Key milestones in our history
City's tradition of providing high quality education relevant to business and the professions dates back 160 years. For many of our graduates, time spent at City laid the groundwork for leadership, innovation and excellence that have changed the world we live in.
Click on a time period below to discover its significance in City's heritage.
1852 - The Inns of Court School of Law founded
The Inns of Court School of Law was founded. One of the earliest providers of legal education in London, it would become a part of The City Law School in 2001.
1876 - Notable Alumni
Herbert Henry Asquith, British Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916, graduated from The Inns of Court School of Law. Asquith was the first of many global leaders, including Mohandas 'Mahatma' Gandhi, Clement Attlee, Jawaharlal Nehru, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, to pass through what is now The City Law School.
1877 - St Bartholomew's College of Nursing founded
St Bartholomew's College of Nursing was founded, affiliated with London's oldest hospital, St Bartholomew's. The College of Nursing would later be incorporated into the School of Health Sciences at City, University of London.
1891 - Northampton Institute planning begins
Planning began for the Northampton Institute, to be built on what is now the main part of City's present-day campus. The land was bequeathed by the Marquess of Northampton and the Earl of Compton and generous benefactors included The Worshipful Company of Skinners and The Worshipful Company of Saddlers.
1894 - Northampton Institute founded
The Northampton Institute was founded. With the objective of promoting 'the industrial skill, general knowledge, health and wellbeing of young men and women belonging to the poorer classes', the first departments established in the Institute were Mechanical Engineering and Metal Trades, Artistic Crafts for Industry, Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering, Horology, Electro-chemistry and Domestic Economy.
1898 - College Building opens
The College Building was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of London.
1903 - Technical Optics department founded
The Technical Optics department was established within the Northampton Institute, marking the beginning of City's important contribution to the study of optometry.
1908 - Olympic Games host venue
The University Great Hall played host to the boxing competition of the first London Olympic Games, Great Britain excelled in the competition, winning 14 of 15 medals awarded. The University swimming pool (now a study area for PhD students) was also used for the Olympic Games.
1909 - Aeronautical Engineering courses introduced
The Northampton Institute introduced courses in Aeronautical Engineering, the
first offered in the United Kingdom. In this year, the Institute also presented its first candidates for University of London BSc degrees.
1914 to 1918 - World War I
During the First World War, the engineering faculties of the Northampton Institute were used to produce munitions and telegraph sets and members of academic staff helped to train munitions workers and service personnel. All departments also participated in schemes to retrain and find employment for wounded ex-servicemen.
Department of Optometry and Visual Sciences founded
With the founding of the Department of Optometry and Visual Sciences, the Northampton Institute became one of the first establishments in the world to educate optometrists. City, University of London remains the only institution in London to offer a BSc in Optometry.
1939 - Outbreak of World War II
The Northampton Institute once again played a key part in the war effort, providing training courses for members of the RAF, Army and Navy in skills ranging from optics manufacturing to wireless mechanics.
1940 to 1945 - World War II
The University buildings suffered bomb damage, notably the Great Hall. Post-war reconstruction work would be completed in 1953.
1946 - A period of expansion begins
The Institute began a period of expansion that would set the stage for its transition into City University London in 1966. Between 1946 and 1956 the number of courses grew, student numbers increased and academic research became more important, as faculty members were given the chance to take research
leave from teaching and appoint research assistants.
1955 - Summer school lays groundwork for British Computer Society
The Northampton Institute offered a summer school on the use of electronic digital computers and calculators in accountancy, costing and management, laying the groundwork for the foundation of the British Computer Society.
1961 - Department of Social and Industrial Studies founded
The Department of Social and Industrial Studies was formed, offering classes in social sciences, industrial administration and management studies.
1962 - Research plays a key role
Research assumed an increasingly important role in the life of the College, as Consultant Lecturers were appointed, a growing number of Science Research Council grants and funding for Research Fellows and Senior Research Fellows was awarded.
1963 - Government recommends university status
A Government Report into higher education recommended that the Northampton College of Advanced Technology become a university, retaining its balance between education and research whilst increasing its postgraduate activity.
The groundwork necessary for this transformation began with the construction of the first halls of residence, close to the City of London.
1966 - University created by Royal Charter
The University was created by Royal Charter. Dr James Tait was appointed as its first Vice-Chancellor and Oliver Thompson its first Pro-Chancellor. Together they approached the Lord Mayor of London and his enthusiasm for an association between the City and the new University led to a unique arrangement that continues today, in which the Lord Mayor in office is invited to be the Rector (previously Chancellor) of City.
In 2015, City was placed 97th in the Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 ranking of the world's best universities under the age of 50.
In 2016, City joined the University of London, becoming a self-governing College with a new supplemental Charter.
1967 - Vision for 1977
The Development Committee of the University drafted a vision that would shape the next 10 years and would see City evolve into a University dedicated to engineering, science, business, management studies and computing.
1970 - University Building opens
The University Building in Northampton Square was opened in 1970.
1971 - Apollo astronauts visit City
The astronauts of Apollo 15 visited City University London and presented Vice-Chancellor Tait with a piece of heat shield from the Apollo 15 command module.
1974 - Tait Building opens
Another building in Northampton Square - the Tait Building - was completed and opened in 1974.
1975 - First Music degree course launches
City offered a Diploma in Journalism, capitalising on its proximity to Fleet Street and its long experience of educating for the professions.
1977 - Centre for Legal Studies founded
The Centre for Legal Studies was established and the Graduate Diploma in Law was offered.
1977 - Spin-out company City Technology Ltd founded
City Technology Ltd was established to develop a new oxygen sensor, designed by academics from City. The sale of the company in 1993 for £24.5m marked one of British academia's most successful commercialisations of intellectual property.
1978 - Professor Raoul Franklin CBE appointed Vice-Chancellor
Professor Raoul Franklin was appointed Vice-Chancellor. He would remain in post for 20 years and be made a CBE in 1994 for his service to the University.
1982 - Focus shifts to postgraduate education
The cuts to higher education funding by the new Conservative administration deeply affected City and other former Colleges of Advanced Technology, leading to redundancies and an increased strategic focus on postgraduate education.
1986 - Dean becomes Thatcher advisor
The Dean of City University Business School, Professor Brian Griffiths, resigned his Chair at City to become Margaret Thatcher's chief policy advisor.
1988 - School of Engineering founded
The School of Engineering was formed under the guidance of Professor Ludwik Finkelstein, its first Dean.
1990 - School of Informatics founded
The School of Informatics was formed, bringing together the departments of Information Science, Business Computing and Computer Science.
1990 - First Law degree courses offered
Undergraduate degrees in Law were offered for the first time.
1994 - 100 years of the institution
The University celebrated 100 years since the founding of the Northampton Institute with a series of high profile public lectures and a gala concert in The Guildhall.
1995 - Health-related institutions join City
St Bartholomew's School of Nursing and Midwifery was incorporated into the University; it would become part of the School of Health Sciences. In the same year, the Charterhouse College of Radiography was also incorporated into the University.
1998 - Professor David Rhind appointed Vice-Chancellor
Professor David Rhind was appointed Vice-Chancellor of City University London, remaining in the post until 2007.
2001 - Business School becomes Sir John Cass Business School
Following a generous donation from the Sir John Cass Foundation towards the Business School's new building project, the School was renamed the Sir John Cass Business School. The Foundation, one of London's oldest and largest education charities, continues to support the Cass Business School. Her Majesty the Queen opened the new building two years later.
2001 - The City Law School expands
The Inns of Court School of Law was integrated into The City Law School.
2003 - School of Arts founded
The School of Arts was formed, bringing together the departments of Music, Journalism & Publishing and Cultural Policy & Management.
2004 - Social Sciences Building opened
The Social Sciences Building - now named the Rhind Building in honour of past Vice-Chancellor Professor David Rhind - was opened.
2010 - City ranks in top 30 higher education institutions in the UK
City was ranked in the top 30 higher education institutions in the UK by the Times Higher Education Table of Tables.
2012 - Environmental initiatives recognised
In July 2012, City's Environmental Management System was awarded the EcoCampus Platinum Award and ISO 14001 certification in recognition of the University's commitment to reducing its environmental impacts and to integrating sustainability into its daily services and activities.
2013 - George Daniels remembered
Launch of inaugural annual lecture and iconic University Clock named after George Daniels, a City alumnus and one of the world's greatest watchmakers.
2013 - Square Mile campus opens
Cass Executive Education opens at 200 Aldersgate Street, making it one of the largest Executive Education facilities in the Square Mile.
2016 - City joins the University of London
Following a period of significant progress, City joined the University of London federation on 1st September 2016. The University of London was founded by Royal Charter in 1836. City changed its name to "City, University of London" to reflect this change.
2017 - City, University of London receives a Silver award in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
The TEF is a new government initiative designed to encourage further the enhancement of quality in teaching and learning in Higher Education.