UEL celebrates 125 years of pioneering futures
UEL celebrates 125 years of pioneering futures
125 years of pioneering futures
We were founded in 1898 as the West Ham Technical Institute, with a mission to provide the local community with industry-focused education in science, engineering and the arts. Since then, the world has changed dramatically, and the University has grown considerably - but our mission has stayed the same.
The People's University
Today, we're preparing students for the careers of our future, with a commitment to providing education that's truly accessible to all. Our foundation stone was laid by John Passmore Edwards - a Victorian philanthropist who believed in opening education up to the working-class community, young women, and anyone who was once excluded from life-changing learning and modern technical skills. For that reason, we were dubbed 'the People's University' and we still believe in our mission to change the face of education and industry for the benefit of all.
Rich history and heritage
In the last 125 years, we've survived a devastating fire, two world wars, produced incredible alumni, undertaken groundbreaking research and revolutionised our curriculum.
Celebrate 125 years with us
We'll be running a major campaign over the next two years, in the lead up to the anniversary in October 2023, with a programme of events and content that pay tribute to our 125-year history and pave the way for our next 125 years. We want everyone to be involved in our celebrations and recognise their own contribution to our success.
Discover our values
In collaboration with former student Luke Gray, we created an interactive mural at our Docklands Campus showcasing our values and ongoing commitment to higher education.
Inspiring Future Generations
We're inspiring the next generation of academics, workers, entrepreneurs and creatives from all around the UK, Internationally and from our local community. We nurture talent wherever it's found and open doors for people with ambition. Our alumni and academics have, throughout the last 125 years, set a powerful example to future generations. 'Future generations' doesn't just refer to young people either. It's mature students looking to change their career or learn new skills. It's refugees with no access to traditional education. It's anyone who has the talent and drive to achieve their ambitions, whatever their story. We are an inclusive University, committed to helping everyone.
Our people
In celebrating our 125th anniversary, we want to showcase some of the amazing people who've studied and worked here, reflecting on our incredible achievements and telling our fascinating story to the world.