University of London

The Institution of London is a public university that is funded by the federal government and is situated in London, England, in the United Kingdom. In 1836, a royal charter established the university as a degree-awarding examination board for students who held certificates from University College London, King's College London, and "other such other Institutions, corporate or unincorporated, as shall be established for the purpose of Education, whether within the Metropolis or elsewhere within our United Kingdom." The university was initially intended to serve students who held certificates from University College London and King's College London in addition to students holding certificates from "other such other Institutions, corporate or unincorporated, as Because of this, it is one of the three schools that may lay claim to the position of the third-oldest university in England. In the year 1900, it transitioned to a federal form. It is presently incorporated by its fourth royal charter, which was granted in 1863, and it is controlled by the University of London Act 2018, which was passed in 2018.

In 1869, it was the first university in the United Kingdom to offer exams to female students. Ten years later, it was also the first institution in the United Kingdom to grant degrees to female students. It was the first British university to appoint a woman to the position of vice chancellor in 1948, and in 1913, it was the first British institution to elevate a woman to the position of professor. That position was held by Caroline Spurgeon (chief executive). There are some of England's oldest teaching hospitals located inside the university's affiliated institutions.

There are 17 member institutions that make up the university, in addition to three major academic organisations. It is the biggest university in the United Kingdom in terms of the number of students since it has around 48,000 students enrolled in both on-campus and off-campus programmes, including students who participate in distance learning. Many of the member institutions of the federal university function on an autonomous basis, with responsibilities ranging from admissions to finance; as a result, they are able to confer their own degrees while still being affiliated with the federal university.

University College London (UCL) was established in 1826 under the name "London University" (but without recognition by the state) as a secular alternative to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, which restricted admission to their degree programmes to members of the established Church of England. UCL was the first university in the United Kingdom to award degrees to non-Christians. As a direct response to the debate that surrounded the foundation of UCL in 1829, King's College London was established by royal licence as an Anglican institution of higher learning.

The board of trustees of the university serves as both the governing body and the executive body of the university. The board is made up of eleven appointed independent persons, all of whom are non-executive, as well as the vice-chancellor, the deputy vice chancellor, and four heads of member institutions who are appointed by the Collegiate Council.

The Collegiate Council provides support to the board of trustees. The Collegiate Council is made up of the heads of the member institutions of the university, the deputy vice-chancellor, the dean and chief executive of the School of Advanced Study, the chief executive of the University of London Worldwide, and the vice-chancellor, who serves as the chair of the Collegiate Council. Together, these individuals make up the Collegiate Council.