The University of Westminster boasts a rich history and has been providing students with academic excellence, cultural engagement and personal enrichment since its inception as The Polytechnic Institution in 1838. Here you can find out a little bit more about our unique heritage, and the traditions of excellence that help to shape the University today.
The Westminster story began in 1838, when Sir George Cayley opened the Polytechnic Institution at 309 Regent Street in London. In 1881, philanthropist Quintin Hogg, bought the Royal Polytechnic Institution building and moved his Young Men’s Christian Institute into 309 Regent Street, which soon became the publicly funded Regent Street Polytechnic.
PCL gained University status in 1992, bringing the right to award its own degrees and to participate in publicly funded research.
Today’s University, with 22,000 students, is far bigger than its predecessors and is structured into four campuses – Cavendish, Harrow, Marylebone and Regent.
Our expanding overseas activity has resulted in the University being awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2000 and again in 2005.
As a global university located in a world city, we are home to over 5,000 students and 500 staff from overseas.
Westminster has a reputation for excellence in professionally relevant teaching and learning and for high quality research. Offering over 300 degree courses, we place particular emphasis on providing international opportunities for Westminster students in order to ensure that we provide an environment where students can develop skills, competences and knowledge required by the global economy.
We are proud of our long history of global relationships and have partnerships across the world – connections we continually strive to strengthen and deepen.
We are proud of our long history of global relationships and have partnerships across the world – connections we continually strive to strengthen and deepen.
