London, University

London, University of

Federation of British institutions of higher learning, located primarily in London. It was established by liberals and religious dissenters in 1828, and it accepted for enrollment Roman Catholics, Jews, and other non-Anglicans. The first two colleges were University College and King's College. From 1849 a student enrolled in any university in the British Empire could be awarded a University of London degree after examination. By the early 20th century many institutions had become affiliated with the university, including Bedford College, the first British institution to grant degrees to women, and the London School of Economics and Political Science, now an internationally renowned centre for the social sciences.