Polytechnic of Central London

University of Westminster

Arms of the University of Westminster
Former names	Royal Polytechnic Institution London Polytechnic-Regent Street Polytechnic of Central London (PCL)
Motto	The Lord is our Strength
Type	Public
Established	1838 (Royal Polytechnic Institution) 1891 (The Polytechnic Regent Street) 1970 (Polytechnic of Central London) 1992 (University of Westminster)
Endowment	£ 0.991 million (2015)
Chancellor	Lady Sorrell
Vice-Chancellor	Geoffrey Petts
Students	20,465 (2014/15)
Undergraduates	16,145 (2014/15)
Postgraduates	4,320 (2014/15)
Location	London, United Kingdom
Colours	Royal Blue      Fuchsia Purple
Affiliations	List Association of Commonwealth Universities Association of MBAs Compostela Group of Universities EQUIS European University Association International Association of Universities Universities UK
Website	www.westminster.ac.uk

The University of Westminster is a public university in London, United Kingdom. Its antecedent institution, the Royal Polytechnic Institution, was founded in 1838 and was the first institution in the UK. Westminster was awarded university status in 1992 meaning it could award its own degrees.

Its headquarters and original campus are in Regent Street in the City of Westminster area of central London, with additional campuses in Fitzrovia, Marylebone and Harrow. It operates the Westminster International University in Tashkent in Uzbekistan.

Westminster's academic activities are organised into seven faculties and schools, within which there are around 45 departments. The University has numerous centres of research excellence across all the faculties, including the Communication and Media Research Institute, whose research is ranked in the Global Top 40 by the QS World University Rankings. Westminster had an income of £170.4 million in 2012/13, of which £4.5 million was from research grants and contracts.

Westminster is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of MBAs, EFMD, the European University Association and Universities UK.

The Royal Polytechnic Institution was built by William Mountford Nurse in 1837 and opened at 309 Regent Street on 6 August 1838 to provide (in the words of its prospectus of 1837) “an institution where the Public, at little expense, may acquire practical knowledge of the various arts and branches of science connected with manufacturers, mining operations and rural economy.”