A guide to City University London

City University London is a British public research university located in London, which prides itself on being one of Britain's most international universities, with students from over 60 different countries currently on its roll. The Lord Mayor of the City of London functions as the institution's Chancellor and the university's central focus is on business and professions. A guide to City University London follows.

History and location

City University London became a university in 1966, but can trace its origins back to 1894, when it was known as the Northampton Institute. This name was the result of the influence of the Marquess of Northampton, who donated the land upon which it was constructed. Originally conceived as a college for the education and welfare of the local population, the college was established by the City of London Parochial Charities Act (1883). This piece of forward-thinking legislation had the aim of "the promotion of the industrial skill, general knowledge, health and well-being of young men and women belonging to the poorer classes". The college focused mainly on technical and vocational education until it became a university in 1966. As a public university, it enjoys a reputation as a top-ranking university for research and also for educating graduates in a way which makes them attractive to employers. The Times Good University Guide 2011 ranked the college as one of the top ten universities for graduates' employability. The university is the fifth largest higher education institution in the UK's capital city and its Sir John Cas Business School enjoys a high reputation. It has been rated as one of Britain's top three business schools by the Financial Times, which also places City University at the top one percent of world business schools.

Learning and lifestyle

A third of City University's 21,000 students or so are enrolled for post-graduate programmes and there are many opportunities for foreign students to take courses in the UK at the college. The alumni of the college now numbers over 100,000, stretching over 150 countries. City University provides students with the opportunity to take advantage of a new integrated learning environment. Established over the closing years of the last decade, it combines physical and virtual learning spaces to aid with City University's stated aim to "support students in becoming professional, analytical and enquiring graduates who can play a substantial role in the 21st professional environment." The university's courses focus on vocational professions, from journalism to the medical sphere. City University offers Law courses alongside its courses in Media Studies, Electronic Engineering and International Politics, amongst many others.