Brunel University of London (BUL) is a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of Knowledge production modes, knowledge production", along with "intergenerational ...
located in the
Uxbridge
Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...
area of
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, England. It is named after
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel ( ; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history", "one of the 19th-century engi ...
, a
Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution. It became a university in June 1966, when Brunel College of Advanced Technology was awarded a
royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
and became Brunel University; it is sometimes considered a
plate glass university
A plate glass university or plateglass university is one of a group of universities in the United Kingdom established or promoted to university status in the 1960s. The original plate glass universities were established following decisions by ...
.
In 2014 the university formally adopted the name Brunel University London, and in 2024 became the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...
's 17th member, adopting the trading name Brunel University of London. Since 2014 the university has been organised into three colleges: the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences; the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences; and the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.
Brunel has over 16,000 students and 2,200 staff,
and an annual income of £271.3 million (2021–22), of which £22.4 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £311.9 million.
[ The university won the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2011. BUL is a member of the ]Association of Commonwealth Universities
The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) is a charitable organization that was established in 1913, and has over 400 member institutions in over 40 countries across the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth.[European University Association
The European University Association (EUA) represents more than 800 institutions of higher education in 48 countries, providing them with a forum for cooperation and the exchange of information on higher education and research policies. Members of ...]
, and Universities UK
Universities UK (UUK) is an advocacy organisation for universities in the United Kingdom. It began life in the early 20th century through informal meetings of vice-chancellors of a number of universities and principals of university colleges and ...
.
History
Origins
Brunel University of London is one of a number of British universities which were established in the 1960s following the Robbins Report
The Robbins Report (the report of the Committee on Higher Education, chaired by Lionel Robbins) was commissioned by the British government and published in 1963. The committee met from 1961 to 1963. After the report's publication, its conclusions ...
on higher education. It is sometimes described as a "plate glass university
A plate glass university or plateglass university is one of a group of universities in the United Kingdom established or promoted to university status in the 1960s. The original plate glass universities were established following decisions by ...
". The university's origins lie in Acton Technical College, which was split into two in 1957: Acton Technical College continued to cater for technicians and craftsmen, and the new Brunel College of Technology (named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel ( ; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history", "one of the 19th-century engi ...
, the British engineer) was dedicated to the education of chartered engineers.
The campus buildings, including the lecture centre, were designed in the Brutalist style of architecture by Richard Sheppard, Robson & Partners, Architects.
In 1960 Brunel College of Technology was awarded the status of College of Advanced Technology, and it was decided that it should expand at another site in order to accommodate the extra buildings that would be needed. Uxbridge
Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...
was chosen to house the new buildings. Before construction work began the college was officially renamed Brunel College of Advanced Technology in 1962 – the tenth Advanced Technology College in the country, and the last to be awarded this title.
The Uxbridge (Vine Street) railway branch line was closed in 1964, and the college purchased the land adjacent to its site where the railway had run for £65,000 from the local council.
1966 to present
A royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
granting university status and the power to award degrees was awarded on 9 June 1966, and the institution became Brunel University.
The university continued to use both campuses until 1971, when it left the Acton site. In 1980, the university merged with Shoreditch College of Education (Shoreditch Training College), located at Cooper's Hill, Runnymede
Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Surrey, bordering Berkshire and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta, and as a consequence is, with ...
, which became Brunel's second campus.
In 1995, the university expanded again, integrating the West London Institute of Higher Education, and adding campuses in Osterley and Twickenham
Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...
, and increasing the number of courses that the university was able to offer. Traditionally the university's strengths were in engineering, science, and technology, but with the addition of the West London Institute, new departments such as arts, humanities, geography and earth science, health and sports science were added, and the size of the student body increased to over 12,000.
Brunel has been the subject of controversy as its approach to higher education has been both market-driven and politically conservative. The decision to award an honorary degree to Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
in 1996, following the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
's refusal to do so, provoked an outcry by staff and students and, as a result, the ceremony had to be held in the House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
instead of on campus. In the late 1990s, the departments of physics, chemistry and materials engineering were all closed and, in 2004, the then vice-chancellor, Steven Schwartz, initiated the reorganisation of the university's faculties and departments into schools, and closed the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences. The succeeding vice-chancellor, the sociologist Christopher Jenks, took office in 2006. He was followed by Julia Buckingham, previously at Imperial College London
Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...
, who took up the position of vice-chancellor at Brunel in 2012.
In 2014, the university underwent an internal reorganisation and its name was changed to Brunel University London (BUL) by a supplemental charter dated 16 July 2014. In 2016 Brunel celebrated its 50th anniversary since being awarded its royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
, and staged a 14-month programme of more than 40 celebratory events.
In December 2020, the university's chancellor, Sir Richard Sykes, lead an independent review of the UK's Vaccine Taskforce strategy and goals, and in June 2021 he was subsequently appointed as the taskforce's new chair, leading work to find, procure and deliver vaccines and oversee preparations for vaccine booster programmes as part of UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme.
In April 2021, it was announced that Julia Buckingham would be stepping down as vice-chancellor and president after nearly 10 years in the role. She was succeeded by Andrew Jones, who took up the position in January 2022.
Brunel became part of the University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...
in October 2024, and began using the name Brunel University of London (BUL) as its trading name.
Campus
In the late 1990s Brunel devised a 10-year, £250 million masterplan for the campus. This involved selling off campus sites at Runnymede
Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Surrey, bordering Berkshire and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta, and as a consequence is, with ...
, Osterley and Twickenham and using the revenue from the sales to renovate and update the buildings and facilities on the Uxbridge campus. Works carried out included a library extension, a state-of-the-art sports complex, renovated students' union facilities, a new Health Sciences teaching centre, and the construction of more halls of residence.
The original Brunel campus was designed by Richard Sheppard, Robson and Partners, with many buildings retaining the 1960s ' Brutalist' architectural style. It has appeared in several films, most famously in Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...
's '' A Clockwork Orange'', large parts of which were filmed on campus, particularly in the John Crank Building (demolished July 2019) and the Grade II listed Lecture Centre. It has also featured in several UK television series including '' Spooks'', '' Silent Witness'', '' The Sweeney'' and ''Inspector Morse
Endeavour Morse, GM, is the namesake character of the series of "Morse" detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, a Detective Chief Inspector in the Thames Valley Police in Oxford, England.
On television he was portrayed by John ...
''.
Organisation and governance
Colleges
Brunel has three constituent Academic Colleges:
;College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences
;College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences
;College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences
Research institutes
Research at Brunel has been organised into five institutes
*Institute of Communities and Society
*Institute of Digital Futures
*Institute of Energy Futures
*Institute of Health, Medicine and Environments
*Institute of Materials and Manufacturing
Governance
Brunel exists by virtue of a royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
first granted in 1966 and it has the status of an exempt charity An exempt charity is an institution established in England and Wales for charitable purposes which is exempt from registration with, and oversight by, the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Exempt charities are largely institutions of furt ...
as defined by the Charities Act 2011.
The governing body of Brunel is the council, which comprises university staff and students and independent members. The Council appoints the Vice-Chancellor and other senior officers. The council has established a number of Committees which support its work.
The current Chancellor of the university is Sir Richard Sykes, a biochemist and former Rector of Imperial College London
Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...
. The Vice-Chancellor since 2022 is Professor Andrew Jones, formerly Deputy President at City, University of London
City, University of London was a public university from 1966 to 2024 in London, England. It merged with St George's, University of London to form City St George's, University of London in August 2024. The names "City, University of London" an ...
.
Brunel's academic governing body is the Senate, which is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. The Senate's powers, duties and functions are set out in its Ordinances, and it has a number of Committees which support its work.
Finances
In the financial year ended 31 July 2020, Brunel had a total income (including share of joint ventures) of £237.1 million (2018–19 – £229.8 million) and total expenditure of £235.7 million (2018–19 – £224.7 million).
Total income for 2019–20 was £237.1 million, £7.3 million (3.2%) higher than in 2018–19. Tuition fees overall increased by £10.1 million, reflecting the increase in the number of students enrolled, while funding body grants were flat at £30.6 million. Research grant income for 2019/ 20 was £3.1 million higher than in 2018–19 on a recognised income basis. Research income reflects the timing of work undertaken on research grants, as income is recognised in the financial statements over a period typically averaging three years. Other income reduced by £6.0 million, or 12.4%. This consists of student residences income, conference, hotel, retail and also income from summer school activity for foreign language students on the campus. All categories were significantly impacted by the pandemic, including the decision by the university not to charge rent for accommodation for the final term.
Excluding the Universities Superannuation Scheme
The Universities Superannuation Scheme is a pension scheme in the United Kingdom with £89.6 billion under management as of August 2021 (up from £67 billion in 2019). It has over 400,000 members, made up of active and retired academic and aca ...
(USS) pension revaluation, expenditure was £9.8 million (4.3%) higher than in 2018–19. Excluding pension adjustments, staff costs of £135.0 million were £15.5 million (13.0%) higher than in 2018–19. The university invested resources in its academic provision as its tuition fee income and student numbers have increased and has also targeted staff cost investment in its information technology provision and other support services. Other operating expenses of £76.9 million were £5.6 million lower than in 2018–19.
Coat of arms
The Brunel coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
was granted to the university in 1966, and incorporates various images representative of the university's heritage and principles. The masonry arch symbolises Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel ( ; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history", "one of the 19th-century engi ...
, after whom the university is named; the compass and cogwheel symbolise technology, on which the university initially focussed on and the institution's former status as a College of Advanced Technology; the ermine lozenge is an allusion to the arms of Lord Halsbury, the first Chancellor of the university; and the swan symbolises Uxbridge
Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...
, where the main campus is located.
Academic profile
Brunel students have access to specialist laboratories for electronic imaging, bioprocessing and experimental techniques; flight, driving and train simulators; a 3-D body scanner; an MRI scanner; motion-capture equipment; an occupational therapy suite; sports and performing arts facilities; and academic archives in cult film and contemporary writing.
Depending on the degree course followed, many undergraduate students may choose to undertake practical placements and projects as an integral part of their courses (a founding principle of the sandwich degree structure).
Research
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise
The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) was an exercise undertaken approximately every five years on behalf of the four UK higher education funding councils ( HEFCE, SHEFC, HEFCW, DELNI) to evaluate the quality of research undertaken by British ...
(RAE), 90% of Brunel research submitted was rated as being of international quality. In the Research Excellence Framework
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a research impact evaluation of British Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It is the successor to the Research Assessment Exercise and it was first used in 2014 to assess the period 2008–2013. REF is ...
(REF) in 2014 Brunel was ranked 33rd for Research Power.
A comparison of the data submitted to REF2021 compared to the submission for REF2014 demonstrates a 9.6% increase of staff Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent (FTE), or whole time equivalent (WTE), is a unit of measurement that indicates the workload of an employed person (or student) in a way that makes workloads or class loads comparable across various contexts. FTE is often use ...
(FTE) submitted, a 5.9% increase in Early Career Researchers, 22% increase in PhD graduation per staff (FTE) per year and a 55% increase in spend per staff (FTE) per year.
Courses at Brunel draw on staff's research in areas including Law, Cancer Genetics, Environmental Science, Human-Centred Design, Materials Processing, Contemporary Music and Digital Performance, Children's Education and Sports Medicine.
'Made in Brunel' (annual design exhibition)
Brunel's Design School holds an annual design exhibition called Made In Brunel, to promote and showcase the work of final year students to the design industry. In past years it has been held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, and the Oxo Tower Wharf. From 2011 onwards the exhibition has been held at the Bargehouse, on the Southbank, London.
Reputation and rankings
The university won the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2011.
BUL was ranked as one of the top 350 universities in the world by the ''QS World University Rankings
The ''QS World University Rankings'' is a portfolio of comparative college and university rankings compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, a higher education analytics firm. Its first and earliest edition was published in collaboration with '' Times ...
2025'' and among the top 400 by the ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings
The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'', often referred to as the THE Rankings, is the annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli Symon ...
2025''. In the ''Complete University Guide 2025'' it features among the 50 best UK universities in subjects like civil engineering, computer science and law.
Student life
Student recreational and general facilities
Brunel has a gym, spa, and running track with professional training and medical facilities. On campus there is also a pharmacy, a shop, one bar called Locos, a nightclub called Venue, and a café named "1966" after the year of the university's founding. Historically Brunel Student Hall and The Sports Barn were key venues for band tours in the 1970-90s with some of the biggest names in rock music including, Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English British folk rock, folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson (musician), Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Marti ...
, Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green (musician), Peter Green. Green named the band by combining the surnames of the drummer, Mick Fleetwood, and the bassis ...
, The Who
The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
, Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
, Genesis, ELO, The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray Davies, Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British ...
, Thin Lizzy, Joy Division
Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...
, The Pretenders
The Pretenders are a British rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (ba ...
, The Specials
The Specials, also known as the Special AKA, were an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, J ...
, The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist I ...
. The Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
played the first gig of their 'Never Mind the Bans Tour' at Brunel on 16 December 1977.
The Bannerman Centre at the heart of the campus contains a 4 floor library (opened in 1973 by Heinrich Böll) with c.400,000 books and 1,500 study spaces, usually open 24/7 during term-time. The Bannerman Annexe contains the Professional Development (Careers) Centre, PC labs, large teaching rooms with collaborative technology and various student service functions such as the Assistive Technology Centre.
Union of Brunel Students
The Union of Brunel Students is the students' union
A students' union or student union, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, organizat ...
of Brunel University. The Union is based within the Hamilton Centre on the Uxbridge campus.
Among other services, the Union runs two venues on the Brunel campus: the Venue nightclub, Loco's bar.
The Union is led by fourteen democratically elected staff from the student body – six Student Officers, four Standing Committee Chairs and six Working Group Chairs – supported by over thirty professional staff.[
]
''The Brunel Times & Hillingdon Herald''
''The Brunel Times'' is Brunel University's official student newspaper
A student publication is a media outlet such as a newspaper, magazine, television show, or radio station Graduate student journal, produced by students at an educational institution. These publications typically cover local and school-related new ...
. Before 2019, it was called ''Le Nurb'', which has ''Brunel'' spelt backwards. Before that, it was a magazine called Route 66, named after the different campus locations Runneymede, Osterley, Uxbridge and Twickenham, not after a bus route which supposedly ran through Brunel's campus along Cleveland Road. The newspaper editorial team is made up of volunteer students and is funded by the Union of Brunel Students. Traditionally, the newspaper has held a left-wing bias and has published interviews with prominent political figures including Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell
John Martin McDonnell (born 8 September 1951) is a British politician who served as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2015 to 2020. He has been the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Hayes and Harlington ...
, a Brunel alum and MP for Hayes and Harlington.
''Hillingdon Herald'' is a monthly newspaper, written and produced by students from Brunel University London, with a focus on the London Borough of Hillingdon and wider London. Launched in October 2021, the first issue included columns from Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He wa ...
, MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip; former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell
John Martin McDonnell (born 8 September 1951) is a British politician who served as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2015 to 2020. He has been the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Hayes and Harlington ...
; and David Simmonds, MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
Formula Student
Brunel was one of the first UK universities to enter the Formula Student engineering competition, an annual event in which universities from around the world compete in static and dynamic events using formula style racing cars designed and manufactured by students. Brunel's Formula Student teams have won prizes in the annual competition every year since they first entered in 1999.
The Brunel Racing team is composed of undergraduate and postgraduate students, each being allocated an area of the car to develop. Students on MEng Mechanical Engineering courses act as team leaders and manage BEng students throughout the year to ensure a successful completion of a new car each year. Brunel Racing were UK Class 1 Formula Student Champions in 2002, and were the leading UK team at Formula ATA 2005, the Italian Formula Student event. In 2006 Formula Student Event, Brunel Racing were also the highest finishing UK competitor using E85 (fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol.)
Student housing
Brunel's £250 million campus redevelopment programme, completed in 2008, refurbished existing halls and the built the new Isambard Complex. There are 34 self-catering halls of residence on-campus, with a total of 4,549 rooms, including studio flats for co-habiting couples. Rooms are available for undergraduates, postgraduates, students with disabilities and co habiting couples. All rooms have network access.
Many of the halls of residence around the Uxbridge campus are named after bridges that Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel ( ; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history", "one of the 19th-century engi ...
either built or helped to design; other halls are named after him or other notable engineers or scientists. For example:
*Clifton Hall (after the Clifton Suspension Bridge)
*Saltash Hall (after the Royal Albert Bridge that crosses the River Tamar
The Tamar (; ) is a river in south west England that forms most of the border between Devon (to the east) and Cornwall (to the west). A large part of the valley of the Tamar is protected as the Tamar Valley National Landscape (an Area of Outsta ...
at Saltash)
*Chepstow Hall (after the bridge across the River Wye
The River Wye (; ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn Estuary. The lower reaches of the river forms part of Wales-England bor ...
at Chepstow
Chepstow () is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the western end of the ...
)
*Fleming Hall (after Sir Alexander Fleming)
*Faraday Hall (after Sir Michael Faraday)
*Galbraith Hall (after W R Galbraith, who designed the Kew Railway Bridge)
*Mill Hall (after John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, politician and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism and social liberalism, he contributed widely to s ...
)
There are also three accommodation complexes: the Bishop Complex (Bishop, Kilmorey, Lacy and St Margaret's Halls); the Lancaster Complex (Lancaster, Stockwell, Southwark, Borough Road, Maria Grey and Gordon Halls); and the Isambard Complex (North, Meadow, Michael Bevis, Concourse, Stephen Bragg, West, Maurice Kogan, David Neave, Central, East, Runnymede, George Shipp, Trevor Slater, Shoreditch, Syd Urry, South and Brian Winstanley Halls).
Notable academics
*Bernardine Evaristo
Bernardine Anne Mobolaji Evaristo (born 28 May 1959) is an English author and academic. Her novel ''Girl, Woman, Other'' jointly won the Booker Prize in 2019 alongside Margaret Atwood's ''The Testaments'', making her the first Black woman to win ...
: Professor of Creative Writing, joint winner of the Booker Prize 2019
*Will Self
William Woodard Self (born 26 September 1961) is an English writer, journalist, political commentator and broadcaster. He has written 11 novels, five collections of shorter fiction, three novellas and nine collections of non-fiction writing. Se ...
: Professor of Modern Thought
* Heinz Wolff: former Emeritus professor at Brunel University London founded the Brunel Institute for Bioengineering in 1983
* Fiona Templeton: Senior Lecturer in Drama
* Benjamin Zephaniah: former Professor of Creative Writing
* Hannah Lowe: Professor of Creative Writing, poet and winner of the Costa Book Award 2021
*Daljit Nagra
Daljit Nagra (born 1966) is a British poet whose debut collection, ''Look We Have Coming to Dover!'' was published by Faber in 2007. Nagra's poems relate to the experience of Indians born in the UK (especially Indian Sikhs), and often employ l ...
: Professor of Creative Writing, poet and presenter of BBC Radio 4 Extra's 'Poetry Extra'
* Fay Weldon: former Professor of Creative Writing
* Celia Brackenridge: former Professor and Director for Youth Sport and Athlete Welfare, and campaigner against abuse and harassment in sport
* Javaid Rehman: Professor of International Law, former UN Rapporteur on Iran
* Alexandra Xanthaki: Professor of International Law, UN Rapporteur on Cultural Rights
* Solon Solomon: Associate Professor of International Law, director of the 'Migrating Fears' film and host of the award-winning BUL Emerging Law Voices YouTube interview series
* Brian Cantor: Professor of Materials and BCAST Strategic Advisor, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford and the University of York
* Hussam Jouhara: Professor of Thermal Engineering
* Asoke K. Nandi: Professor of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Vice-Chancellors
* 1966 to 1971: James Topping
* 1971 to 1981: Stephen Bragg
* 1981 to 1989: Richard Evelyn Donohue Bishop
* 1990 to 2001: Michael Sterling
* 2002 to 2006: Steven Schwartz
* 2006 to 2012: Christopher Jenks
* 2012 to 2021: Julia Buckingham
* 2021 to present: Andrew Jones
Chancellors
* 1966 to 1997: Tony Giffard, 3rd Earl of Halsbury
* 1998 to 2012: John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham
* 2013 to present: Sir Richard Sykes
Notable alumni
Media, entertainment and the arts
* Nick Abbot, (''Psychology''), radio presenter
* Shohreh Aghdashloo, (''International Relations''), actress
* Rotimi Alakija, DJ, record producer and recording artist
* Hajaz Akram, actor
* Mark Bagley
Mark Bagley (; born August 7, 1957) is an American comics artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics on such titles as ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thunderbolts (comic book), Thunderbolts'', ''New Warriors'', ''Venom (comic book), Venom'' and ''Ulti ...
, comic book artist
* Carl Barât, (''Drama'', did not graduate), musician, The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things
* Adam Benzine, (''Multimedia Technology & Design''), Oscar-nominated filmmaker and journalist
* Jo Brand, (''Social Sciences and Nursing''), comedian
* Dave Brown, photographer, graphic designer '' The Mighty Boosh''
* Hopewell Chin'ono, filmmaker and journalist
* Marko Ciciliani, composer and audiovisual artist
* Mike Collins, Comic book artist, Writer (''Politics, Modern History and Government'')
* Michael Dapaah (''Drama''), actor, writer and comedian
* Greg Davies, (''English and Drama''), actor and comedian
* Ray BLK, stage name for Rita Ekwere, (''English''), singer-songwriter
* Francis French, space historian
* Alizeh Imtiaz, (''English and Film and TV Studies BA 2008''), director and actor
* Tony James, (''Mathematics & Computer Science'' 1974), musician
* Bryony Kimmings, performance artist
* John Watts, musician, Fischer-Z
* Lee Mack
Lee Gordon McKillop (born 4 August 1968), known by his stage name Lee Mack, is an English comedian and actor, famed for his quick wit. Mack’s better known work includes creating, writing and starring in sitcom ''Not Going Out'', and featuring ...
, comedian
* Sophie McShera
Sophie McShera (born 17 May 1985) is an English actress known for her roles as Ros McCain in the fifth series of the BBC television series '' Waterloo Road'', as Daisy Mason in the ITV television series ''Downton Abbey'', and as Drizella T ...
, (''Drama''), actress
* Oreke Mosheshe, (''Management and Law''), actor, television presenter and model
* Archie Panjabi, (''Management Studies 1996''), actor
* Nathaniel Peat, (''Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing Systems''), social entrepreneur, winner of the reality TV show '' The Last Millionaire''
* Claire Phillips, (''Mechanical Engineering 1986''), portrait artist
* Amber Rose Revah (''Contemporary Performance''), actress, ''House of Saddam
''House of Saddam'' is a 2008 British docudrama television miniseries that charted the rise and fall of Saddam Hussein. A co-production between BBC Television and HBO Films, the series was first broadcast on BBC Two (in the United Kingdom) in f ...
'' and '' The Punisher''
* Laurence Rickard, actor, screenwriter and comedian
* Bindya Solanki, (''Drama''), actor
* Beverly Naya, Nigerian
Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was derived from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jo ...
actress, stars in ''Tinsel
Tinsel is a type of decorative material that mimics the effect of ice, consisting of thin strips of sparkling material attached to a thread. When in long narrow strips not attached to thread, it is called "lametta", and emulates icicles. It was o ...
''
* Lucy Verasamy, (''Geography''), weather forecaster
* Kaan Yıldırım, (''Marketing''), Turkish Actor
* Damson Idris, (''Actor''), British Actor
Politics, nobility, and royalty
* Joyce Anne Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St John's, politician, Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
* Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg (''Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie''; born 11 November 1981), is the heir apparent to the Luxembourg throne since October 2000 and regent of the country since October 2024, as the son of Grand ...
, member of the Luxembourg royal family
* Prince Abdul Fattaah of Brunei, member of the Brunei royal family
* Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah, Crown Prince of Kedah
Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
* Sayyida Meyyan bin Shihab Al Said (''MA in Design Strategy and Innovation''), member of the Omani royal family
* John Leech (''History and Politics''), politician, MP for Manchester Withington
Manchester Withington is a Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, constituency represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Jeff Smith (British politician), Jeff ...
* John McDonnell
John Martin McDonnell (born 8 September 1951) is a British politician who served as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2015 to 2020. He has been the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Hayes and Harlington ...
, politician, former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
The shadow chancellor of the exchequer in the British Parliamentary system is the member of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom), Shadow Cabinet who is responsible for shadowing the Chancellor of the Exchequer, chancellor of ...
* Ralph Miliband, political theorist
* James Colthurst, radiologist, son of the 10th Colthurst baronet, friend of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William, ...
* Ville Skinnari, (''LLM''), Finnish politician, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade
* Reza Moridi
Reza Moridi (; born ) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Ontario Liberal Party, Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2007 to 2018 who represented the riding of Richmond Hill (provincial electoral district) ...
, (''MTech and PhD in physics''), Canadian politician
* Hamdullah Mohib, (''PhD Computer Systems Engineering''), Afghan politician and diplomat, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States
* Anastasios Papaligouras (''Master's in Comparative European Law''), Greek politician, former Minister of Justice
* Pekka Sauri (''PhD 1990''), Finnish psychologist, politician, writer and cartoonist
* Majid Al Suwaidi (''BA in Geology in 2001''), UAE Ambassador to Spain, Andorra, and Vatican City. Director-General of COP28
* Seng Han Thong (''MBA 1993''), Singaporean politician
* Sarah Dines (''Law''), Conservative Party politician, MP For Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales ( ) is a Non-metropolitan district, local government district in Derbyshire, England. The district was created in 1974 as West Derbyshire; the name was changed to Derbyshire Dales in 1987. The council is based in the town of Matl ...
* Rosena Allin-Khan (''Medical Biochemistry ''), Labour Party politician, MP For Tooting
* Diana Johnson (''Law''), Labour Party politician, MP For Kingston upon Hull North
* Jenny Chapman (''Psychology''), Labour Party politician, MP For Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. It lies on the River Skerne, west of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. Darlington had a population of 107,800 at the 2021 Census, making it a "large town" ...
* Rudi Vis (''PhD Economics''), Labour Party politician, MP For Finchley and Golders Green
* Alec Shelbrooke (''Mechanical Engineering''), Conservative Party politician, MP For Elmet and Rothwell
* John Tomlinson (''Health Services Management''), Labour politician and life peer
* Shailesh Vara (''Law''), Conservative Party politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, MP for North West Cambridgeshire
* Claire Ward
Claire Margaret Ward (born 9 May 1972) is a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who was elected Mayor of the East Midlands in 2024 East Midlands mayoral election, May 2024. Previously, she served as Member of Parliament (United K ...
(''MA Britain and the European Union''), Labour politician, former MP for Watford
Watford () is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne.
Initially a smal ...
* Marina Yannakoudakis (''BSc Government, Politics and Modern History''), Conservative Party politician, MEP for London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
* Abang Johari Openg, 6th Chief Minister of the State of Sarawak
Sarawak ( , ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. It is the largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is ...
, Malaysia
* Gagan Sikand, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville Constituency in Canada
* Chen Jining
Chen Jining ( zh, s=陈吉宁, p=Chén Jíníng; born 4 February 1964) is a Chinese environmental scientist, academic administrator and politician who has been serving as Party Secretary of Shanghai and member of the 20th Politburo of the C ...
, (''Biochemistry''), Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai
Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
Sports
* Tony Adams (''Sports Science''), footballer, former Arsenal and England captain and Portsmouth F.C. manager
* Eniola Aluko (''Law''), England Ladies footballer
* Ross Brawn, team principal for Mercedes Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
team
* Mike Coughlan (''Mechanical Engineering 1981''), former Chief Designer for McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited ( ) is a British auto racing, motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. The team is a subsidiary of the McLaren Group, which owns a majority of the team. McLaren is best known a ...
Formula One team
* James Cracknell (''MSc Sport Science 1999''), rower, Olympic gold medallist
* Abi Ekoku, former GB Lions rugby league manager, British discus champion and Bradford Bulls, London Broncos and Halifax winger
* Heather Fell, (''Physiotherapy''), Olympic Modern Pentathlete and Triathlete
* Ben Gollings, rugby player, Captain of England Sevens, IRB Sevens Series all-time top scorer
* Chad Gould, (''Sports Science''), footballer
* Elizabeth Hall (''Physiotherapy''), athlete
* Roger Hammond (''Materials Science''), cyclist
* Audley Harrison (''Sport Sciences 1999''), boxer, Olympic gold medallist
* Richard Hill (''Geography and Sports Science''), rugby player, 2003 Rugby World Cup winner
* Ali Ibrahim, Egyptian rower
* Catherine Murphy, athlete
* Beth Rodford (''Sport Science''), rower
* Michael Olowokandi, former NBA player, No.1 overall pick of the 1998 NBA draft
* Abiodun Oyepitan (''Politics and Sociology''), athlete
* Perri Shakes-Drayton (''Sport Sciences 2011''), athlete
* Tom Shanklin, rugby player, Lions tourist and Wales rugby union international
* Iwan Thomas
Iwan Gwyn Thomas (born 5 January 1974) is a Welsh sprinter who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games in the 400 metres, and Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Thomas is a former European, Commonwealth Games and ...
, (''Geography and Sports Science''), athlete
See also
* Armorial of UK universities
* Centre for Sustainability and Environmental Management / Brunel Management Programme
* College of advanced technology (United Kingdom)
A college of advanced technology (CAT) was a type of higher education institution established in 1956 in England and Wales following the publication of a government white paper on technical education which listed 24 technical colleges in receipt of ...
* List of universities in the United Kingdom
This is a list of universities in the United Kingdom (alphabetical by substantive name). Below that are lists of university colleges and other recognised bodies (institutions with degree awarding powers), followed by a list of defunct institution ...
* Universities in London
London has one of the largest concentrations of universities and higher education institutions in the world. It has 40 higher education institutions (not counting foreign Universities with London branches) and has a student population of more th ...
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Universities and colleges established in 1966
1966 establishments in England
Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Hillingdon
Uxbridge
Universities in London
Universities UK
Isambard Kingdom Brunel