Who we are
Who we are
We’re a global learning community, proud of our diversity, with a worldwide alumni network of over 37,000 members.
Students at UEL don’t conform to the usual stereotypes. Many of our students are from non-traditional backgrounds. Many are over-21 on entry, and many are the first in their families to attend university.
This diversity of background, cultures and life experience enriches student life not just in the classrooms and seminars, and also on campus.
UEL is also a leader in the field of distance learning, and as such one of the top three providers of e-learning and distance learning programmes in the UK.
RoSPA Gold Award
The prestigious RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards have been recognising health and safety success since 1956. In 2012 UEL was awarded gold medal status for the 5th consecutive year, an achievement which reflects UEL's ongoing commitment to health and safety excellence. For more information please visit www.rospa.com/awards/
Environmental Management
In January 2012, UEL was awarded ISO14001 certification for its environmental management. ISO14001 is an international standard that provides a framework for organisations to manage and improve their environmental performance. To achieve the standard, UEL has put in place an environmental management system (EMS) which helps to first identify and then strategically minimise environmental impacts at every level of UEL's operations, ranging from energy consumption to waste management. The system is part of an on-going process of continued evaluation and improvement to ensure that the organisation's environmental impact is reduced. For more information see www.uel.ac.uk/greenthing/ems.htm
Fairtrade
UEL has made a commitment to supporting and using Fairtrade and has received Fairtrade University status. We ensure that Fairtrade products are available in as many places as possible and raise awareness of Fairtrade and the benefits that it brings to producers in developing countries with students and staff.
Carbon Trust Standard
UEL has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in recognition for our achievements in carbon reduction and demonstrates our commitment to reducing carbon emissions year on year. The Carbon Trust Standard requires us to keep reducing our carbon emissions and to re-certify every two years. It means we have to continue the great work and all keep reducing our impact on the environment. To get involved in our action on climate change, please visit www.uel.ac.uk/greenthing
Customer Service Excellence
The Customer Service Excellence scheme is a tool designed to help organisations focus on, and improve, their customer service and delivery to users. We are one of only a handful of universities to have this accreditation across our whole service provision.
Investors in People
IiP is a quality standard that focuses on delivering continuous improvement in service delivery through the development of all employees within an organisation. We help make our staff better, at being better equiped to help our students.
Positive about Disabled People
Its a recognition given by the Employment Service to employers who have agreed to take action to meet five commitments regarding the employment, retention, training and career development of disabled employees.
For more information on how we support you as a student, please see our Student Services pages. Current or prospective staff should direct any enquiries they may have in the first instance to our Mentor and Equalities Unit.
Stonewall – Diversity Champion
Stonewall has awarded Diversity Champion accreditation to the University of East London for our attempts to address the needs of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in the wider community. We are committed to equality in all aspects of participation at UEL.
Famous Names
Mark Stephens and Imran Khan
UEL has been a fundamental part of the fabric of East London and South East Essex since 1892. Our former students and staff go on to excel in diverse fields from politics to the arts; industry to sport.
Here is a selection of some of our most celebrated alumni:
Politics
- Edison Chenfil James - Prime Minister of Dominica (1995 -2000)
- Hilary Armstrong - Former Cabinet Minister
Law
- Imran Khan - Solicitor to the Stephen Lawrence family
- Mark Stephens - Senior Partner Finer Stephens Innocent; specialist in Media law current UEL's Chair of Governors
Business and Industry
- The late Lord Trotman of Osmotherley - formerly formerly Chairman of ICI and Managing Director of Ford Motor Company UK.
- Ian MacAllister - Chairman of Network Rail and former Managing Director of Ford Motor Company in the UK.
- Martin Slark - Chief Executive Officer of Molex Inc.
Media
- Mark Frith - Editor of top celebrity and entertainment title 'Heat'
- Daljit Dhaliwal - News presenter for PBS
- Dr Pam Spurr - Psychologist and broadcaster; LBC's 'Dr Pam'
- Garry Bushell - TV critic, TV presenter, newspaper columnist and novelist
Arts
- Jake Chapman - artist; with brother Dinos, winner of the Royal Academy's Charles Wollaston award 2003; nominated Turner Prize 2003
- Ken Russell - Film director
- Guy Sherwin - film-maker; helped establish fine art film at NELP in the 1970s
Our Vision
To be an enterprising, international university bringing transformational opportunities to individuals, communities and businesses in our region, throughdiversity, partnership and excellence in teaching and research.
Our values
We adhere to a set of values that will guide what we do and provide a clearstatement to those we work with of our standards and expectations.
- We are student centred. We identify, anticipate and meet student needs to enable them to achieve their potential.
- our university community of staff and students and take pride in ourachievements, commitment and contribution
- academic excellence in all that we do
- ambition, innovation, creativity and enterprise and will take risks wherenecessary
- equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion
- partnership, to achieve excellence and to help others achieve excellence
- sustainability, and will promote and help secure a socially just, healthy,prosperous and environmentally responsible world.
