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University of Roehampton

Coordinates: 51°27′24″N 0°14′35″W / 51.4566°N 0.2431°W / 51.4566; -0.2431
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University of Roehampton
TypePublic
Established2004 – Roehampton University
1975 – Roehampton Institute of Higher Education
1841 – establishment of Whitelands College
ChancellorDame Jacqueline Wilson
Vice-ChancellorPaul O'Prey
Students12,495 (2022/23)[1]
Undergraduates10,365 (2022/23)[1]
Postgraduates2,130 (2022/23)[1]
Location
Roehampton
,
London
,
England, UK
AffiliationsThe Cathedrals Group; Compostela Group of Universities; European University Association; School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE, Greece); Universities UK
Websitewww.roehampton.ac.uk

The University of Roehampton, formerly Roehampton Institute of Higher Education, is a public university in the United Kingdom, situated on three major sites in Roehampton, south-west London. The University has a strategic partnership with Laureate International Universities, a for-profit enterprise, for University of Roehampton online.[2]

History

The university has its roots in the traditions of its four constituent colleges, all of which were founded in the 19th century as teacher training colleges:

  • Whitelands College – Founded in 1841, the college is one of the five oldest institutions for training educators in England. A flagship women's college of the Church of England, it was the first college of higher education in the UK to admit women. It occupies a 14-acre site overlooking Richmond Park.
  • Southlands College – Founded in 1872, the college derives it ethos from its Methodist foundation. It offers an open and valuable community for all of its members, and regularly organises a range of events and activities to help build and support the community.
  • Digby Stuart College – Established in 1874 as a teacher training college for Roman Catholic women. The college owes its existence to the Society of the Sacred Heart, whose members continue to support the college and the university.
  • Froebel College – Founded in 1892, the college was established to further the values of Friedrich Fröbel, the German educationalist who pioneered a holistic view of child development. It is one of the UK’s major centres for initial teacher training.

All four colleges were founded to address the need to educate poor and disadvantaged children. In 1975, the four colleges joined to form the Roehampton Institute of Higher Education.

Roehampton was formerly an equal partner in the now-dissolved Federal University of Surrey (along with the original University of Surrey in Guildford). Since 1 August 2004, the University of Surrey Roehampton became Roehampton University.

Since 2011, the university has been branded University of Roehampton. However, its legal name remains Roehampton University.[3] In 2012 the last college, Whitelands, was legally merged with the university, bringing all the colleges into a common management structure.[4] Schiller International University degrees are awarded and accredited by Roehampton.

Dame Jacqueline Wilson was appointed Chancellor of the University in August 2014, succeeding the first Chancellor John Simpson.[5]

In May 2017 the university launched The International Journal of James Bond Studies (JBS).[6]

Facilities

Sports

The University is equipped with a state-of-the-art fitness centre, grass football pitches, a multi-use games area, studio facilities and a sports hall for indoor sports and classes. Teams also have access to excellent nearby facilities, including the Roehampton Club and the National Tennis Centre. Sports are managed by Sport Roehampton, and the options available to students range from football and cricket to ultimate and Zumba.

Library

The University Library is open seven days a week during term time, with the PC suites open 24/7 nearly every day of the year. The library has more than 350,000 books, as well as a collection of e-books and electronic journals. The library houses the Jewish Resource Centre Collection[7] and the Richmal Crompton Collection of books and archive material accumulated during the lifetime of the author Richmal Crompton (1890–1969).[8] The University is currently implementing a project that will see a new purpose-built Library, and new student accommodation, built on campus by 2016. This is alongside a development that has already started to build student accommodation on its Downshire House site.

Accommodation

Roehampton consists of four colleges around which accommodation is centred. Mount Clare on is offered to continuing students and Linden House is offered to Postgraduate students, whilst a majority of the others are available to First Year undergraduate students. Since 2014 it has also offered accommodation in central London at the Spring Mews development in Vauxhall, central London. In September 2015, it opened new student accommodation in the grounds of Downshire House – Chadwick Hall. In September 2016 a new student accommodation will open on Digby Stuart College – Elm Grove Hall.

Digby Stuart College

  • Bede House
  • Elm Grove Hall
  • Lee House
  • Newman House
  • Shaw House

Froebel College

  • Aspen House
  • Chadwick Hall
  • Garden Court
  • Lawrence
  • Linden House
  • Mount Clare
  • New Court
  • Old Court
  • Willow House

Southlands College

  • Aldersgate and Epworth Court
  • Wesley Hall

Whitelands College

  • Beverley and Cheltenham
  • Durham and Gilesgate
  • Kings and Melrose
  • Sutherland and Walpole

Transport

The University is in Transport for London Zone 3. The nearest overland train station is Barnes railway station.

Academic departments

  • Department of Dance
  • Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance
  • School of Education
  • Department of English and Creative Writing
  • Department of Humanities
  • Department of Life Sciences
  • Department of Media, Culture and Language
  • Department of Psychology
  • Department of Social Sciences
  • Roehampton University Business School
  • Roehampton University Law School (opened in 2015)

Reputation and standing

Rankings
National rankings
Complete (2025)[9]66
Guardian (2025)[10]78
Times / Sunday Times (2025)[11]73
Global rankings
THE (2025)[12]601-800

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), Roehampton University was ranked first in the country for Dance and Biological Anthropology. Ten out of the fifteen subjects that submitted work included at least some proportion of research judged to be world-leading in terms of its originality and significance. 78% of all research undertaken at the university was of an international standard. This has led to the university having "one of the strongest research profiles among modern universities" (meaning post-1992 universities).[13][full citation needed]

In December 2014, according to Higher Education Funding Council for England, the university is the most research-intensive post-1992 university in the UK. Roehampton submitted work by more than two thirds of its academic staff, in 13 subject areas, to Hefce's Research Excellence Framework programme. This is the highest proportion of any post-1992 university. Overall, 66 per cent Roehampton's research was judged either world leading or internationally excellent.[14][dead link‍]

The university is the top post-92 university in London for students finding employment after they graduate.[15]

Roehampton Students' Union (RSU)

The RSU is the main organisation of student representation at the University. It is led by student officers elected by the student body, and aims to promote the interests and welfare of all those studying at Roehampton. It is also a focal point for social activities, and is responsible for organising events like the Summer Ball and nights out in London, some of these consist of the Clapham grand once a month, fez club Putney on Wednesday nights and the unions special event the Bop hosted at the union bar. The Union itself has 12 different bars, cafes and restaurants spread around the campus.[16]

In September 2013 Roehampton Students' Union was awarded £226,900 from NUS Students' Green Fund for a sustainability initiative with a focus on urban food growing. The project is called Growhampton[17] The union also run charity events called R.A.G (raising and giving). This involves students voting for 3 charities to help raise money for over various events such as R.A.G week in which a variety of events are hosted to help raise money. As of 2014 the RAG started a jailbreak in which pairs of students would try to get as far away from the university as possible on little or no money.

Notable alumni

Amongst the alumni of the University of Roehampton, and other institutions that fall under that banner are:[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Where do HE students study?". Higher Education Statistics Agency. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  2. ^ http://www.laureate.net/OurNetwork/Europe/UnitedKingdom/UniversityofRoehamptonLondon#t1
  3. ^ "Annual report and financial statements 2012–2013" (PDF). University of Roehampton. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Dame Jacqueline Wilson confirmed as new Chancellor". News. University of Roehampton. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  5. ^ "International Journal of James Bond Studies". jamesbondstudies.roehampton.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  6. ^ "Jewish Resource Centre Collection". Library Services. University of Roehampton. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  7. ^ "The Richmal Crompton Collection". Library Services. University of Roehampton. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Complete University Guide 2025". The Complete University Guide. 14 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Guardian University Guide 2025". The Guardian. 7 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Good University Guide 2025". The Times. 20 September 2024.
  11. ^ "THE World University Rankings 2025". Times Higher Education. 9 October 2024.
  12. ^ The Sunday Times University Guide
  13. ^ http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/News/2014/December/Roehampton-is-most-research-intensive-modern-university-UK/
  14. ^ Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey for 2008 graduates
  15. ^ Roehampton Students' Union http://www.roehamptonstudent.com/
  16. ^ Growhampton http://www.growhampton.com/

51°27′24″N 0°14′35″W / 51.4566°N 0.2431°W / 51.4566; -0.2431

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