin Broom. In 2016, they competed in the thirteenth series of '' The X Factor'', where they finished in eighth place. In 2018, the ...
(member of Four of Diamonds), Amir Amor ( Rudimental), Ciaran Jeremiah, Kevin Jeremiah and
Richard Jones Richard Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *F. Richard Jones (1893–1930), American filmmaker *Dick Clair (Richard Jones, 1931–1988), American producer, actor and TV writer *Richard Jones (The Feeling), British bass guitarist *Richard J ...
(members of the pop group The Feeling),
Nick Mason Nicholas Berkeley Mason, (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He is the only member to feature on every Pink Floyd album, and the only constant member since its formation in ...
,
Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. In 1965, he co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. Waters initially served as the bassist, but following the departure of singer-so ...
and Richard Wright (members of the Grammy Award winning rock group
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
), Sigala (DJ and record producer), Al Shux ( Grammy Award winning producer) and
Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an i ...
(member of the Grammy Award winning rock group The Rolling Stones). * Politicians including Paul Xuereb ( President of Malta 1987–1989), Sir Michael Otedola (Former Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria), Rafik Abdessalem (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia), Janet Anderson (former Labour Party Member of Parliament for
Rossendale and Darwen Rossendale and Darwen is a constituency in Lancashire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Sir Jake Berry, the former Chairman of the Conservative Party. Boundaries 1983 to 1997: The Borough of Rossenda ...
),
Shirley Ayorkor Botchway Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (born 8 February 1963), is a Ghanaian politician who serves as Ghana's minister for foreign affairs and regional integration. She was appointed by Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo as Minister of Foreign Affairs on 10 Ja ...
Ghanaian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey ( Conservative Party politician), Caroline Cox, Baroness Cox (politician and lobbyist), Susan Cunliffe-Lister, Baroness Masham of Ilton (Crossbencher and member of the House of Lords), Natascha Engel (former Labour Party Member of Parliament for North East Derbyshire), Christopher Fraser ( Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk), Dominic Grieve (Former Conservative MP for
Beaconsfield Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, west-northwest of central London and south-southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High W ...
and Attorney General for England and Wales), Ghassan Hasbani (Former Deputy Prime Minister for Lebanon), David Lepper (former Labour Party Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion), Abdirahman Omar Osman (Former Mayor of Mogadishu - killed in 2019 by the armed group al-Shabaab), Gloria de Piero (former Labour Party Member of Parliament for Ashfield), Mark Versallion (Councillor and Treasurer for the Conservative Party), Bowen Wells ( Conservative for Hertford and Stortford) and Peter Whittle, British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster. * Engineers and Scientists including Sir
Alexander Fleming Sir Alexander Fleming (6 August 1881 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish physician and microbiologist, best known for discovering the world's first broadly effective antibiotic substance, which he named penicillin. His discovery in 1928 of w ...
(Awarded the 1945 Nobel Prize in Medicine), Sir Frederick Augustus Abel (chemist and inventor of cordite), Seweryn Chomet (theoretical physicist), Sir Diarmuid Downs (former President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers),
Lewis R. B. Elton Lewis Richard Benjamin Elton (born Ludwig Richard Benjamin Ehrenberg; 25 March 1923 – 29 September 2018) was a German-born British physicist and researcher into education, specialising in higher education. Early life Born in Tübingen to the ...
(physicist and researcher in education), George Hockham (engineer and pioneer in research for fiber-optics), Gerald Palmer (Car designer, including
Jowett Javelin The Jowett Javelin was an executive car produced from 1947 to 1953 by Jowett Cars Ltd of Idle, near Bradford in England. The model went through five variants coded PA to PE, each having a standard and "de luxe" option. The car was designed by Ge ...
and MG Magnette),
Walter Eric Spear Walter Eric Spear FRSE PhD FRS FInstP (20 January 1921 – 21 February 2008) was a German physicist noted for his pioneering work to help develop large area electronics and thin film displays. He was born in Frankfurt to a Jewish father and a ...
(physicist and pioneer of thin film displays) and
Armand de Waele Armand Michel A. de Waele (17 November 1887 – December 1966) was a British chemist, noted for his contributions to rheology, and after whom the Ostwald-de Waele relationship for non-Newtonian fluids is named.Ostwald called it the de Waele-Ost ...
(chemist and rheologist). * Sports people including Lambros Athanassoulas (Greek rally driver), Colin Charvis (Captain of the Welsh national rugby team),
Herbert Gayler Herbert Gayler (3 December 1881 – 23 June 1917) was a British cyclist. He competed in two events at the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during the First World War. Gayler served as a private in the London Regiment during the Fi ...
(Olympic Cyclist and 12-hour record holder), Neil Laughton (adventurer),
Ulhas Koravi Satyanarayan Ulhas Koravi Satyanarayan, mostly referred to as Ulhas KS, is an Indian professional basketball player. As of December 2021, he has been the only Indian professional basketball player in Europe.
(Indian professional basketball player), Dunia Susi (England women's football player) and Frank Turner (three-times Olympics gymnast).


Notable faculty and staff

File:George Cayley2.jpg, Sir George Cayley File:Charles Algernon Parsons.jpg, Charles Algernon Parsons File:Cherie Blair in Trento.jpg, Cherie Blair File:Joshua Oppenheimer 2015.jpg, Joshua Oppenheimer File:Prod 24630.jpg,
John Henry Pepper John Henry "Professor" Pepper (17 June 1821 – 25 March 1900) was a British scientist and inventor who toured the English-speaking world with his scientific demonstrations. He entertained the public, royalty, and fellow scientists with a wide r ...
Notable former Westminster faculty and staff include Sir George Cayley (the father of aeronautical engineering), Charles Algernon Parsons (engineer and inventor of the
steam turbine A steam turbine is a machine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work on a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Charles Parsons in 1884. Fabrication of a modern steam turbin ...
),
Rachel Aldred Rachel Aldred (born 1976) is British academic specialising in active mobility. She is a Professor in Transport at the University of Westminster and has published over 25 peer reviewed papers. She was awarded the Economic and Social Research Cou ...
(academic specializing in active mobility),
Tom Ang Tom Ang is a photographer, author, traveller, and academic. In 1979 he was a founding member of Wandsworth Photo Co-op which grew into Photofusion, London's largest independent photography resource A specialist in travel and digital photography, ...
(photographer and BBC presenter), Cherie Blair (senior barrister, wife of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair), Harpal Brar (founder and former chairman of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)), Richard Burton (visiting lecturer and managing editor of the ''
Jewish Chronicle Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
''),
Nicholas Garnham Nicholas Garnham (born 1937) is Emeritus Professor at the University of Westminster in the academic field of Media Studies. Education and naval service Garnham attended Winchester College from 1950 to 1955 where the major influence on his thin ...
(
emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
professor in the field of media studies), Andrew Groves (fashion designer),
Catherine Grubb Catherine Grubb (born 1945) is a British artist. Biography Grubb was born in Bellshill in Lanarkshire; her parents were Scottish and Lithuanian. She lived in London as a child. Grubb studied at Edinburgh College of Art and the University of Edi ...
, artist (taught at Harrow School of Art), Mayer Hillman (senior fellow
emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
at the
Policy Studies Institute The Policy Studies Institute (PSI) is a British think-tank and research institute. PSI began in 1931 as Political and Economic Planning and became the Policy Studies Institute in 1978 on its merger with the Centre for Studies in Social Policy (est ...
),
Peter H Millard Peter Millard (1937–2018) FRCP was a British physician known for his work in geriatrics. He was an emeritus professor of geriatrics at St George's, University of London.
(president of the UK Nosokinetics Group), Chantal Mouffe (political theorist),
Ezra Pound Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (30 October 1885 – 1 November 1972) was an expatriate American poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a Fascism, fascist collaborator in Italy during World War II. His works ...
(prominent modernist figure in poetry), Joshua Oppenheimer (Oscar nominated filmmaker),
John Henry Pepper John Henry "Professor" Pepper (17 June 1821 – 25 March 1900) was a British scientist and inventor who toured the English-speaking world with his scientific demonstrations. He entertained the public, royalty, and fellow scientists with a wide r ...
(scientist and inventor), Jean Seaton (professor of media history and official historian of the BBC),
Alfred Waterhouse Alfred Waterhouse (19 July 1830 – 22 August 1905) was an English architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture, although he designed using other architectural styles as well. He is perhaps best known f ...
(architect and designer of the Natural History Museum),
George Checkley George Checkley (19 December 1893 – 17 November 1960) was a New Zealand-born architect and academic, who predominantly worked in the UK. He is known for being among the architects to introduce Modernist buildings to the UK, particularly with two o ...
(Modernist architect) and
Brian Winston Brian Norman Winston (7 November 1941 – 9 April 2022) was a British journalist who was the first holder of the Lincoln Professorship at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom. He was a Pro Vice Chancellor for 2005–2006 and the former dea ...
(
Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
award-winning documentary script writer).


See also

* Armorial of UK universities *
List of universities in the UK This is a list of universities in the United Kingdom (alphabetical by substantive name). Below that are lists of university colleges and other recognised bodies (institutions with degree awarding powers), followed by a list of defunct institution ...
* Polytechnic Touring Association * Post-1992 universities *
Ragged School Ragged schools were charitable organisations dedicated to the free education of destitute children in 19th century Britain. The schools were developed in working-class districts. Ragged schools were intended for society's most destitute children ...


References


Further reading

* ''The Education of the Eye: History of the Royal Polytechnic Institution 1838–1881'' Granta Editions (November 2008) . * ''An Education in Sport : Competition, Communities and Identities at the University of Westminster since 1864'' Granta Editions (March 2012) * ''Educating Mind, Body and Spirit: The legacy of Quintin Hogg and the Polytechnic, 1864–1992'' Granta Editions (April 2013) * ''160 Years of Innovation: the Polytechnic Institution to the University of Westminster 1838–1998'' (1998). * ''The Quintin School 1886–1956: a brief history'' by L C B Seaman (1957). * ''Quintin Hogg, a Biography'' by
Ethel Mary Wood Ethel Mary Wood CBE (29 June 1877 - 29 June 1970) was an advertising executive, feminist campaigner, philanthropist, bible collector, and the daughter of Quintin Hogg, a businessman and philanthropist who established the Regent Street Polytechnic ...
(June 2012)


External links


University of Westminster Official website

University of Westminster Students' Union
{{Coord, 51, 31, 01, N, 0, 08, 35, W, region:GB-LND_type:edu, display=title University of Westminster Schools of informatics Education in the City of Westminster Educational institutions established in 1838 1838 establishments in England Westminster Westminster Student radio in the United Kingdom