University of North London (1992-2002)

The University of North London was established in 1992 when its immediate precursor – the Polytechnic of North London– was granted University status (and with that, its own degree-awarding powers) by the Further and Higher Education Act of that year.

Over a ten-year period, courses and qualifications were offered at Access, undergraduate, postgraduate and research levels across 4 academic centres of the University:

• The Business School
• The Faculty of Environmental and Social Studies
• The Faculty of Humanities and Teacher Education
• The Faculty of Science, Computing and Engineering

Courses within the field of Architecture were recognised by RIBA – the Royal Institute of British Architects – whilst those within the areas of Social Work and XXXX received similar recognition from their respective professional bodies. Professional courses were also available within the Business School.

The London School of Polymer Technology (which had evolved from the National College of Rubber Technology, founded in 1948 within the (then) Northern Polytechnic) - located within the Science Faculty - was a recognised centre of excellence for study and research in this field.

In 1996, the Library Collections of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) were transferred to the University’s Learning Centre on Hornsey Road (which itself had only opened 2 years previously, built on the site of a disused mirror factory). Note: These Collections have since been incorporated within the Special Collections of London Metropolitan University, based at its Aldgate Campus.

In academic year 1992/93, a total of 12,333 students were enrolled (full-time, part-time, sandwich and short courses). In 1995/96, this figure was 16,037; in 1998/99, it was 17,951 and in 2001/02 it was 18,393.

Notable recipients of honorary degrees include Anita Desai (novelist; 1995), Pru Leith (restauranteur; 1996), Martin Bell (journalist; 1997), Benjamin Zephaniah (poet; 1998) and Lennox Lewis (boxer; 1999).

The University’s Vice-Chancellors were Leslie Wagner (1992-1994) and Brian Roper (1994-2002).