Founded in 1829, King’s is the 4th oldest university in the UK and in 2029 we’ll mark our 200th anniversary. For the future, as it was in the past, our vision is to make the world a better place.
Our history
Since our foundation in 1829 King’s has grown through mergers with other illustrious educational institutions. They include The United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals; Chelsea College; Queen Elizabeth College; and The Institute of Psychiatry.
Our people
We like to think all our people do well – and some really exceed. We have welcomed some of the world’s greatest minds: medical professionals Thomas Hodgkin and Florence Nightingale; writers John Keats, Thomas Hardy and Derek Jarman; and former archbishop of South Africa Desmond Tutu, to name a few.
Our work
Through all our work, we aim to make the world a better place.
Everything we do focuses on our five priorities:
Teaching
We provide world-class teaching for our 33,110 students, including 13,740 postgraduates, who come from over 180 countries.
Research
55.1% of our research is rated 'world leading' and 67.8% of our impact is 'outstanding'. (Research Exercise Framework 2021)
Internationalisation
Our international community serves the world. We see the world through the lens of others and have a global problem-solving mindset.
Service
We are committed to serving society both as individuals and as the King’s community.
We support all our colleagues in achieving their potential.
We contribute to London’s health and success through our many partnerships with the city.
“ We have done a lot of relevant work and are quoted at Select Committees. For example, the Greater London Authority has made some progress with our recommendations in our World Health Organisation report on how Age Friendly is London? This is particularly the case for transport on disabled access and the provision of information boards.
Professor Anthea Tinker, Researcher, Age friendly cities
“ I feel very proud to work for King’s College London. My colleagues have become an extended family. We support each other through the hard times and celebrate the good. Innovation is encouraged and celebrated to learn from our mistakes and continually grow.
Zac Evans, Business and Operations Manager, King’s Sport
“ We aim to deliver social value through our supply chain and to make sure our suppliers provide their goods and services in ways that do not harm people or places. We make choices to benefit our local communities as much as possible – whether it’s furniture, food, drink or honey from our local Bermondsey Street Bees!
