About the University of Westminster
The University of Westminster started out 180 years ago as the first polytechnic in London and one of the first in the UK, established to educate the working people of London. Our people stand out as significant contributors to their communities - through their innovation, enterprise, and problem-solving skills - seeking to make the world a more sustainable, healthier, and better place. With nearly 20,000 students from 169 different nationalities, the university fosters a global outlook through its inclusive curriculum and co-curricular opportunities. Rated Silver in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework UK (TEF, UK) for very high quality teaching and outcomes, it excels in life sciences, art, media, law, tourism, English, and architecture. Recognised in the top 15% globally for contributing to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (The Impact Rankings 2024), it ranks second in London for research quality and among the top 50 worldwide for international outlook (The Young University Rankings 2024).
The School of Life Sciences at the university occupies modern laboratories in the heart of London with excellent facilities supporting cutting edge research in a number of disciplines including: molecular and cellular biology, fermentation and biotechnology, and human health and performance. Notable examples of internationally recognised research within the school include, but are not limited to, research on genome editing, cancer, obesity, inflammation, human exercise performance and ageing, nutrition and global public health, social prescribing and resilience. MSc and PhD students on postgraduate research degree programs, post-doctoral research assistants, technical services staff and academic members of staff support the research efforts of the school. Research is funded by grants from national and international funding bodies and also by industrial partnerships.