The
University of Westminster (formerly the
Polytechnic of Central London) is a university in
London, formed in 1992 as a result of the
Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Its antecedent institution, the
Royal Polytechnic Institution, dated back to 1838.
Overview
Marylebone campus
The University of Westminster's headquarters is situated on
Regent Street in the
West End of London. Westminster is recognised as a world leader in Media and Communications and Art and Design research as measured by the UK Government Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Communications, cultural and media studies research at the University is ranked 2nd nationally, and Art and Design Research was judged 6th nationally.
There are plans to celebrate 170 years of the university by publishing a new History of the University in 2008. The university serves more than 23,800 students from 132 countries studying a variety of programmes. These range from undergraduate and postgraduate courses to tailored professional programmes and short courses. Many Westminster students study part-time: courses are available both during the day and in the evening.
The University of Westminster was ranked 55th out of 122 university-level institutions in the United Kingdom in 2005, by
The Guardian newspaper.
The University of Westminster Students' Union provides a range of activities for its members. It is based at the
Marylebone site, next to
Baker Street tube station, where Inter:Mission, a social venue costing £750,000, was launched in 2006.
The Union also operates another bar, The Undercroft, and a night club, Area 51, located on the University's
Harrow site.
The Union was founded in 1966 as The Polytechnic Students' Union. Its first four Presidents were
Owen Spencer-Thomas (1966-1967), Roger Beavil (1967-1968), Alan Smith (1968-1969) and Dick Dixon (1969-1970).
The University of Westminster is home to the
Diplomatic Academy of London, which operates postgraduate degrees on international politics and
diplomacy.
The University helped to establish
Westminster International University in Tashkent in 2002 at the invitation of and with the co-operation of the government of
Uzbekistan.
History
The University has had four different names during its history:
- The Royal Polytechnic Institution (1838-1881)
- Regent Street Polytechnic (1881-1970)
- The Polytechnic of Central London - known as "PCL" (1970-1992)
- The University of Westminster (1992 to present)
1838-1881 Royal Polytechnic Institution
The Polytechnic Institution opened to the public at 309 Regent Street on 6 August 1838, under the chairmanship of the distinguished scientist and aeronautical engineer Sir
George Cayley. Its aim was to demonstrate new technologies and inventions to the public. The Polytechnic played a significant role in the popularisation of science and engineering, and it became a major tourist attraction in Victorian London.
1839
The Polytechnic was the first institution in London to demonstrate the new science of
photography, and in 1841 the first photographic studio in Europe opened on the roof of the building.
1841
The name changed to The Royal Polytechnic Institution when
Prince Albert, the Prince Consort became Patron.
1848
A new theatre was added to the building and became known for its spectacular
magic lantern shows.
1850s-1870s
The Director of the Polytechnic, Professor John Pepper, was internationally known as a showman and popular science lecturer; he invented the popular theatrical illusion known as
Pepper's ghost.
1881
The Royal Polytechnic closed in 1881. In 1881 the Regent Street Polytechnic was founded. It was then known in full as
The Polytechnic Young Men's Christian Institute, Regent Street. The Polytechnic was subsequently to have a significant influence on English higher education and perhaps an even greater one on sport.
The University's founder was
Quintin Hogg who is described on a memorial plaque in the rebuilt flagship building (1911) as an "Education and Christian Benefactor", who "expanded his work by founding the Polytechnic in 1881-2". In
Portland Place, is his statue, a memorial to both him and to those staff and students who died during the
First World War. The imagery of Hogg's statue conveys the values and priorities of his Polytechnic, because he is depicted giving equal value to book learning and sporting activity. In essence, it reflects the ethos of
muscular Christianity, a popular strain in
Victorian culture. In the Fyvie Hall in the main building, a plaque explains that the reconstruction in 1911 was a memorial to the late
Edward VII and it refers to the commitment of the Polytechnic to the "physical and moral development of youthful subjects".
Organisation
The University offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees via its departments:
- School of Architecture and the Built Environment
- School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Languages
- School of Media, Arts and Design
- School of Integrated Health
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science
- Harrow School of Computer Science
Smoke Radio
Smoke Radio is a student-run radio station at the University of Westminster. The station broadcasts online, from a studio located in the Media Arts and Design campus of the university, located in Harrow. Smoke Radio is a member of the Student Radio Association.
In 2007 Smoke Radio won the Silver Award for "Best Station 2007" at the Student Radio Awards, and then won the award again in 2008, making Smoke Radio the UK's second best Student Radio Station for two consecutive years.
History
It was established in 2004 by then students: Joe Haddow, Tim Pryor, Sam Gregory and Mark Jackson with additional help from others throughout the University of Westminster - including Radio Production Lecturer, Matthew Linfoot. After the intake of new students in September 2005 the station took to running a 24 hour playout system and began a broadcasting a schedule of live programmes during the week.
In 2006 Smoke Radio had won awards at the
Student Radio Awards, including the Gold Award for "Best Journalistic Programming" and two Bronze Awards for "Best Marketing and Station Sound" and "Best Station 2006". At the 2008
Student Radio Awards, Smoke Radio also picked up a Bronze Award for "Best Interview", for an interview with British humorist,
Danny Wallace; and the Gold Award for "Best Newcomer" was awarded to the first-year work of Dan Roberts.
The Smoke
The Smoke is the newspaper of the University of Westminster. It was originally printed in 1992 as a magazine. In 2006,
The Smoke was switched to a newspaper format, initially being published fortnightly during term time. The newspaper currently features News, Comment, Politics, Media Business, Film, Music, Arts and Culture, Fashion, Sports, Science and Technology, Listings and Comic Strips.
A Smoke newspaper archive is now being built on its new UWSU minisite. www.uwsu.com/newspaper
Sites and halls
This University is divided into four sites: three in
central London and the fourth in
Harrow. The nearest
Tube station to the Harrow site is
Northwick Park, on the
Metropolitan Line, which takes 18 minutes from
Baker Street;
Kenton also nearby. The site includes a Business School, Computer School and Media School. Each site has its own library, IT and catering facilities.
There are several Halls of Residence dispersed throughout London, including Furnival House in Highgate, and Alexander Fleming situated near Old Street; one hall is based at the Marylebone site, Wigram House in Victoria and as of September 2005 there are two based at the Harrow site.
Sport
From 1898, the polytechnic awarded the
Studd Trophy, 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
athletes.
Noted award holders include:
- Albert Hill (1919/20), Olympic gold medallist and middle-distance runner
The other two sports with which the university has a strong association are
cycling and
water polo.
People
Notable lecturers
Notable alumni
- Marianne Majerus, photographer (Gardens, Landscapes, Flowers, Interiors and Portraits)
- Jake Nava, music video and commercial director
- Scarlet Page, photographer and daughter of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
- Neal Purvis, scriptwriter (007 series including Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace)
- Owen Spencer-Thomas, MBE, Anglican clergyman; first president of the Students' Union; television journalist
- Philip Tew, Professor of English (Post-1900 Literature) Brunel University
- Anand Tucker, film director (Shopgirl, And When Did You Last See Your Father?)
- Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, "National Public Radio" foreign correspondent, journalist, broadcaster, and host
Fashion design
A number of notable fashion designers have attended the University of Westminster. These include
Vivienne Westwood and
Christopher Bailey, who have each been awarded British Fashion Designer of the Year in the past.
Other notable alumni include Katie Hillier, accessories designer for Marc Jacobs;
Stuart Vevers, the Creative Director of
Loewe and
Carri Mundane the Creative Director of Cassetteplaya.
A number of Fashion Designers have also been awarded honorary doctorates from the University. These include Christopher Bailey in 2006,
Jeff Banks in 1992, and
Zandra Rhodes in 1999.
Ceramics
With the creation of the University in 1992, the studio pottery course formerly taught at Harrow School of Art was developed into a BA degree. In line with the requirements of study at degree level, the course was expanded to examine the studio approach within broader contexts and critiques. Teachers on the course include three professors –
Christie Brown,
Nigel Wood and
Edmund de Waal. The BA Ceramics course is still referred to as 'The Harrow Course' among some
studio potters. In March 2009, the University stated its intention of closing the course by 2013.
