Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a member institution of the federal University of London. It has 6 schools, 21 academic departments and approximately 10,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 100 countries.[5] The campus is located west of Egham, Surrey, 19 miles (31 km) from central London. It is listed by The Sutton Trust as one of the 30 "most highly selective" British universities.
Motto
To be, rather than to seem (to be)
1849: Bedford College
1879: Royal Holloway College
1900: became a constituent college of the University of London
1985: merger of Bedford College and Royal Holloway College
The Princess Royal
(as Chancellor of the University of London)
1,165 (2021/22)[3]
1,055 (2021/22)[3]
12,480 (2021/22)[4]
9,685 (2021/22)[4]
2,795 (2021/22)[4]
Suburban
The Egham campus was founded in 1879 by the Victorian entrepreneur and philanthropist Thomas Holloway. Royal Holloway College was officially opened in 1886 by Queen Victoria as an all-women college. It became a member of the University of London in 1900. In 1945, the college admitted male postgraduate students, and in 1965, around 100 of the first male undergraduates.[6] In 1985, Royal Holloway merged with Bedford College (another former all-women's college in London). The merged college was named Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC), this remaining the official registered name of the college by Act of Parliament. In 2022, it became a university in its own right within the University of London. The campus is dominated by the Founder's Building, a Grade I listed red-brick building modelled on the Château de Chambord of the Loire Valley, France. The annual income of the institution for 2022–23 was £216.1 million of which £15.8 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £211.8 million.[1]
Organisation and administration[edit]
Governance[edit]
The University Council is the governing body of the University with responsibility for "financial integrity and setting the overall strategic direction of Royal Holloway."[30] There are 25 members of the council, many of whom are lay members from outside Royal Holloway who are initially appointed for five years.[30] A total of 16 lay members are appointed; two from local authorities; one selected by the Privy Council; another by the University of London; two more are appointed as alumni from Royal Holloway, Bedford College or Royal Holloway College; and the rest are chosen to offer a range of skills and experience.[30] The council's Chairman, who is appointed for five years, is also a lay member. One of The Chairman's duties is to chair a number of committees including the Remuneration Committee, which handles the pay and benefits of the senior staff.[30] The Vice Chancellor is answerable to the chairman.
The remaining members of the Council comprise three elected by non-academic members of staff, two elected by academics and one member of academic staff elected by the Academic Board. There is also one student member elected by the students.
Coat of arms[edit]
Royal Holloway's coat of arms consists of the Royal Holloway shield and its surrounding elements. There are three crescents shown on the coat of arms, which are taken from Thomas Holloway's own coat of arms.[31] Taken from the Bedford coat of arms, the field is coloured black and gold in a chequered design, with the addition of ermine spots (feather-like symbols representing ermine tails) from the Royal Holloway coat.[31] Placed between two black lozenges, there is a lamp of learning. Traditionally, the lozenge is worn on the arm of unmarried women or widows, which places significance on the coat of arms' lozenges as it acts as a reminder that the colleges were founded for women.[31] Below, the motto is displayed which is taken from the arms of Bedford College, and reads esse quam videri.[31]
The Royal Holloway shield was created following the merger of Bedford and Royal Holloway Colleges in 1985. The shield appears (in a black and white form) on legal documents and stationery for legal reasons, along with the following: "Incorporated by Act of Parliament. Royal Holloway and Bedford New College."[31]
The use of the university's identifying marks is governed by the Communications and External Relations Department.
National rankings
37
47
29=
801–900
477=
301–350