University of Westminster

The University of Westminster started out 180 years ago as the first polytechnic school in London and one of the first in the UK established to educate the working people of London. The university prides itself on its pioneering ethos and has been home to a number of notable moments in history. For example, in 1841, it opened the first public photographic portrait studio in Europe and hosted the first UK public moving picture display, organised by the Lumiere brothers in 1896. It spans over four campuses, three of which are located in central London and one in north-west London, and comprises five faculties: the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Westminster Business School, Westminster Law School, and Westminster School of Media, Arts, and Design. The university's central London location benefits from nearby access to the city's many cultural attractions, while a recent £20 million investment in its facilities has resulted in Westminster offering fully-equipped sports facilities to students, as well as specialist resources. It also has its own gallery spaces for the display of contemporary art and architecture, where exhibitions, events, and public talks regularly take place.