London Metropolitan University (abbreviated as London Met) is a public research university in London, England. The University of North London and London Guildhall University merged in 2002 to create the university. The University's roots can be traced back to 1848.
The university has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington, a museum, archives and libraries. Special collections include the TUC Library, the Irish Studies Collection and the Frederick Parker Collection.The Frederick Parker Collection
History London Metropolitan University was formed on 1 August 2002 by the merger of London Guildhall University and the University of North London. In October 2006, the University opened a new Science Centre as part of a £30m investment in its science department at the North campus on Holloway Road, with a "Super Lab" claimed to be one of Europe's most advanced science teaching facilities, and 280 workstations equipped with digital audio visual interactive equipment.
London Guildhall University
In 1848, Charles James Blomfield, the Bishop of London, called upon the clergy to establish evening classes to improve the moral, intellectual and spiritual condition of young men in London. In response, the bishop Charles Mackenzie, instituted the Metropolitan Evening Classes for Young Men in Crosby Hall, Bishopsgate, London, with student fees at one shilling per session. Subjects on the original curriculum included Greek, Latin, Hebrew, English, History, Mathematics, Drawing and Natural Philosophy. This fledgling college came under royal patronage following the visit of Prince Albert to the classes in 1851. In 1860, the classes moved to Sussex Hall, the former Livery Hall of the Bricklayers' Company, in Leadenhall Street. By this time, some 800 students were enrolled annually.
In 1861, the classes were reconstituted and named the City of London College. Over the next twenty years, the College was one of the pioneers in the introduction of commercial and technical subjects. The college built new premises in White Street at a cost of £16,000 (contributions were received from Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales) and were opened in 1881. In 1891, the college joined Birkbeck Institute and the Northampton Institute to form the City Polytechnic by a Charity Commissioners' scheme to facilitate funding for these institutions by the City Parochial Foundation, and to enable the three institutions to work cooperatively. However this attempted federation did not function in practice, as each institution continued to operate more or less independently. The City Polytechnic concept was dissolved in 1906 and the City of London College came under the supervision of London County Council.
In December 1940, the college's building was destroyed by a German air raid. City of London College subsequently moved into premises at 84 Moorgate in 1944. In 1948, the City of London College celebrated its centenary with a service of thanksgiving addressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul's Cathedral. In 1970 the college merged with Sir John Cass College to form the City of London Polytechnic. In 1977, it also became the home of the Fawcett Society library, afterwards the Women's Library.
Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 the Polytechnic was awarded university status (having previously awarded degrees of the Council for National Academic Awards). It was renamed London Guildhall University, to demonstrate its links with the City of London and the City's many guilds/livery companies. It was unassociated with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, based at the Barbican Centre. It was ranked 30th out of the UK's 43 new universities in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise. In August 2004, in the midst of a contract dispute with former LGU staff following the merger with the University of North London, it was reported that the management of the merged institution had ordered the destruction of the entire print run of a history of the university – London Guildhall University: From Polytechnic to University – authored by Sean Glynn, formerly a senior research fellow in the department of Politics and Modern History; the work had been commissioned by Sir Roderick Floud, the President of London Metropolitan University, when Provost of LGU."Book pulped at London Met", Times Higher Education Supplement, 27 August 2004, Retrieved 24 October 2014.
The former LGU campus, which was home to London Met's Guildhall School of Business and Law until August 2019, was located at the intersection of the City of London financial district and the old East End, near Aldgate East, Tower Hill and Liverpool Street tube stations. There are buildings located at Minories, Jewry Street, Central House, Moorgate, Whitechapel High Street, Calcutta House, Commercial Road and Goulston Street. There is a gymnasium for the use of staff and students at the Whitechapel High St. building,
University of North London
Founded as the Northern Polytechnic Institute in 1896, it merged in 1971 with the North Western Polytechnic which was established in 1929, to become the Polytechnic of North London. Until the passing of the Education Reform Act 1988, the Polytechnic was under the control of the Inner London Education Authority – part of the then Greater London Council and awarded the degrees of the former Council for National Academic Awards. Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, the institution, a pioneer of widening participation and access to higher education, was granted university status and the right to award its own degrees. Following the merger with London Guildhall University, London Metropolitan University became the largest unitary university in Greater London.
The former UNL campus is now the Holloway campus and is located on Holloway Road, near Holloway Road and Highbury & Islington tube stations.
Dalai Lama Honorary Doctorate controversy In May 2008, London Metropolitan University presented the 14th Dalai Lama with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy,London Metropolitan University – Dalai Lama visits, Times Higher Education Supplement 29 May 2008 for "promoting peace globally".UK University honours Dalai Lama, BBC, 20 May 2008. This move caused controversy among the Chinese public and the overseas Chinese community, who view the Dalai Lama as partly responsible for the 2008 unrest in Tibet. As a result, Chinese migration agents had been reported to "boycott" London Metropolitan University in advising clients who wish to study in the UK.多家留学中介表示抵制挺"藏独"英国高校 (Several overseas study agencies say they will boycott British University that supports Tibetan independence), Global Daily, 13 June 2008. The university's Vice-Chancellor, Brian Roper, in July sent a controversial public letter of apology to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via embassy officials. In an interview with the Global Times, a worker at a Chinese study abroad agency suggested that the university could repair the offence of the honours by refusing speaking platforms to Tibetan independence groups, such as the university's own "Free Tibet Society". The university has also faced criticism for offering free scholarships specifically reserved for students from the Tibetan exile community in India, Nepal and the West, in a case of non-merit "racial quotas".
Student numbers controversy
In July 2008, it was reported that a financial crisis was looming for the university. London Met had allegedly been misreporting data on student drop-outs for several years and, consequently, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) was proposing to reclaim at least £15 million for the overpayment in 2008–9. In February 2009 the overpayment figure was revised to £56 million by HEFCE, who were seeking to recover the money.
On 19 March 2009, in response to the crisis, vice-chancellor Brian Roper resigned his position with immediate effect but continued to receive his salary until December 2009. In May 2009, Alfred Morris, former vice-chancellor of the University of the West of England and University of Wales, Lampeter, was appointed interim vice-chancellor.
The government announced in May 2009 that there would be an independent inquiry, exploring the possibility that HEFCE had colluded with London Met by failing to query implausibly low drop-out rates.Melanie Newman, "Government announces inquiry into London Met crisis", Times Higher Education, 21 May 2009. The inquiry concluded in November 2009 and was reported to attribute responsibility to vice-chancellor Brian Roper, along with other senior administrators and the Board of Governors. Following completion of the report, the chair of HEFCE called on "senior staff" and the entire Board of Governors to resign, noting that HEFCE was not convinced that the university's management could effectively safeguard public funds.Lucy Hodges and Richard Garner, "University accused of £36m student scam", The Independent, 22 November 2009. After the deadline indicated by HEFCE chief executive Alan Langlands had expired, rumours circulated among staff and government ministers that HEFCE could withdraw funding, effectively forcing the university to close.Lucy Hodges and Richard Garner, "London Met warned that it could be closed", The Independent, 7 December 2009.
A report commissioned by the university, published in November 2009, found that vice-chancellor Roper bore "the major responsibility and culpability" for the financial situation: Roper and some members of the executive had been aware that the university had been applying its own interpretation of funding rules on student drop-outs – rather than the funding council's – since 2003, but had taken no action. The university's board of governors and audit committee had an oversight role, which made them ultimately "accountable for a financial failure of this magnitude" and this meant that they "must take overall responsibility".
2011 course changes In early 2011, London Metropolitan University announced an overhaul of undergraduate education for students entering courses in 2012. This included a reduction in the number of courses from 557 to 160. The announcement also signalled a move from semester-long to year-long modules, and thirty weeks of teaching, a gain of six weeks on the current average. The university argues that the longer learning time will help increase the opportunity for development and guidance before students move to final examinations."New directions at London Met", London Metropolitan University, 6 May 2011. . There will be a transition to this new course offering in 2011/12 and this has led to applicants for some courses being contacted and offered alternative programmes.John Morgan, "London Met applicants trapped in limbo by course closures and Ucas deadline", Times Higher Education, 5 May 2011.
Proposed alcohol-free zones In April 2012, Professor Malcolm Gillies, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, was reported to be considering creating alcohol-free zones and events to enable Muslim students (who form 20% of the student population) to take part more comfortably. This provoked criticism from the Muslim Council of Britain and the university's Islamic societies, who described the proposal as unhelpful and "divisive", but positive comments from representatives of the National Union of Students and the Federation of Student Islamic Societies.
UK Home Office/Border Agency action, and consequences On 16 July 2012, the UK Border Agency of the Home Office suspended the university's "highly-trusted status" with the Border Agency, a status required in order for the university to be eligible to sponsor both new student visa applications as well as existing student visas, for foreign students from outside of the European Union and the European Economic Area (or Switzerland). The university was one of three institutions to have such a status suspended.