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The University College London (UCL) is the largest of over 50 colleges and institutes which make up the federal ‘University of London’. These institutions range in size from small specialised institutes to large multi-faculty colleges, such as University College London. Consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world the UCL has an emphasis on innovative teaching and research excellence and won its 20th Nobel Prize in 2007.

It was founded in 1826, as the London University  and was the first British University to admit students regardless of race, class or religion and the first to welcome women on equal terms with men, this same radical spirit thrives today.

CONFERENCE VENUE The University College London (UCL) is the largest of over 50 colleges and institutes which make up the federal ‘University of London’. These institutions range in size from small specialised institutes to large multi-faculty colleges, such as University College London. Consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world the UCL has an emphasis on innovative teaching and research excellence and won its 20th Nobel Prize in 2007. It was founded in 1826, as the London University  and was the first British University to admit students regardless of race, class or religion and the first to welcome women on equal terms with men, this same radical spirit thrives today.

Today, with over 25,000 staff and students, the UCL is larger than most other universities in the United Kingdom, and operates in many ways as an independent university in its own right, awarding its own degrees. According to the UK University League Tables, UCL is one of the UK's top three multi-faculty universities (along with the universities of Oxford and Cambridge) and in 2007 had an annual turnover of nearly £600 million.

UCL alumni include both 'the Great and the Good', ranging from Mahatma Gandhi and Alexander Graham Bell to all four members of the band Coldplay, Ricky Gervais & Jonathan Ross.

History of the UCL
The UCL 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.

Jeremy Bentham's preserved corpse, dressed in his own clothes, is on daily, public display in UCL's South Cloister; a testament to his radical independence of thought, even after death.

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 May 2008, UCL became the first UK University with a campus in Australia, establishing the UCL School of Energy & Resources, (SERAus) in Adelaide.

Location
University College London (UCL) is located in Bloomsbury in 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.

The University College London consists of 3 main campuses, as follows:     Bloomsbury Campus (WC1) – Main UCL Building
                                Archway Campus (N19)
                                Hampstead Campus (NW3)

The majority of the UCL’s halls of residences are within walking distance of the main Gower Street Campus, as are London's shops, museums and theatres.

The area around the UCL is occupied by a constellation of other renowned institutions, including the British Museum, the British Library, the British Medical Association, and other University of London schools and institutes.

There are easy connections to UCL from London’s global hub airports at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and you will find that London’s extensive public transport system is convenient and easy to use:

The closest tube stations to UCL’s Gower Street site are Euston Square (Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan and Circle lines), Warren Street (Northern and Victoria lines), Euston (Northern and Victoria lines) and Russell Square (Piccadilly line).

UCL’s Gower Street site is served by London’s bus routes with buses travelling from north to south stop in Gower Street, immediately outside UCL’s main gate and those travelling from south to north stop outside Warren Street station, about five minutes’ walk from UCL.

Services to these stops include route numbers: 10, 14, 24, 29, 73, 134, 390.

Please note that the Bloomsbury area is within the Congestion Charging Zone and has metered parking, all visitors are therefore strongly advised not to travel to the UCL by car.