Although UCL voluntarily remains a constituent college of the University of London, it is in many ways comparable with free-standing, self-governing and independently funded universities, awarding its own degrees. Today, with over 8,000 staff and 22,000 students, UCL is larger than most other universities in the United Kingdom. UCL is a member of the Russell Group of Universities, a part of the 'G5' sub-group of UK universities, and a part of the Golden Triangle.
In the 2008 THES - QS World University Rankings, UCL was ranked 7th in the world. The 2008 Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked UCL as 3rd in Europe and 22nd in the world. According to The Independent University League Table 2010 UCL is ranked 8th in the UK.
In 2008, UCL had an annual turnover of £635 million and fixed assets worth £581 million.
The current Provost and President of UCL is Professor Malcolm Grant.
History
CL was founded in 1826 under the name London University, as a secular alternative to the religious universities of Oxford and Cambridge. As such, it is often described as the third oldest English university, although other institutions sometimes try to claim this title.
While the philosopher Jeremy Bentham is seen as the moving spirit behind the establishment of this new university for London, he personally took no part in the university's creation. Crucially, however, it was Bentham's powerful, radical ideas on education and society that had inspired the institution's founders, particularly the Scotsmen James Mill (1773-1836) and Henry Brougham (1778-1868), and shaped its creation. .
In 1836 the so-called London University became known as University College, London when, under a Royal charter, it worked with the recently established King's College London to create the federal University of London.
In 1907, the University of London was formally reconstituted with a new Royal charter, and new institutions joined the federation. Under this re-organisation it was necessary for each of the various institutions that now formed the University of London to lose their separate legal existences, and all offered degrees of the University of London. This situation continued until 1977 when a new charter restored UCL's independence, although - at that time - not the power to award its own degrees.
Eventually, in 2005 UCL was once again granted its own taught and research Degree Awarding Powers (DAP), and all new UCL students registered from 2007-08 qualify with UCL degrees rather than degrees of the University of London. The majority of continuing students who were enrolled on taught-degree programmes before the academic year 2007-08 had the choice of whether to receive a UCL degree or a University of London degree. These changes did not apply to students registered on the MBBS programme, or federal degrees, who continued to be awarded University of London degrees. Despite these DAP changes, UCL retains its strong links with the University of London.
In 2008, UCL became the first UK university to sign agreements for a campus in Australia, establishing the UCL School of Energy & Resources, Australia (SERAus) in Adelaide
Academic reputation
According to UK university league tables, UCL is one of the UK's top universities. Indeed, in the THES-QS global university rankings, UCL places amongst the top ten universities in the world. The law faculty in particular is 'tipped by insiders as the best law faculty in the United Kingdom' . According to The Guardian newspaper, UCL, along with King's College London, the London School of Economics, and Imperial College London, each 'have international reputations that in this country only Oxbridge can beat'.
New data released in July 2008 by the Thomson ISI Web of Knowledge’s Essential Science Indicators show that UCL is the most-cited institution in the UK, and is the 13th in the world (whilst Oxford is ranked 18th and Cambridge 20th). The analysis covers citations from 1 January 1998 to 30 April 2008, during which 46,166 UCL research papers attracted 803,566 citations. The number of citations generated by academic publications is an important indication of institutional importance and influence. The report covers citations in 21 subject areas. The results revealed some of UCL’s key strengths:
in Neuroscience & Behaviour – 1st outside North America and 2nd in the world
in Pharmacology & Toxicology – 1st outside North America and 4th in the world
in Clinical Medicine – 1st outside North America
in Social Sciences – 1st outside North America
in Psychiatry/Psychology – 2nd outside North America
in Immunology – 2nd in Europe
Location
University College London (UCL) is located in Bloomsbury, central London. The main campus is located on Gower Street, although there are also other UCL buildings to be found throughout London. The Gower Street campus includes the UCL science and main libraries, the language departments, the history departments, the Bloomsbury theatre, the biology and physics departments, and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. A further set of buildings based around neighbouring Gordon Street and Gordon Square includes the Institute of Archaeology, the chemistry department, the philosophy department the Bartlett School of The Built Environment and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies.
The area around UCL is occupied by a constellation of other renowned institutions, including the British Library, the British Museum, the Royal Academy of Art, the British Medical Association, and the Wellcome Trust. Many University of London schools and institutes are close by, and these include the SOAS, Birkbeck, University of London, the Institute of Education, the School of Advanced Study and the Senate House Library, which houses the University of London's world-class research collections; these focus on the arts, humanities and social sciences. (All UCL students on degree courses, and all UCL staff have full access to this library and its electronic resources).
The nearest London Underground station to the main UCL campus is Euston Square. Other nearby stations are Warren Street, Russell Square and Goodge Street, as well as Euston Underground and railway station.
Academic Departments by Faculty
UCL School of Arts & Humanities, Laws, Social & Historical Sciences and School of Slavonic & Eastern European Studies
UCL Arts & Humanities
UCL Laws associated research centres
UCL Social & Historical Sciences
UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies associated research centres
UCL School of the Built Environment, Engineering Sciences and Mathematical & Physical Sciences
UCL Bartlett School of Architecture, Building, Environmental Design & Planning
UCL Engineering Sciences
UCL Mathematical & Physical Sciences
UCL School of Life & Medical Sciences (incorporating UCL Medical School)
UCL Biomedical Sciences
UCL Life Sciences
Interdepartmental and cross-faculty research groups and centres by research theme
University College London was ranked 7th in the 2008 THES-QS World University Ranking
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