University of West London

The University of West London (UWL) is a public research and teaching-focused university in the UK, branded as “The Career University” for its strong graduate employability and career-oriented degrees.

It has main campuses in Ealing and Brentford in west London, plus health and specialist sites in Reading and within the wider UWL Group.

Public Research University

• Origins: 1825 (as the Lady Byron School)
• University Status: Achieved in 1992 (under the name Thames Valley University)
• Rename: 2010 (reamed to University of West London)

• Markets itself as “The Career University”, emphasising practical, career-focused education and close links with employers.
• Offers more than 100 undergraduate and 100 postgraduate programmes across areas such as:
  • Business, accounting and management
  • Hospitality, tourism and airline/airport management
  • Computing, cybersecurity and engineering
  • Nursing, midwifery, public health and allied health
  • Music, film, media, design and performing arts
  • Law, criminology, policing and social sciences

• Recognised UK public university and degree-awarding body, regulated within the UK higher education framework.
• Complies with academic standards monitored by the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).
• Individual programmes (e.g., in nursing, midwifery, hospitality, business, etc.) hold relevant professional accreditations.

• Guardian University Guide 2025: Ranked around 30th in the UK.
• Complete University Guide 2026: Placed around 70th (UK) in the 2026 table.
• Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021: Ranked in the mid-30s in the UK.
• THE Impact Rankings 2024: Ranked in the 801–1000 band overall.

• Heritage of over 160 years from the original Lady Byron School (1860) through to today’s multi-campus university.
• Strong employability profile and branding as “The Career University”, with historic data showing about 98% of graduates in work or further study soon after graduating and top-ten national positioning for employability.
• Offers research degrees (PhD and Professional Doctorates) coordinated via a Graduate School, with research active across professional and applied disciplines.