Imperial College London

Charing Cross Hospital Medical School was founded in 1823 during a meeting led by Dr. Benjamin Golding. The school aimed to provide medical education and training facilities to address the lack of a University in West London for medical studies.

The Government School of Mines and of Science as Applied to the Arts was established in 1851 by Sir Henry de la Beche. He was also instrumental in founding the Geological Survey of Great Britain, overseeing the Museum of Economic Geology, the Library of the Museum and Survey, and the Mining Record Office.

In 1853, the Royal College of Chemistry merged with the Royal School of Mines, leading to the continuation of teaching at the Oxford Street premises until the relocation of School of Mines teaching to South Kensington in 1872.

In 1904, the Board of Education established a Departmental Committee to assess the potential integration of the Royal School of Mines, the Royal College of Science, and the City and Guilds College. The committee's preliminary report in February 1905 favored merging the three institutions into one, contingent on support from various entities.

The Departmental Committee's final report in January 1906 recommended the consolidation of the Royal School of Mines, the Royal College of Science, and the City and Guilds College into a unified entity. The 1851 Commissioners were also involved in providing land for the new institution.

The charter forming Imperial College was granted on 8 July 1907, marking a significant milestone in the establishment of the institution.

William Ernest Dalby became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1913, recognizing his significant contributions to the field of engineering. This prestigious honor highlighted his expertise and influence in the scientific community.

In 1928, the first recorded film footage of activities at Imperial College London was captured during Morphy Day. The footage includes scenes of rowing at Putney and Sports Day at Chelsea Football ground.

After the declaration of war, new student admissions to the College were halted. However, on 17th October 1939, this decision was reversed and the College re-opened. Some courses were relocated, but instruction continued at South Kensington Department for students of other departments.

In September 1941, "C" Company, 2 London, Home Guard, known as Imperial's own company, was formed at Imperial College with the idea of students and later staff members joining to serve in the Home Guard Platoon during the Second World War.

Sir Richard Vynne Southwell, educated at Cambridge, excelled in Mathematical and Mechanical Science. He served in the Royal Naval Air Service during WWI and later worked at the Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough.

In October 1945, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited the College to commemorate the centenary of the Royal College of Science, which is the oldest forerunner to Imperial College.

In 1947, Imperial College acquired Silwood Park as a Field Station for research and teaching in Biology. This acquisition was instrumental in expanding the college's facilities and resources.

In 1948, he retired from the RAF and took on the role of Rector at Imperial College London, where he emphasized the importance of a well-rounded education for students.

On January 29, 1950, the government announced in the Commons the intention for Imperial College to expand to meet the scientific and technological challenges of the 20th century. The Rector, Sir Roderic Hill, initiated the Jubilee Expansion Scheme, which included the addition of new subjects like General Studies, Management Studies, and History for Science and Technology.

Between 1953 and 1963, the government mandated Imperial College to double in size, with student numbers increasing to 3,000 by 1962. The Rectors during this period, Sir Roderick Hill and Sir Patrick Linstead, played key roles in meeting this challenge.

In 1954, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, recognizing his significant contributions to the field of civil engineering.

On November 4th, 1965, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Chancellor of London University, inaugurated the new Biochemistry Building at Imperial College London. She unveiled a commemorative plaque and received a bouquet from the children of Professor Ernst Chain, the head of the Biochemistry Department.

Lord Penney of East Hendred was appointed as the Rector of Imperial College in 1967. He was recognized for his services to Britain with various honors including OBE, Knight Commander, and OM.

In November 1969, the College Block, including the Administration and Library Buildings, was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

Professor Abdus Salam was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979.

In 1988, Imperial College merged with St Mary's Hospital Medical School under the Imperial College Act 1988, leading to changes in the formal name of the institution and the establishment of St Mary's as a constituent college.

In 1996, Imperial College London's team, led by captain Mark Pallen, along with team mates Jim Totty, Nick Bradshaw, and Chris Harrison, emerged victorious in the UK quiz show University Challenge by defeating LSE in the final.

In 1997, the Imperial College School of Medicine was established.

The Sir Alexander Fleming Building was inaugurated in October 1998 by Her Majesty The Queen. It serves as a dedicated facility for medical and biomedical research at Imperial College London, designed by Sir Norman Foster and Partners.

Wye College merged with Imperial College London on 1 August 2000. Wye College, founded in 1447, had a rich history starting as a college for training priests and later evolving into an agricultural school within the University of London.

In 2001, the Imperial College team, consisting of Gavin Estcourt, John Douglas, Siegfried Hodgson, and Alexander Campbell, emerged as series champions by defeating St John's College, Oxford with a score of 250 to 195. They were awarded the trophy by Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.

In July 2002, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation granted $30 million to establish the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) at Imperial College London. The initiative aimed to combat the parasitic disease affecting millions of people in regions with poor water supply and sanitation.

In 2003, Imperial College was given the authority to award degrees independently by the Privy Council.

On June 24, 2004, Imperial College London officially opened its new Main Entrance and accommodation for the Tanaka Business School. The landmark building, designed by Foster and Partners, was made possible by a £27 million pledge by technology investor and Imperial alumnus Dr Gary Tanaka.

In 2008, Imperial College London was recognized as having the highest concentration of world-leading and internationally excellent research among all UK universities, based on the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE08) results.

In April 2011, Imperial and King's College London became partners in the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) by each committing £40 million to the project.

The Brevan Howard Centre for Financial Analysis was created in March 2013 through a generous donation of £20.1 million from Brevan Howard, a prominent hedge fund founded by Imperial alumnus Alan Howard.

In August 2013, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) in Singapore, a collaboration between Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), welcomed its inaugural group of 54 students for a five-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program. These students will graduate with a joint degree from both institutions, marking the first overseas degree course developed and delivered by Imperial.

In December 2014, Imperial College London achieved its best research performance as assessed by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014. The results revealed that 91% of Imperial's research was rated as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' (4* and 3*), the highest percentage among major universities in the UK. Additionally, the College demonstrated the highest concentration of high-impact research in the country.

In March 2015, the Dyson School of Design Engineering was established at Imperial College London with a £12 million donation from the James Dyson Foundation. The school offers a unique four-year undergraduate Masters degree program in Design Engineering, focusing on combining technical expertise with creativity.

The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) was renamed the Francis Crick Institute and officially opened on 9 November 2016. It is the largest single biomedical laboratory in Europe.

On 16th March 2020, Neil Ferguson's report titled 'Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions to reduce COVID-19 mortality and healthcare demand' gained attention in the U.S. and the U.K. The report was highlighted for its influence on shaping responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

In November 2020, bullying allegations resurfaced at Imperial College when a report by Jane McNeill QC revealed misconduct under the leadership of President Alice Gast and the Chief Financial Officer. The college faced accusations of a cover-up when it refused to publish the report.

On 14 February 2021, the Office for Students (OfS) announced a formal investigation into allegations of bullying at Imperial College. This investigation marked a significant step in addressing the ongoing concerns of bullying within the institution.

In April 2024, scientists in the UK developed a more precise method to measure the causes of allergy symptoms. This advancement is significant in the field of allergy research and could lead to improved treatments.