LONDON UNIVERSITY. Sir Thomas Gresham in the 16th century laid down a noble plan for a university in London, but for various reasons it failed and the present university may be said to have had its origin with the foundation in 1827 of the non-sectarian University college, which, in the hope and expecta tion of receiving a charter empowering it to grant degrees, bore for some time the title of University of London. This was fol lowed by the foundation, as a Church of England institution, of King's college, which received a charter of incorporation in 1829. The movement to grant a charter to University college was bitterly opposed and finally in 1836 two charters were granted, one incor porating University college and the other setting up a new body with examining functions and degree-giving powers, and known as the University of London. In the first instance students from University and King's colleges only were admissible to examina tions for degrees, but the list of colleges was rapidly expanded by supplementary charters, until by the middle of the century its degrees, except in medicine, were thrown open to all candidates who cared to present themselves for examination, irrespective of their place of education. In 1878 a further charter was granted making all degrees, etc., open to women on equal terms with men.
The work of the University of London as reconstituted by the Act of 1898 falls into three main divisions : ( ) teaching and research, carried on by professors and other university teachers in the colleges and schools of the university, the students of which, if matriculated, are known as internal students; (2) the examina tion of other students ("external students"), principally from in stitutions not forming part of the university, e.g., provincial universities and private students; and (3) university extension.
In addition to the colleges and institutions which under the act were affiliated as schools of the university other teaching in stitutions have been added, and research institutions have been added under a statute which empowered the senate to admit in stitutions for purposes of research. The institutions belonging
to or affiliated to the university in which teaching and research arc carried on include University college, King's college, Gold smiths' college (see below), the Imperial college of science and technology, Royal Holloway college, Bedford college, East London college, the London school of economics, Westfield college, Birk beck college, the London Day Training college, the School of Oriental studies, the Medical schools of the twelve great London hospitals, four theological colleges, the London school of hygiene and tropical medicine, and a number of other institutions admitted as research institutions. There are also the Institute of Historical Research (see below), the Galton laboratory for eugenics, and the Bartlett school of architecture housed at University college.
By the University college Transfer Act of i9o5 that college and its property and trust funds, except such as belonged to or were held in trust for University college hospital and its medical school and the boys' school carried on by the college, were transferred to the university as from June 1, 1907. The college is managed by a committee appointed by the senate. By a similar act, King's college Transfer Act of 1908, the property, etc., of that college in faculties other than in the faculty of theology was transferred to the university as from Jan. 1, 191o. The act also provides for the separate government of King's college hospital medical school and King's college hospital.
In 1905 the Goldsmiths' company gave to the university their institute at New Cross with 41 acres of unoccupied land. The institute, now named Goldsmiths' college, is a large and successful training college for teachers. In 1921 funds were raised for the establishment of an institute of historical research and in July of that year the present (temporary) building was opened as a centre for the post-graduate study of history.