A number of smiling students exit the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Vernon Square campus.

The Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµÌýInstituteÌýfeaturesÌýin , the voice of the capital’s higher educationÌýsector,ÌýÌýwhichÌýaims toÌýdemonstrateÌýthe ways in which London’s higher education provisionÌýcombines a scale,ÌýdiversityÌýand excellenceÌýunmatched among its global peers.ÌýThe Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Institute was also recently named the world’s top institution for the study of History of Art according to QS World University Rankings 2026.

Their new publication marks the launch of a broader campaign, with London stakeholders joining forces with the capital’s universities, conservatoires, specialist institutions and research centres to make the case for London as the Higher Education Capital of the World.

In a foreword to the publication, the Mayor of London describes London’s higher education sector as a critical national asset, helping to drive growth, opportunity and international influence for the UK.Ìý The report shows that:

  • London is the world’s leading higher education city by scale, diversity and global influence.
  • The capital combines a concentration of universities, specialist institutions and research centres found nowhere else on earth.
  • London’s higher education institutions contribute more to the UK economy than the Premier League and employ more people than Sainsbury’s nationwide.
  • The benefits generated by London’s higher education sector extend well beyond the capital through research collaboration, graduate talent, businessÌýcreationÌýand international investment.

These findings reflect the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµâ€™s long-standing position as a leading global centre for the visual arts.ÌýFounded in London in 1932 by Samuel Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµÌýasÌýan academic centre devoted to the serious study of the history of art, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Institute has been an independent college of the University of London since 2002.

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