Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
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Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichke ...
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational know ...
and a
constituent college A collegiate university is a university in which functions are divided between a central administration and a number of constituent colleges. Historically, the first collegiate university was the University of Paris and its first college was the ...
of the federal
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
. It has six schools, 21 academic departments and approximately 10,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 100 countries. The campus is located west of
Egham Egham ( ) is a university town in the Borough of Runnymede in Surrey, England, approximately west of central London. First settled in the Bronze Age, the town was under the control of Chertsey Abbey for much of the Middle Ages. In 1215, Magna ...
, Surrey, from central London. The Egham campus was founded in 1879 by the Victorian entrepreneur and philanthropist
Thomas Holloway : Thomas Holloway (22 September 180026 December 1883) was an English patent medicine vendor and philanthropist. Early life Holloway was born in Devonport, Plymouth, Devon, the eldest son of Thomas and Mary Holloway (née Chellew), who at the t ...
. Royal Holloway College was officially opened in 1886 by
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
as an all-women college. It became a member of the University of London in 1900. In 1945, the college admitted male postgraduate students, and in 1965, around 100 of the first male undergraduates. In 1985, Royal Holloway merged with Bedford College (another former all-women's college in London). The merged college was named Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC), this remaining the official registered name of the college by Act of Parliament. The campus is dominated by the Founder's Building, a
Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
red-brick building modelled on the
Château de Chambord The Château de Chambord () in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France, is one of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with cl ...
of the Loire Valley, France. The annual income of the institution for 2020–21 was £189.9 million of which £18.8 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £179.2 million. Royal Holloway maintains strong links and exchange programmes with institutions in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong, notably the University of California &
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the worl ...
, the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
, the
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...
and the
University of Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, it is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. HKU was also the fir ...
. Royal Holloway was a member of the
1994 Group The 1994 Group was a coalition of smaller research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom, founded in 1994 to defend these universities' interests following the creation of the Russell Group by larger research-intensive universities earlie ...
until 2013, when the group dissolved.


History


Royal Holloway College

Royal Holloway College, originally a women-only college, was founded by the Victorian entrepreneur
Thomas Holloway : Thomas Holloway (22 September 180026 December 1883) was an English patent medicine vendor and philanthropist. Early life Holloway was born in Devonport, Plymouth, Devon, the eldest son of Thomas and Mary Holloway (née Chellew), who at the t ...
in 1879 on the Mount Lee Estate in Egham.Profile of Royal Holloway
Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
The founding of the college was brought about after Holloway, seeking to fulfil a philanthropic gesture,. Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 27 August 2008. began a public debate through ''
The Builder ''Building'' is one of the United Kingdom's oldest business-to-business magazines, launched as ''The Builder'' in 1843 by Joseph Aloysius Hansom – architect of Birmingham Town Hall and designer of the Hansom Cab. The journal was renamed ''Bu ...
'' regarding 'How best to spend a quarter of a million or more', at which point his wife, Jane Holloway, proposed to build a college especially for women.Brief History
Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
Holloway later increased his original sum of money to half a million, and today, the campus is still best known for its original 600-bed building, known as the Founder's Building, designed by
William Henry Crossland William Henry Crossland (Yorkshire, 1835 – London, 14 November 1908), known professionally as W.H. Crossland, was a 19th-century English architect and a pupil of George Gilbert Scott. His architectural works included the design of three building ...
and inspired by the
Château de Chambord The Château de Chambord () in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France, is one of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with cl ...
in the Loire Valley, France.Royal Holloway
'' The Sunday Times University Guide'', 23 September 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
Sir Nikolaus Pevsner Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner (30 January 1902 – 18 August 1983) was a German-British art historian and architectural historian best known for his monumental 46-volume series of county-by-county guides, ''The Buildings of England'' (1 ...
called the original college building "the most ebullient Victorian building in the Home Counties", and noted that together with its sister building the
Holloway Sanatorium Holloway Sanatorium was an institution for the treatment of those suffering temporary mental illness, situated on of aesthetically landscaped grounds near Virginia Water, Surrey, England, about south-west of Charing Cross. Its largest buildings ...
, it represents "the summit of High Victorian design". The Founder's Building, which is now
Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
,Royal Holloway, University of London
''The Independent'', 27 July 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
was officially opened in 1886 by
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
, who granted the use of "Royal" in the college's name.Academic leadership
London External. Retrieved 29 August 2008.

Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
Founder's has been described by ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fo ...
'' as "one of Britain’s most remarkable university buildings", largely for its elaborate architecture,The Times Good University Guide profile: Royal Holloway, University of London
''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fo ...
'', 2008-06-19. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
and according to ''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
'' it "makes the college instantly recognisable". The college also has a Chapel, completed in 1886 as one of the last parts of the university to be finished.Royal Holloway, University of London – Key Facts
. Royal Holloway, University of London, March 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
October 1887 saw the arrival of the first 28 students at Royal Holloway College. It later became a constituent of the University of London in 1900, as did Bedford College, which eventually merged with Royal Holloway College.


Merger of Royal Holloway College and Bedford College (1985)

Bedford College was founded by
Elizabeth Jesser Reid Elizabeth Jesser Reid (; 25 December 1789 – 1 April 1866) was an English social reformer, anti-slavery activist and philanthropist. She is best remembered as the founder of Bedford College. Biography Early life Elisabeth Jesser Sturch was b ...
in 1849 as a higher education college for the education of women. Reid leased a house at 47 Bedford Square in the
Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions. Bloomsbury is home of the British Museum, the largest mu ...
area of London, and opened the Ladies College in Bedford Square. The intention was to provide a liberal and non-sectarian education for women, something no other institution in the United Kingdom provided at the time. The college moved to 8 and 9 York Place (off
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 dete ...
) in 1874, and then to
Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwe ...
in 1908. In 1900, the college became a constituent school of the University of London. Like RHC, following its membership of the University of London, in 1965, it allowed male undergraduates to study on its premises for the first time. RHC and Bedford merged in 1985. The pressure for the merger was due to a lack of government funding for higher education, and the college was named Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC), with an inauguration being held at the College Chapel in 1986 by
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
. The newest title remains the official registered name of the college, though this was changed for day-to-day use to "Royal Holloway, University of London" by the College Council in 1992. Since the merger with Bedford College, Royal Holloway has entered into collaborative discussions with
Brunel University Brunel University London is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It was founded in 1966 and named after the Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In June 1 ...
and
St George's, University of London St George's, University of London (legally St George's Hospital Medical School, informally St George's or SGUL), is a University located in Tooting in South London and is a constituent college of the University of London. St George's has its ...
. The latter project was cancelled in September 2009. Royal Holloway, St George's and
Kingston University Kingston University London is a Public university, public research university located within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in South London, South West London, England. Its roots go back to the Kingston Technical Institute, founded in 1 ...
continue to work together in the field of health and social care teaching and research.


Campus


Location

Royal Holloway's campus is set in of woodland, between Windsor and
Heathrow Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others bei ...
. Around 200 species of shrubs, 150 different types of tree and numerous wild flowering plants can be found in RHC's parkland. The nearest station is
Egham Egham ( ) is a university town in the Borough of Runnymede in Surrey, England, approximately west of central London. First settled in the Bronze Age, the town was under the control of Chertsey Abbey for much of the Middle Ages. In 1215, Magna ...
. The campus is about 40–50 minutes from
Waterloo station Waterloo station (), also known as London Waterloo, is a central London terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Underground station of t ...
in central London about away, and Windsor is . The campus is from M25 junction 13 and close to the M3, M4 and M40 and London
Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others bei ...
.


Founder's Building

The Founder's Building, which dominates the campus, has striking north and south towers and two large quadrangles and contains a chapel, kitchen and dining hall, lecture theatre and the original reading room along with student rooms and offices. Founder's has often been the centre of media attention and is a popular filming location for TV and film as a grandiose 'university' or 'public school'.Founder's is TV star
. Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 27 August 2008.


Campus redevelopment

Between 2002 and 2008, the college underwent a £100 million investment programme and a re-development of its campus, as a result of the merger with Bedford College and the sale of Bedford's site in
Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwe ...
. A number of recent projects undertaken by Royal Holloway have included an extension to the School of Management (2005 and 2011) and the library (which holds half a million books). The biological sciences laboratories have also been renovated and the Windsor Building (opened in 2007) houses seminar rooms and a 400-seat auditorium. In 2013, the Student Services Centre, which is a single point of contact for all non-academic enquiries, was opened in the Windsor Building. The Drama Department expanded its performance space with the opening of the
Caryl Churchill Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes.
Theatre, which seats almost 200 audience members across two levels and has a third floor for technical operation, in 2013. The department also uses the onsite 19th-century boilerhouse, which was converted into a performance space with a sprung dance floor in 2014. The International Building, opened in 2000 by The Princess Royal, houses the Language Centre along with the English, French, German, Italian and Hispanic Studies Departments. The new developments have also been followed by the establishment of formal links with
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, t ...
, the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's six ...
, and
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the worl ...
, and connections with the
Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including performance ...
means that music students at Royal Holloway have the opportunity to take lessons there. The size of the campus has allowed the college to develop some of the best sports facilities of any university institution in the London area, and helped build the college's reputation as a sporting institution of excellence. An aerobics studio, fitness suite, sports Hall, sports fields and tennis courts account for some of the sporting facilities that Royal Holloway offers. The Sports Centre was refurbished in 2013 while a bequest by Margaret Young in 2014 enabled the college to further develop its sports facilities. New for the 2014/15 sporting season were floodlit outdoor pitches and courts, which provide all-weather playing surfaces for a wide range of sports. Situated on the campus are restaurants and cafés, a college shop,a health centre, a Chapel, a careers centre, teaching and social spaces and sports facilities. As a result of an evaluation by
People & Planet People & Planet is a network of student campaign groups in the UK. It is "the largest student campaigning organisation in the country campaigning to alleviate world poverty, defend human rights and protect the environment." Organisation P ...
in 2007, Royal Holloway was ranked 60th out of 120 universities for environmental performance. The university has put into place initiatives to enhance environmental performance, such as the improvement of
woodland management Forest management is a branch of forestry concerned with overall administrative, legal, economic, and social aspects, as well as scientific and technical aspects, such as silviculture, protection, and forest regulation. This includes management for ...
to develop nature conservation and more recycling banks have been introduced to halls of residence. Starting in 2015, work on constructing a new Library and Student Services Centre began. In January 2017 it was announced that the building would be named after alumna
Emily Wilding Davison Emily Wilding Davison (11 October 1872 – 8 June 1913) was an English suffragette who fought for votes for women in Britain in the early twentieth century. A member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and a militant fighte ...
.It's the Emily Wilding Davison building!
royalholloway.ac.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
It was opened by The Princess Royal on 18 October 2017.


Organisation and administration


Governance

The College Council is the governing body of the college with responsibility for "financial integrity and setting the overall strategic direction of Royal Holloway."The College Council
Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
There are 25 members of the council, many of which are lay members from outside Royal Holloway who are initially appointed for five years. A total of 16 lay members are appointed; two from local authorities; one selected by the Privy Council; another by the University of London; two more are appointed as alumni from Royal Holloway, Bedford College or Royal Holloway College; and the rest are chosen to offer a range of skills and experience. The council's Chairman, who is appointed for five years, is also a lay member. One of The Chairman's duties is to chair a number of committees including the Remuneration Committee, which handles the pay and benefits of the senior staff. The Principal is answerable to the chairman. The remaining members of the Council comprise three elected by non-academic members of staff, two elected by academics and one member of academic staff elected by the Academic Board. There is also one student member elected by the students.


Coat of arms

Royal Holloway's coat of arms consists of the Royal Holloway shield and its surrounding elements. There are three crescents shown on the coat of arms, which are taken from Thomas Holloway's own coat of arms.Corporate Manual
. Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
Taken from the Bedford coat of arms, the field is coloured black and gold in a chequered design, with the addition of ermine spots (feather-like symbols representing
ermine Ermine may refer to three species of mustelid in the genus '' Mustela'': * Stoat or Eurasian ermine, ''Mustela erminea'', found throughout Eurasia and northern North America * American ermine, ''Mustela richardsonii'', found throughout North Ameri ...
tails) from the Royal Holloway coat. Placed between two black lozenges, there is a lamp of learning. Traditionally, the lozenge is worn on the arm of unmarried women or widows, which places significance on the coat of arms' lozenges as it acts as a reminder that the colleges were founded for women. Below, the motto is displayed which is taken from the arms of Bedford College, and reads ''esse quam videri''. The Royal Holloway shield was created following the merger of Bedford and Royal Holloway Colleges in 1985. The shield appears (in a black and white form) on legal documents and stationery for legal reasons, along with the following: "Incorporated by Act of Parliament. Royal Holloway and Bedford New College." The use of the university's identifying marks is governed by the Communications and External Relations Department.


Schools and departments

As of 1 August 2019, the university operates using a School structure. Each school is led by a Head of School, who in turn reports to the university's executive team. The six new schools replaced the previous three faculties. The schools are as follows: ;School of Business and Management * Department of Accounting and Financial Management * Department of Digital Innovation Management * Department of Human Resource Management and Organisational Studies * Department of Marketing * Department of Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship ;School of Engineering, Physical and Mathematical Sciences (EPMS) * Department of Computer Science * Department of Electronic Engineering * Department of Information Security * Department of Mathematics * Department of Physics ;School of Humanities * Department of Classics * Department of English * Department of History * Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures ;School of Law and Social Sciences * Department of Economics * Department of Law and Criminology * Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy * Department of Social Work ;School of Life Sciences and the Environment * Department of Biological Sciences * Department of Earth Sciences * Department of Geography * Department of Psychology ;School of Performing and Digital Arts * Department of Drama, Theatre and Dance * Department of Media Arts * Department of Music There is additionally a Doctoral School for the university's PhD students.


Finances

In the financial year ended 31 July 2020, Royal Holloway had a total income £188.9m (2018/19 – £188.7m) and total expenditure of £167.8m (2018/19 – £223.9m). Key sources of income included £119.9m from tuition fees and education contracts (2018/19 – £114.7m), £18.6m from
Office for Students The Office for Students (OfS) is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Education, acting as the regulator and competition authority for the higher education sector in England. In February 2021, James Wharton, Baron Wharton of Yar ...
and
Research England Research England is a part of United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) that oversees the functions of UKRI in relation to university research and knowledge transfer in England. This includes: * providing funding to English universities for res ...
grants (2018/19 – £17.3m), £17.2m from research grants and contracts (2018/19 – £16.4m) and £2.3m from donations and endowment income (2018/19 – £2.6m). During the 2019/20 financial year Royal Holloway had a capital expenditure of £10.2m (2018/19 – £21.4m). At year end Royal Holloway had endowments of £78.8m (31 July 2019 – £81.2m).


Academics

Royal Holloway employs around 2,300 members of staff, including 534 academic staff and 132 research staff. The total number of undergraduate and postgraduate students is , from 100 countries.


Research

In the
Research Excellence Framework The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a research impact evaluation of British higher education institutions. It is the successor to the Research Assessment Exercise and it was first used in 2014 to assess the period 2008–2013. REF is underta ...
(REF) 2021, published on 12 May 2022, it was confirmed that Royal Holloway sits within the top 25 per cent of UK universities for 'world-leading' and 'internationally excellent' research. In the REF assessment, 88 per cent of Royal Holloway's research is rated as world-leading (4*) and internationally excellent (3*), which is an increase of 8.6 per cent from REF 2014, which is the last time an exercise on this scale was conducted. In addition, 42 per cent of Royal Holloway's research is rated as world-leading (4*), which is an increase of 40 per cent on 2014 when 30 per cent of Royal Holloway's research was ranked in this category. In particular, Royal Holloway's 4* research output has increased to 43% in 2021, up from 27% in 2014. In 1998, Royal Holloway's Information Security Group (ISG) was awarded a
Queen's Anniversary Prize The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education are a biennially awarded series of prizes awarded to universities and colleges in the further and higher education sectors within the United Kingdom. Uniquely it forms part of the Bri ...
in recognition of its work in
information security Information security, sometimes shortened to InfoSec, is the practice of protecting information by mitigating information risks. It is part of information risk management. It typically involves preventing or reducing the probability of unauthoriz ...
. The ISG introduced a MSc in Information Security in 1992, making Royal Holloway the first university to offer a postgraduate course on this subject. Currently the ISG hosts one of only two UK Centres for Doctoral Training in
cyber security Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, th ...
. On 14 March 2014, Queen
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
and
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
, were welcomed to Royal Holloway when they attended a ceremony to celebrate the
Regius Professorship A Regius Professor is a university professor who has, or originally had, royal patronage or appointment. They are a unique feature of academia in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The first Regius Professorship was in the field of medicine, and ...
being bestowed on the Department of Music: the first of its kind. The Music Department was awarded the Regius Professorship by the Queen to mark her Diamond Jubilee. The prestigious award acknowledges the university's exceptionally high standards of music teaching and research. The current research policy chief of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, David Sweeney and his predecessor Rama Thirunamachandran were both sourced directly from Royal Holloway.


Courses

Royal Holloway runs a variety of
academic degree An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including und ...
programmes, including Single Honours and Joint Honours, with fees of £9,000 for full-time undergraduate students (2015–2016 entry) and some financial help schemes The study of an undergraduate programme leads to one of five University of London degrees, which include
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
,
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...
, Bachelor of Science (Economics),
Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of pre ...
and
Master in Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...
. Discounted fees are offered to students who stay on to complete a postgraduate degree. The university also runs e-degrees in history and business management. On a competitive basis, Principal's Excellence Scholarships worth £3,000 a year are given to students who achieve AAA+ and have applied to study Maths, Physics, Modern Languages or European Studies at Royal Holloway from September 2015. Other bursaries and scholarships are also offered to students, including bursaries of £1,750 per year for undergraduate students with a family income less than £25,000. In the
Research Assessment Exercise The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) was an exercise undertaken approximately every five years on behalf of the four UK higher education funding councils (HEFCE, SHEFC, HEFCW, DELNI) to evaluate the quality of research undertaken by British hig ...
(RAE) of 2008, Royal Holloway's School of Biological Sciences was ranked joint third achieving a proportion of 4* and 5* rankings. The School of Management has all three of its
MBA A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
programmes accredited by
AMBA Amba or AMBA may refer to: Title * Amba Hor, alternative name for Abhor and Mehraela, Christian martyrs * Amba Sada, also known as Psote, Christian bishop and martyr in Upper Egypt Given name * Amba, the traditional first name given to the fir ...
, and obtained management school status in 1993."Royal Holloway School of Management"
''The Independent'', 11 January 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
Royal Holloway also runs the University of London MBA distance-learning programme. An Advanced Skills Programme is also run at the university, featuring information technology, communication skills and foreign languages.


Study-abroad programmes

Royal Holloway has developed a variety of study-abroad programmes, allowing its students to spend a year in institutions including; *:
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...
,
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's six ...
*:
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
,
University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a Public university, public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexande ...
*:
University of Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, it is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. HKU was also the fir ...
*:
International Christian University is a non-denominational private university located in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan, commonly known as ICU. With the efforts of Prince Takamatsu, General Douglas MacArthur, and BOJ President Hisato Ichimada, ICU was established in 1949 as the first ...
,
Keio University , mottoeng = The pen is mightier than the sword , type = Private research coeducational higher education institution , established = 1858 , founder = Yukichi Fukuzawa , endowment ...
,
Ritsumeikan University is a private university in Kyoto, Japan, that traces its origin to 1869. With the Kinugasa Campus (KIC) in Kyoto, and Kyoto Prefecture, the university also has a satellite called Biwako-Kusatsu Campus (BKC) and Osaka-Ibaraki Campus (OIC). Tod ...
,
Waseda University , mottoeng = Independence of scholarship , established = 21 October 1882 , type = Private , endowment = , president = Aiji Tanaka , city = Shinjuku , state = Tokyo , country = Japan , students = 47,959 , undergrad = 39,382 , postgrad ...
*:
National University of Singapore The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in th ...
*:
Yonsei University Yonsei University (; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. As a member of the " SKY" universities, Yonsei University is deemed one of the three most prestigious institutions in the country. It is particularly respected in th ...
*:
University of California Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
,
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classified ...
,
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the worl ...
,
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, t ...
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Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
,
Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...
,
Mount Holyoke College Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States. ...
,
George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , presi ...
*:
Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. The university is well kn ...
Royal Holloway collaborates with
Queen Mary, University of London , mottoeng = With united powers , established = 1785 – The London Hospital Medical College1843 – St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College1882 – Westfield College1887 – East London College/Queen Mary College , type = Public researc ...
to help run programmes at the
University of London Institute in Paris The University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP; ) is a central academic body of the University of London located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It is currently the only British university institute in continental Europe. History The in ...
(ULIP), a central academic body of the University of London in Paris, France.London Institute in Paris, University of London
''The Independent'', 27 July 2007. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
This offers undergraduate and graduate students the chance to study University of London ratified French Studies degrees in France. Students who take a degree in French, German, Italian or Hispanic Studies will all take a year abroad as an integral part of the course.


Reputation and rankings

At one point in time, Royal Holloway was ranked second out of 90 universities in England and Wales for the number of students going into graduate employment. However, according to ''
Complete University Guide Three national rankings of universities in the United Kingdom are published annually – by ''The Complete University Guide'', ''The Guardian'' and jointly by ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times''. Rankings have also been produced in the past ...
2016'', the university has seen a drop in graduate employability since 2007/8 with a graduate prospect of only 62.2% ranking it 77th out of 126 universities in the UK. According to ''
Complete University Guide Three national rankings of universities in the United Kingdom are published annually – by ''The Complete University Guide'', ''The Guardian'' and jointly by ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times''. Rankings have also been produced in the past ...
2020'', this figure is starting to increase again, with a graduate prospect of 73.5%. Royal Holloway is in the top 25% of universities in the UK for overall satisfaction (89%), according to the National Student Survey 2014. The university is popular with both state-educated and privately educated students, with the latter group currently accounting for around 18% of all students in 2010. In 2014–15, the ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings''"World University Rankings 2013"
''THE''. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
ranked the college 47th in Europe and 118th in the world. Royal Holloway was ranked 20th overall in ''Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2020'' ranking of British universities based on consistent league table performance. In 2010, the college benefited from upgraded evaluation methods used by the
Times Higher Education World University Rankings The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarel ...
. They ranked the college as 88th in the world, and 22nd in Europe.


Collaborations

Royal Holloway has forged successful academic links with other universities in the Greater London area and beyond. Royal Holloway's Department of Physics is a founding member of SEPnet, the south-east Physics Network, which supports collaboration between seven universities in south-east England on physics
research Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...
,
outreach Outreach is the activity of providing services to any population that might not otherwise have access to those services. A key component of outreach is that the group providing it is not stationary, but mobile; in other words, it involves meetin ...
and postgraduate teaching. The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Research (JAI) is a major collaboration in the field of particle physics between Royal Holloway and the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
. In the field of health and social care research, the SWan (South West London academic network) between Royal Holloway, St George's and Kingston University based at St George's in Tooting is another of Royal Holloway's major collaborative projects. In 2011, Pearson, the international education company, and RHC set up a partnership. Royal Holloway is responsible for validating Pearson's new business degree. Currently, Royal Holloway awards University of London degrees but has the power to validate its own degrees, which it has not exercised so far."Royal Holloway to validate new Pearson degree"
''Times Higher Education'', 4 July 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
"London's falling"
''Times Higher Education'', 13 December 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.


Picture gallery and art collection

Royal Holloway has a collection of important paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and watercolours from the 17th century and later. Artists include
Sir John Everett Millais Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, ( , ; 8 June 1829 – 13 August 1896) was an English painter and illustrator who was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. He was a child prodigy who, aged eleven, became the youngest s ...
,
Edward Burne-Jones Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August, 183317 June, 1898) was a British painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood which included Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Millais, Ford Madox Brown and Holman ...
, Christopher Nevinson, John Nash and Dame Laura Knight. The gallery is in Founder’s and is open to the public every Wednesday during the autumn and spring terms and some weekends throughout the year. At the heart of the collections are the legacies of two Victorian collectors: founder Thomas Holloway and artist
Christiana Herringham Christiana Jane Herringham, Lady Herringham (née Powell; 1852–1929) was a British artist, copyist, and art patron. She is noted for her part in establishing the National Art Collections Fund in 1903 to help preserve Britain's artistic heritag ...
(1852–1929). Their collections have been enhanced with additional acquisitions and commissions. Following the death of Herringham part of her eclectic art collection, including paintings by her and other women artists as well as Indian miniatures and Japanese woodblock prints, was given to Bedford College by her husband. Having merged with Royal Holloway, these are now part of Royal Holloway's art collection. Several items are on display on the Victorian corridor including a very personal portrait of her children. Other items can be seen by appointment. The initial plans for the college did not include a picture gallery but Holloway was inspired to start his own art collection for his students after his brother-in-law visited
Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely foll ...
, then the world’s leading college for women, which had a superb collection of art. In 1881, at the age of 81, Holloway started to buy paintings to form his collection. He amassed paintings at a fast rate and he had completed his art collection by 1883. In total he purchased 77 paintings. In most cases he bought from
Christie’s Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is owned by Groupe Artémis ...
auction house. In two cases he broke the record for the highest sum ever paid at auction for a contemporary artist in order to buy the pictures he desired. Highlights of the collection include Sir John Everett Millais' ''The Princes in the Tower'' (1878),
Sir Edwin Landseer Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (7 March 1802 – 1 October 1873) was an English painter and sculptor, well known for his paintings of animals – particularly horses, dogs, and stags. However, his best-known works are the lion sculptures at the bas ...
's '' Man Proposes, God Disposes'' (1864),
Edwin Long Edwin Longsden Long (12 July 1829 – 15 May 1891) was a British genre, history, biblical and portrait painter. Life and works Long was born in Bath, Somerset, the son of James Long, a hairdresser, (from Kelston in Somerset), and was edu ...
's ''Babylonian Marriage Market'' (1875) and
William Powell Frith William Powell Frith (9 January 1819 – 2 November 1909) was an English painter specialising in genre subjects and panoramic narrative works of life in the Victorian era. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1853, presenting ''The Sleep ...
's ''The Railway Station'' (1862). The pieces in the Herringham collection reflect her interests in the old masters, Indian art and women’s suffrage. The collections are a teaching resource for the Victorian Studies Centre for teaching and research in Victorian art, architecture and literature, including a taught MA under the Department of English. It is also used to teach students from departments including history, geography, drama and media arts. Between 1993 and 1995, in order to fund the maintenance of Founder's, three of the most valuable paintings were sold for a total of £21m, a Turner fetching £11m on its own. The principal at the time,
Dorothy Wedderburn Dorothy Enid Wedderburn (née Barnard, formerly Cole; 18 September 1925 – 20 September 2012)Turner Turner may refer to: People and fictional characters *Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name *One who uses a lathe for turni ...
''("Van Tromp going about to please his Masters, Ships at Sea, getting a good wetting" c.1844)'';William Tuohy
"Getty's Turner Seascape Is Making Waves : Art: The sale by a British college has generated a debate in art circles about the wisdom of allowing such masterpieces to leave the country"
''Los Angeles Times'', 24 February 1993. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
a
Constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
''("A Sketch for View on the Stour, nr Dedham" c.1821/2)'' and a Gainsborough ''("Peasants going to Market: Early Morning" c.1770)''. The remaining paintings had a current value of £16.6 million in 2014. The Turner is now in the
J. Paul Getty Museum The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in Los Angeles, California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center is located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and fea ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
. There are no figures available for the Herringham collection.


Student life


Students' union

The
Royal Holloway Students' Union The Royal Holloway Students' Union is a students' union for Royal Holloway, University of London, affiliated to the National Union of Students. In the words of The Independent'','' it ''"has a reputation as one of the best unions in the Londo ...
(RHSU) actively represents and provides a service for the needs and interests of all students studying at Royal Holloway. It is claimed to have "a reputation as one of the best unions in the London area", in the words of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
''. The students' union provides much of the on-campus entertainment, organising and sponsoring the sport clubs and special-interest societies, on top of providing welfare advice to students through the Student Advice Centre. The students' union runs general meetings, which provide an opportunity to discuss issues, make student announcements and engage in lively debate. Whilst representatives are elected to sit on and run a General Meeting, any student is eligible to attend, vote and have their say. The direction and development of the students' union is the responsibility of the trustee board, which is made up of two student trustees, one college trustee, three external trustees and four student
sabbatical officer In the United Kingdom a sabbatical officer is a full-time officer elected by the members of a students' union (or similar body such as students' association, students' representative council or guild of students), commonly at a higher education es ...
s, consisting of the president, and vice presidents for education; sports, societies and media; and wellbeing and diversity. The Union runs a number of campaigns throughout the year, including various history months, awareness campaigns, and lobbying actions. The sabbatical officers are elected for one year in office and work full-time either during or after completing their degree. The union also employs more than 50 permanent members of staff who oversee the administrative, democratic and commercial activities of the organisation. The main union building on campus includes a large function hall, two bars, the Tommy's Kitchen food outlet and its administrative offices. Elsewhere on campus, the union operates Medicine – a bar and games venue designed by the creators of the Ministry of Sound – and the campus pub ''The Packhorse'' (formerly the privately owned ''The Monkey's Forehead''), just across the A30 from the main campus.


Student media

''The Orbital'' is the Royal Holloway campus magazine and published by the Students' Union, covering subjects from higher education news, opinion, arts, and reviews.What is The Orbital?
surhul.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
The original official Royal Holloway student publication was in the format of a newspaper called ''The Egham Sun'', but this was replaced with the magazine edition in the early 1990s. The magazine is regularly published in print and online. rhubarbTV is Royal Holloway's student television station, which relaunched in March 2013. In June 2014, rhubarbTV was named the Royal Holloway Media Outlet of the Year at the first-ever Student Media Awards.


Insanity Radio 103.2FM

The student and community radio station Insanity Radio 103.2FM was established in 1998.The University of London Union
ulu.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
Available locally on 103.2 FM, Insanity Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with live presenters in the studio all day in term time and some holiday periods. The station is also available worldwide through the internet.
Royal Holloway, University of London, 17 November 2004. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
The station takes its name from the Holloway Sanitorium, founded by Thomas Holloway, along with the college that became Royal Holloway. The station has twice won the Silver Award for Best Student Radio Station at
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance ...
's Student Radio Awards, and is one of few student radio stations to hold a community/FM radio licence.


''The Founder''

''The Founder'' is the independent student newspaper. Founded in 2006, 4,000 free copies are printed and distributed fortnightly across campus and locally. It gets no financial support from the college or SURHUL and advertising revenue acquired by the students on the editorial board pays for printing. At the 2007 Guardian Student Media Awards, Christian Anthony was shortlisted for the Student critic of the year Award.Mickel, Andrew
The winners , Journalism with a passion
''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
''. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
At the inaugural 2011 London Student Journalism Awards Kate Brook, the newspaper's Features Editor, was recognised with the Best Feature Writer award. At the 2016 Student Publication Association Awards, Features Editor Zak Derler received Special Mention in the Best Feature category for his story on the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean.


Halls of residence

Most halls are part of the main campus, and initially allocated to first year students who firmly accept a conditional or unconditional offer.Royal Holloway University of London
'' The Times Good University Guide'', 19 June 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
Accommodation prices at the university can vary, ranging from £85-£163 per week. Halls are either self-catered or catered, with students living in the latter entitled to a 50 per cent discount off the normal price of the majority of food sold in the dining halls. Around 2,900 students live in halls of residence. The Founder's Building houses 493 students in original Victorian rooms and converted space, which underwent refurbishment in 2012. Meals for catered students are provided in Founder's dining hall.Halls of Residence
Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
Also on campus, Gowar and Wedderburn, a construction of 570 study bedrooms in two new blocks opened in September 2004. These halls were also used as accommodation for rowers at the
2012 Olympic Games The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
. Similar accommodation blocks, named Butler, Tuke and Williamson, were completed in September 2007 to replace the ageing Athlone, Cameron and Williamson Halls. Of the waste created by the demolition of Athlone, Cameron and Williamson, 98 per cent was recycled.Sustainability at Royal Holloway 2008
. Royal Holloway, University of London. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
All five of these new halls were named after former principals and have been designed to be environmentally friendly, accomplished by
sedum ''Sedum'' is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, members of which are commonly known as stonecrops. The genus has been described as containing up to 600 species, subsequently reduced to 400–500. They are leaf succul ...
-planted roofs that change colour by season, as well as being designed to improve insulation. In a
BREEAM BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), first published by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in 1990, is the world's longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability of ...
environmental performance assessment, the Butler, Tuke and Williamson halls were rated "Very Good", as their construction was designed to reduce heat loss. Kingswood I and II are away. These halls hold over 400 students, and a free bus service operates to the campus. Other accommodation includes Highfield Court (125 students), Penrose Court (200 students), Reid Hall (287 students), and Runnymede Hall (441 students) which was opened by The Princess Royal in 1992.


The London Economics Symposium

The London Economics Symposium (commonly referred to as "LES") is an international economics and politics conference, organised by students for students, and held annually in London. The London Economics Symposium is independent from any university, and is organised by students throughout Europe. The London Economics Symposium provides a forum for students, academics and prominent leaders to discuss contemporary socioeconomic and political issues. The LES was founded in 2012 by five undergraduate students at Royal Holloway University of London, and has expanded to include students throughout Europe, creating one of the largest international student conferences in London.http://www.sharesmagazine.co.uk/articles/understanding-market-psychology#.Uw0WuEJ_sSg The Founders were Matthäus Fischer, Marie-Elisabeth von Bomhard, Hildevert d'Harcourt, Oliver Harris and Andrei Ivanov.


Notable people

The visitor of the college is Dame Mary Arden, Lady Arden of Heswall DBE QC, Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ( initialism: UKSC or the acronym: SCOTUK) is the final court of appeal in the United Kingdom for all civil cases, and for criminal cases originating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As the Unite ...
.


Principals

Since 2000, the college has had four principals: * 2000 to 2002: Sir Drummond Bone * 2002 to 2009: Stephen Hill * 2010 to 2022:
Paul Layzell Paul John Layzell, (born 23 July 1957) is a British academic, academic administrator, and software engineer. Since August 2010, he has served as Principal of Royal Holloway, University of London. He is also Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Unive ...
DL CBE * 2022 to present: Julie Sanders


Chairs of council

Since 2004, the college has had three chairs of council: * 2004 to 2011: Sir Andrew Burns KCMG * 2011 to 2018: Stephen Cox CVO * 2018 to present: Dame Margaret Hodge DBE MP


Notable alumni

* Kitty Anderson (1903–1979), former Headmistress of
North London Collegiate School North London Collegiate School (NLCS) is an independent school with a day school for girls in England. Founded in Camden Town, it is now located in Edgware, in the London Borough of Harrow. Associate schools are located in South Korea, Jeju I ...
* Dame
Catherine Ashton Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, (born 20 March 1956), is a Labour Party (UK), British Labour politician who served as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of ...
, Baroness Ashton of Upholland GCMG (born 1956), former High Representative of EU for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy *
Greg Barker Greg Barker is an American filmmaker and producer. In 2011, ''The New York Times'' described Barker as “a filmmaker of artistic and political consequence.” Previous films include '' Sergio'' (short-listed in 2010 for the Academy Award for B ...
, Baron Barker of Battle (born 1966), politician * Melanie Bartley,
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, sociologist * Helen Bentwich CBE (1892–1972), philanthropist and politician *
Daphne Blundell Daphne Mary Blundell, (19 August 1916 – 24 May 2004) was a senior British naval officer, who served as Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service from 1970 to 1973. Early life and education Blundell was born on 19 August 1916. She was educat ...
CB (1916–2004), former Director of Women's Royal Naval Service * Daniel Bradley (1928–2010),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
*
Emma Bridgewater Emma Bridgewater is a British ceramics manufacturing company founded in 1985 which is named after Emma Rice (''née'' Bridgewater). It is run by her and her husband Matthew Rice. Noted for their polka dot design among others, the company "Emma B ...
CBE (born 1960), entrepreneur * John Broome (born 1947),
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, philosopher * Martin Buck (born 1955),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
, microbiologist *
Susan Bullock Susan Margaret Bullock (born 9 December 1958 in Cheshire) is a British soprano. She has performed dramatic soprano parts at major opera houses, and also sung in concert and recital. Bullock was educated at Cheadle Hulme School, and further at ...
CBE (born 1958), soprano * Ida Busbridge (1908–1988) first woman to be appointed to an Oxford fellowship in mathematics *
Helen Cam Helen Maud Cam, , FRHistS (22 August 1885 – 9 February 1968) was an English historian of the Middle Ages Life and career Cam was born at Abingdon, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). Educated at home by her father William Herbert Cam, the headma ...
CBE (1885–1968),
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, first female professor at
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
* Dame
Harriette Chick Dame Harriette Chick DBE (6 January 1875 – 9 July 1977) was a British microbiologist, protein scientist and nutritionist. She is best remembered for demonstrating the roles of sunlight and cod liver oil in preventing rickets. Biography ...
(1875–1977), microbiologist *
Sophie Christiansen Sophie Margaret Christiansen, CBE (born 14 November 1987) is an English equestrian who has competed in four successive Paralympic Games. In 2012 and 2016 she gained three gold medals at the Paralympics.CBE (born 1987), Gold medalist at
Paralympics The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaired ...
* Dame
Ivy Compton-Burnett Dame Ivy Compton-Burnett, (; 5 June 188427 August 1969) was an English novelist, published in the original editions as I. Compton-Burnett. She was awarded the 1955 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for her novel ''Mother and Son''. Her works con ...
(1884–1969), author * Rosemary Crompton (1942—2011),
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, sociologist * Stuart Cull-Candy (born 1946),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
* Dame Evelyn Denington, Baroness Denington (1907–1998), politician * Dame Karen Dunnell (born 1946), medical sociologist * Dame Ann Ebsworth (1937—2002), high court judge *
George Eliot Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrot ...
(1819–1880), author * Agnes Field CBE (1896–1968), film producer * Dame Janet Finch DL (born 1946), former Vice-Chancellor of Keele University * Dame
Janet Fookes Janet Evelyn Fookes, Baroness Fookes (born 21 February 1936) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, she is a life peer in the House of Lords. She was previously a member of the House of Commons from 1970 to 1997, repr ...
, Baroness Fookes DL (born 1936), politician * Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia (born 1961), financial services executive * John Gardiner, Baron Gardiner of Kimble (born 1956), politician *
Jonathan Goodall Jonathan Michael Goodall (born 1961) is a British Catholic priest and a former Church of England bishop. From 2013 to 2021, he was Bishop of Ebbsfleet, a suffragan bishop who is the provincial episcopal visitor in the western half of the Provi ...
, (born 1961),
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
* Sir Robbie Gibb CB (born 1964), political advisor and journalist * Dame
Helen Gwynne-Vaughan Dame Helen Charlotte Isabella Gwynne-Vaughan, (née Fraser; 21 January 1879 – 26 August 1967) was a prominent English botanist and mycologist. During the First World War, she served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and then as Commandant ...
GBE (1879–1967), botanist *
Jean Hanson Emmeline Jean Hanson (14 November 1919 – 10 August 1973) was a biophysicist and zoologist known for her contributions to muscle research. Hanson gained her PhD in zoology from Bedford College, University of London before spending the majorit ...
(1919–1973),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
* Dame
Caroline Haslett Dame Caroline Harriet Haslett DBE, JP (17 August 1895 – 4 January 1957) was an English electrical engineer, electricity industry administrator and champion of women's rights. She was the first secretary of the Women's Engineering Society a ...
(1895–1957), engineer *
Anna Healy, Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Anna Mary Healy, Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill (born 10 May 1955) is a British Labour politician and member of the House of Lords. She graduated with a BA in Modern History & Politics from Royal Holloway College in 1976 and has worked for ...
(born 1955), politician * Ruth Henig, Baroness Henig CBE, DL (born 1943), politician * Sir
Lenny Henry Sir Lenworth George Henry (born 29 August 1958) is a British actor, comedian, singer, television presenter and writer. Henry gained success as a stand-up comedian and impressionist in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in '' The Le ...
CBE (born 1958), comedian *
Jackie Hunter Ann Jacqueline Hunter CBE FMedSci FBPharmacolS FRSB is a British scientist who is a board director of BenevolentAI. Hunter is also a visiting professor at St George's Hospital Medical School and Imperial College. She is Chair of the Trustee ...
CBE (born 1956), pharmaceutical executive * Admiral Sir
Ben Key Admiral Sir Benjamin John Key, (born 7 November 1965) is a senior Royal Navy officer. He has served as First Sea Lord since November 2021. He has commanded HM Ships ''Sandown'', and , and deployed on operations to Kosovo and Iraq. He was ap ...
CBE (born 1965),
First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed Fo ...
*
Declan Lang Declan Ronan Lang (born 15 April 1950) is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the ninth bishop of Clifton. Biography Declan Lang was born in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, to Irish parents. He attended Ryde School, Allen Ha ...
(born 1950),
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
* Frances Lloyd George, Countess Lloyd-George of Dwyfor CBE (1888–1972), political secretary * Dame Kathleen Lonsdale (1903–1971),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
*
Dame Felicity Lott Dame Felicity Ann Emwhyla Lott, (born 8 May 1947) is an English soprano. Education Lott was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. From her earliest years she was musical, having started studying piano at age 5. She also played violin and bega ...
(born 1947), soprano * Dame Sally Macintyre (born 1949), medical sociologist * Louisa Martindale CBE (1872–1966), surgeon * Rachel, Lady MacRobert (1884–1954), geologist * Angela Mason CBE (born 1944), civil servant and activist *
Jean McFarlane, Baroness McFarlane of Llandaff Jean Kennedy McFarlane, Baroness McFarlane of Llandaff, FRCN, MCSP (1 April 1926 – 13 May 2012), was a British nurse and member of the House of Lords. Biography McFarlane was born in Cardiff, Wales, and later trained as a nurse, a midwife ...
(1926–2012), nurse *
Duncan McCargo Duncan McCargo is a British academic who is serving as Director of the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies and Professor of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen. He is currently a Visiting Professor in the School of Politics and Inter ...
, (born 1963) professor and director of the
Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Nordic Institute of Asian Studies ( da, Nordisk Institut for Asien Studier), or NIAS for short, is a university Institute for Asian studies of Copenhagen University in Denmark. The institute is located in Copenhagen and serve all five Nordic cou ...
* Dame
Margaret Miles Dame Margaret Miles, DBE (11 July 1911 – 26 April 1994) was a British educationist. She served as Headmistress of Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham between 1946 and 1952. Then, going on to be Headmistress of Mayfield School, Putney between 19 ...
(1911–1994), educationist * Anthea Millett CBE (born 1941), educationist * Delyth Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Drefelin (born 1961), politician *
Marilynne Morgan Marilynne Morgan Order of the Bath, CB is a barrister and retired top civil servant. After studying history at Bedford College, London (now part of Royal Holloway, University of London), she joined the Foreign Office, before being called by Middl ...
CB, barrister and civil servant * Jennie Page CBE (born 1944), former Chief Executive of
English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses. The charity states that i ...
* Sir
Andrew Parmley Sir Andrew Charles Parmley, (born 17 October 1956) is Principal of the Harrodian School in Barnes, London, and served as Lord Mayor of London for 2016–17. Early life Born in Lancashire, the third of three sons, Parmley was educated at B ...
(born 1956), former
Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional pow ...
*
Marie Patterson Constance Marie Patterson (1 April 1934 – 27 November 2021) was a British trade unionist. Patterson attended Pendleton High School, Salford, and Bedford College, London, before becoming active in the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGW ...
CBE (born 1934), trade unionist *
Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...
(1902–2002),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
* Rosalind Pitt-Rivers (1907–1990),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
* Helen Porter (1899–1987),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
*
Jenny Randerson Jennifer Elizabeth Randerson, Baroness Randerson (born 26 May 1948) is a Welsh Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords. She is former junior minister in the Wales Office serving in the Cameron–Clegg coalition. Prior to her peerage she ...
, Baroness Randerson (born 1948), politician * Princess Zeina Rashid of Jordan (born 1988) * Dame Mildred Riddelsdell DCB, CBE (1913–2006), civil servant * Dame
Miriam Rothschild Dame Miriam Louisa Rothschild (5 August 1908 – 20 January 2005) was a British natural scientist and author with contributions to zoology, entomology, and botany. Early life Miriam Rothschild was born in 1908 in Ashton Wold, near Oundle in N ...
(1908–2005),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
*
Athene Seyler Athene Seyler, CBE (31 May 188912 September 1990) was an English actress. Early life She was born in Hackney, London; her German-born grandparents moved to the United Kingdom, where her grandfather Philip Seyler was a merchant in London. Ath ...
CBE (1889–1990), former President of
RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the S ...
* Alison Shrubsole CBE (1925–2002), former Principal of
Homerton College, Cambridge Homerton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Its first premises were acquired in Homerton, London in 1768, by an informal gathering of Protestant dissenters with origins in the seventeenth century. In 1894, the col ...
* Dame
Mary Smieton Dame Mary Guillan Smieton, DBE (5 December 1902 – 23 January 2005) was a British civil servant. She served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education between 1959 and 1963, only the second woman to achieve the rank of Permanent Secreta ...
(1902–2005), civil servant * Dame Freya Stark (1893–1993), explorer and travel writer *
Mary Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch Mary Elizabeth Henderson Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, (; 8 May 1903 – 28 December 1984) was a British politician and educator. She was a baroness in her own right and the wife of Labour Foreign Secretary, Michael Stewart. Early l ...
(1903–1984), politician * Ethel Strudwick CBE (1880–1954), former High Mistress of
St Paul's Girls' School St Paul's Girls' School is an independent day school for girls, aged 11 to 18, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England. History St Paul's Girls' School was founded by the Worshipful Company of Mercers in 1904, using part o ...
* Jennifer Thomas CBE,
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
*
Simon Thurley Simon John Thurley, (born 29 August 1962) is an English academic and architectural historian. He served as Chief Executive of English Heritage from April 2002 to May 2015. Early life and education Thurley was born in Huntingdon and grew up in ...
CBE (born 1961), former Chief Executive of
English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses. The charity states that i ...
*
Charles Tomlinson Alfred Charles Tomlinson, CBE (8 January 1927 – 22 August 2015) was an English poet, translator, academic, and illustrator. He was born in Penkhull, and grew up in Basford, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Life After attending Longton High Sc ...
CBE (1927–2015), poet and academic *
Sarah Tyacke Sarah Jacqueline Tyacke, (''née'' Jeacock; born 29 September 1945) is an English historian of cartography and travel and a former librarian and archivist. From 1991 to 2005 she served as Keeper of Public Records and Chief Executive of the UK P ...
CB (born 1945), former
Keeper of Public Records The Public Record Office (abbreviated as PRO, pronounced as three letters and referred to as ''the'' PRO), Chancery Lane in the City of London, was the guardian of the national archives of the United Kingdom from 1838 until 2003, when it was ...
*
Andrew Stephenson Andrew George Stephenson (born 17 February 1981) is a British politician serving as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury since October 2022. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Communities from September to Octobe ...
MP (born 1981), politician, currently Minister of State for Transport with responsibility for HS2 * Valerie Vaz MP (born 1954), politician, former Shadow Leader of the House of Commons *
Katharine Wallas Katharine Talbot Wallas (11 April 1864 – 14 April 1944) was a British politician. Born in Barnstaple in Devon, Katharine was the daughter of Frances and Gilbert Wallace, the local vicar. Her older brother, Graham Wallas, became a promine ...
CBE (1864–1944), politician *
Diana Warwick Diana Mary Warwick, Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe (born 16 July 1945) is a Labour member of the House of Lords. Background Warwick was educated at Bedford College, University of London, BSc Sociology, 1967, now part of Royal Holloway, Uni ...
, Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe (born 1945), former Chief Executive of
Universities UK Universities UK (UUK) is an advocacy organisation for universities in the United Kingdom. It began life in the early 20th century through informal meetings of vice-chancellors of a number of universities and principals of university colleges and ...
* Dame Olive Wheeler (1886–1963), educationist and psychologist * Alex Wilkie (born 1948),
Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...
*
Emily Wilding Davison Emily Wilding Davison (11 October 1872 – 8 June 1913) was an English suffragette who fought for votes for women in Britain in the early twentieth century. A member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and a militant fighte ...
(1872–1913), suffragette *
Elizabeth Wilkinson Elizabeth Wilkinson (alternatively referred to as Elizabeth Stokes) was an English bare-knuckle boxer and practitioner of historical European weapon arts active in the 1720s and early 1730s. She was one of the earliest known female boxers. Du ...
(1909–2001),
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, Germanist * Elizabeth Williams CBE (1895–1986), mathematician *
Fiona Williams Jonquil Fiona Williams, (born 22 July 1947) is a British retired academic of social policy whose research covers gender, race, ethnicity, and the welfare state. From 1996 to 2012, she was Professor of Social Policy at the University of Leeds. Sh ...
OBE (born 1947),
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, academic * Roger Wright CBE (born 1956), former Director of the
BBC Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...
* Andy Young (born 1950),
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, psychologist *
Frances Young The Reverend Frances Margaret Young, OBE, FBA (born 1939) is a British Christian theologian and Methodist minister. She is Emeritus Professor at the University of Birmingham. Biography Frances Young taught theology at the University of Bi ...
OBE (born 1939),
Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # ...
, theologian


Notable staff


See also

*
Armorial of UK universities The armorial of British universities is the collection of coats of arms of universities in the United Kingdom. Modern arms of universities began appearing in England around the middle of the 15th century, with University of Oxford, Oxford's bei ...
*
Holloway Sanatorium Holloway Sanatorium was an institution for the treatment of those suffering temporary mental illness, situated on of aesthetically landscaped grounds near Virginia Water, Surrey, England, about south-west of Charing Cross. Its largest buildings ...
– the other of Holloway's great philanthropic institutions, opened 1885 in nearby
Virginia Water Virginia Water is a commuter village in the Borough of Runnymede in northern Surrey, England. It is home to the Wentworth Estate and the Wentworth Club. The area has much woodland and occupies a large minority of the Runnymede district. Its n ...
* Institute of Musical Research *
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 ...
*
University of London Institute in Paris The University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP; ) is a central academic body of the University of London located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It is currently the only British university institute in continental Europe. History The in ...
(ULIP)


References


Further reading

* * *, a contemporary novel set in a semi-fictionalised Royal Holloway.


External links

*
Students' Union of Royal Holloway, University of London official websiteRoyal Holloway, University of London student listsPathé video of Queen Mary's visit to the college in 1937The Founder website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Holloway, University of London Educational institutions established in 1985 Educational institutions established in 1886 Educational institutions established in 1849 Former women's universities and colleges in the United Kingdom Grade I listed educational buildings 1849 establishments in England Universities UK Grade I listed buildings in Surrey University of London