Over 180 Years of History: A Modern Institution with Roots in the Nineteenth Century
The origins of the University of Roehampton date back to 1841. Its four founding colleges—Whitelands College (1841), Digby Stuart College (1874), Froebel College (1892), and Southlands College (1870s)— —were all women’s teacher-training colleges founded in the 19th century. As one of the earliest educational institutions in British history to train female teachers, Whitelands College is also one of the five oldest teacher-training institutions in England. In 2004, Roehampton officially attained the status of an independent university. With over 180 years of educational heritage, it has become a unique institution that is “rooted in history and looking toward the future.” The art University of Roehampton transcript is used to exhibit
Global Rankings: Strength Reflects International Reputation
Rohampton University’s international reputation has continued to rise in recent years. In the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings, Rohampton ranked 164th globally, placing it in the top 15% among 1,171 institutions worldwide. In the 2027 QS World University Rankings, it was ranked in the 1001–1200 range. In the 2026 Complete University Guide, Rohampton ranked among the top three in London for student satisfaction; in the 2024 National Student Survey (NSS), its undergraduate satisfaction ranked eighth in England. For two consecutive years, in 2022 and 2023, Rohampton’s taught postgraduate satisfaction ranked among the top ten in the UK.
Research Excellence: The UK’s Best Modern University
In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) assessment, Roehampton was jointly ranked as the UK’s best modern university and was also the highest-ranked modern university in London. As much as 77% of the research submitted was rated as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”—an 11% increase from 2014. In the field of psychology, Dr. James Davies’s research on antidepressant dependence directly contributed to revisions of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines in the UK; in education, Professor Adam Ockelford’s research on musical development in neurodiverse children has transformed teaching practices for children with special educational needs; and in the arts, Dr. Sara Houston’s research on the positive effects of dance on Parkinson’s disease has influenced dance therapy practices in Australia, Europe, and North America.
A Global Community and a Unique Campus
Roehampton boasts a highly international student community, with students hailing from over 146 countries. The campus is situated on 54 acres of parkland in southwest London, making it one of the few park-like university campuses in London. It is just 20 minutes from the campus to central London, and the library is one of the best university libraries in London.
