University of Roehampton

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:

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. In 2012 the last college, Whitelands, was legally merged with the university, bringing all the colleges into a common management structure. 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.

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 and the Richmal Crompton Collection of books and archive material accumulated during the lifetime of the author Richmal Crompton (1890–1969). 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

Froebel College

Southlands College

Whitelands College

Transport

The University is in TfL Zone 3. The nearest overland train station is Barnes railway station.

Academic departments

Reputation and standing

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).

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.

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

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.

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 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: