Ravensbourne University London

{{Short description|University in Greenwich, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Use British English|date=November 2022}}

{{Infobox university | name = Ravensbourne University London | image_name = Ravensbourne University London logo.png | caption = | former_name = Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication | motto = We learn with industry, industry learns with us, and together we transform lives. | established = 1962<ref name="rave.ac.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/footer-menu/freedom-of-information/ |title=Freedom of Information: Who we are |publisher=Ravensbourne |date=1 January 2005 |access-date=21 November 2021}}</ref> | type = [[Public university|Public]] | vice_chancellor = Jon Kingsbury<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/people-and-stories/meet-team/jon-kingsbury-0|title=Jon Kingsbury|website=Ravensbourne|access-date=8 February 2026}}</ref> | academic_staff = 140<ref name="rave-key">{{cite web|url=http://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/discover-ravensbourne/ |title=Discover |publisher=Ravensbourne |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905191906/http://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/discover-ravensbourne/ |archive-date=5 September 2016 }}</ref> | students = {{HESA student population|INSTID=10005389}} ({{HESA year}})<ref name="HESA citation">{{HESA citation}}</ref> | undergrad = {{HESA undergraduate population|INSTID=10005389}} ({{HESA year}})<ref name="HESA citation"/> | postgrad = {{HESA postgraduate population|INSTID=10005389}} ({{HESA year}})<ref name="HESA citation"/> | city = [[London]] | state = [[England]] | country = | website = {{URL|https://ravensbourne.ac.uk}} }}

'''Ravensbourne University London''' is a [[public university]] on the [[Greenwich Peninsula]] in [[London|London, England]]. It specialises in creative, business, and technology-related disciplines, offering courses in areas including fashion, television and broadcasting, business management, architecture, product and graphic design, animation, music and sound production, and digital technology.

The university delivers an industry-focused curriculum developed in collaboration with employers to reflect current professional practices. Its partnerships with industry organisations provide students with opportunities for project-based learning, placements, and access to professional-standard facilities.

'''Ravensbourne University London''' has a focus on widening social mobility in higher education, and its graduates work across a range of roles with the creative, business and technology industries.

'''Ravensbourne University London''' was established in 1962 by the amalgamation of '''Bromley School of Art''', [[Sidcup School of Art]] and '''Beckenham School of Art'''. It was originally at [[Bromley Common]] and later at [[Chislehurst]] and on the [[Greenwich Peninsula]] in [[Inner London]], where it opened a new campus in autumn 2010. The college is named after the [[River Ravensbourne]], which flows from Bromley Common to [[Greenwich]].<ref name=Salter95>{{cite web |author=Rich Salter |url=http://www.richsalter.net/degreeshow95/history.html |title=History |website=DegreeShow95 |access-date=25 November 2021 |type=alumni publication for 1995 graduates of the Visual Communication Design degree course at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication }}</ref> Initially established as a institution providing higher-level courses in art and design, it was given [[Post-1992 university|university status]] in 2018.

==History== Bromley School of Art opened in 1878 in a new building in Tweedy Road, Bromley that later became Bromley Library;<ref name=Salter95/> after the [[Second World War]] it became Bromley College of Art.<ref>{{cite web |title=Peskett, Eric. National Life Story Collection: Artists' Lives|url=http://sounds.bl.uk/Arts-literature-and-performance/Art-photography-and-architecture/021M-C0466X0031XX-0800V0|publisher=The British Library |type=sound recording abstract |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822080107/http://sounds.bl.uk/Arts-literature-and-performance/Art-photography-and-architecture/021M-C0466X0031XX-0800V0 |archive-date=22 August 2016 }}</ref> In 1959 it became Bromley Technical College after a merger with the Department of Furniture Design of Beckenham School of Art, which dated to the turn of the century as a technical school, had become an art school in purpose-built accommodation in 1908, and had expanded after the war with crafts trades.<ref name=Artbiogs>{{cite web |author=Geoff Hassell |url=https://www.artbiogs.co.uk/2/schools/ravensbourne |title=Schools: Ravensbourne |website=Artist Biographies |access-date=25 November 2021 }}</ref> In July 1962, the remainder of Beckenham School of Art merged with Bromley College of Art and Sidcup School of Art (founded in 1898 and by then also known as [[Sidcup Art College]]) to form Ravensbourne College of Art and Design.<ref name="rave.ac.uk"/> In 1965 the college moved to Rookery Lane, [[Bromley Common]].<ref name=Artbiogs/> That site had originally housed the Rookery, an 18th-century house that had been burnt out while in military occupation in 1946. As the college expanded it was unable to develop that site any further, as it was in the [[Metropolitan Green Belt]]. In 1975 the college moved most of its operations to a purpose-built building designed after lengthy consultation on {{convert|18|acre|ha}} of private parkland on Walden Road, [[Chislehurst]] ({{coord|51.4205|0.0537|type:edu_region:GB-BRY|display=inline}}).<ref name="rave.ac.uk"/><ref name=Salter95/> The Rookery Lane site was redeveloped for the [[Bromley College of Further & Higher Education]].

In 1983 the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education was set up by the Secretary of State for Education and Science, and demanded a 10 per cent cut in higher education spending across the sector. At Ravensbourne this was interpreted as requiring the closure of a department, with the communications and television broadcasting course at the College initially earmarked to be discontinued as it was on a separate campus and the closure would have allowed the College to consolidate its properties. This was later changed to a decision to cut the Fine Art course at the College on the grounds that there was a large number of similar courses offered elsewhere in the region, and this closure occurred later that year.<ref>Hansard Parliamentary Papers, HC Deb 29 July 1983 vol 46 cc1429-36</ref> As a result, the college was renamed to Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication.<ref name="rave.ac.uk"/> In 1991 the communications and television broadcasting course department was moved to the main Chislehurst campus from its Wharton Road, Bromley site, now occupied by St Timothy's Mews housing development.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=8301467LBB&activeTab=summary|title=Bromley - Tel: 0208 464 3333|last=Bromley|website=searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk|access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=8802009LBB&activeTab=summary|title=Bromley - Tel: 0208 464 3333|last=Bromley|website=searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk|access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=9002729FULMAJ&activeTab=summary|title=Bromley - Tel: 0208 464 3333|last=Bromley|website=searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk|access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?previousCaseType=Property&keyVal=8900828FUL&previousCaseNumber=002X12BTBU000&previousCaseUprn=010003615860&activeTab=summary&previousKeyVal=002HPJBTLI000|title=Bromley - Tel: 0208 464 3333|last=Bromley|website=searchapplications.bromley.gov.uk|access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.graphicdesignand.com/everything/ravensbourne-college-of-design-and-communication-publication|title=GraphicDesign& Everything|website=www.graphicdesignand.com|access-date=7 April 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107072258/http://www.graphicdesignand.com/everything/ravensbourne-college-of-design-and-communication-publication|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ravensbourne offers courses in business, technology, and creative-related disciplines. It was amongst the earliest of institutions to be approved by the then [[Council for National Academic Awards|CNAA]] to convert the traditional Diploma programmes in Art and Design into honours degrees during the 1970s. In April 1989 it became a Higher Education Corporation.<ref name=Salter95/> Following the demise of the CNAA in 1992, Ravensbourne entered into a validating partnership with the [[Royal College of Art]], which agreed exceptionally to take this responsibility. This validation ceased when the [[Royal College of Art]] withdrew from offering collaborative provision. Ravensbourne was recognised as an affiliate College of the [[University of Sussex]] in 1996, and was re-recognised in 2002. Between 2009 and 2012 the institution's undergraduate and postgraduate provision was validated by [[City University, London]]. This relationship was maintained until May 2012. In June 2013 [[University of the Arts London]] became the validating partner. In August 2017, Ravensbourne was granted the right to award its own degrees, and in May 2018 it gained university status, becoming Ravensbourne University London.<ref name="rave.ac.uk"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.arts.ac.uk/media/assessmentandquality/academicboard/ab14march2013/Item,6_Ravensbourne,Partnership,Approval.pdf|title=University of the Arts London and Ravensbourne Collaborative Provision Partnership|access-date=27 June 2013|publisher=University of the Arts|date=14 March 2013}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-23 |title=Ravensbourne becomes 'Ravensbourne University London' after being awarded university status {{!}} Ravensbourne University London |url=https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/people-and-stories/news/ravensbourne-becomes-ravensbourne-university-london-after-being-awarded |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=www.ravensbourne.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref>

In 2019 Ravensbourne began validating courses at the [[City and Guilds of London Art School]] located in Kennington in central London.

===Rave on Air=== In 1971 the Broadcasting Department instituted '''Rave on Air''', an annual student-run broadcasting event.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.richsalter.net/degreeshow95/downloads/Raview_0706.pdf |title=Rave on Air—Breaking new ground |magazine=Raview |publisher=Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication |date=July 2006 |page=9 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://rts.org.uk/event/rave-air-uncovered |title=Rave on Air Uncovered |publisher=Royal Television Society |date=April 2009 |type=event announcement }}</ref>

Since 2025, the university has hosted '''Ravensbourne on Record''', an industry-focused podcast in which educators and industry leaders discuss how universities can connect with the creative, technology and business sectors to drive social change, innovation and growth.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXLVjRb7kcA |title=Ravensbourne on Record – Episode 1 |publisher=Ravensbourne University London |website=YouTube |date=2025 |type=podcast episode }}</ref>

== Campus == The university moved its entire operations to its current campus on the Greenwich Peninsula, which opened in autumn 2010. The campus was designed by [[Farshid Moussavi]] and won a [[British Construction Industry Awards|British Construction Industry Award]] and the [[RIBA]] education and community award<ref>{{cite web |date=6 June 2011 |title=Ravensbourne by Foreign Office Architects |url=https://bustler.net/news/2241/ravensbourne-by-foreign-office-architects |access-date=25 November 2021 |website=Bustler}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |year=2011 |title=Winners 2011 |url=http://www.bciawards.org.uk/365666 |access-date=14 December 2013 |website=BCI Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=10 November 2012 |title=Building |url=http://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/discover-ravensbourne/our-facilities/building |access-date=10 September 2016 |publisher=Ravensbourne}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Zaynab D. Ziari |date=13 September 2010 |title=Ravensbourne College by Foreign Office Architects |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2010/09/13/ravensbourne-college-by-foreign-office-architects/ |access-date=25 November 2021 |website=Dezeen}}</ref>. In 2021, Barozzi Veiga designed a new building for Institute for Creativity and Technology. This aluminium-clad building is the first building to open in the new Design District on the Greenwich Peninsula<ref>{{cite web |date=3 June 2021 |title=Barozzi Veiga designs reflective university building at London's Design District |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2021/06/03/barozzi-veiga-ravensbourne-university-design-district-london/ |access-date=6 May 2026 |website=Dezeen}}</ref>.

==Curriculum and reputation==

Ravensbourne holds a TEF Silver for teaching quality.

As a skills-based university, it does not participate in university ranking schemes.

Ravensbourne offers undergraduate, postgraduate and [[further education]] programmes taught across three buildings at its campus on the Greenwich Peninsula, next to the O2.

At undergraduate level, the university provides foundation degrees, top-up programmes, and bachelor's degrees (BA, BSc, and BEng) in a range of creative, business and technology subjects. The available postgraduate provision consists of [[Master's]] level courses, each of which can be studied to [[Master of Arts#United Kingdom and Ireland|MA]] or [[Master of Science#United Kingdom|MSc]] (dependent on subject). A variety of subject areas are offered within the main disciplines of creative, business and technology.

==Notable alumni== * [[Ray Atkins]], artist * [[Brian Barnes (artist)|Brian Barnes]], artist<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.1000londoners.com/londoners/brian-barnes/ |title=Brian Barnes |website=1000 Londoners |date=19 August 2015 |access-date=25 November 2021 }}</ref> * [[Deirdre Borlase]], artist<ref>{{cite book|author=David Buckman|publisher=Art Dictionaries Ltd|year=2006|title=Artists in Britain Since 1945 |volume=1 |isbn=0-953260-95-X}}</ref> * [[David Bowie]], pop star<ref name="rave-key"/><ref name="ind-shape">{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/the-shape-of-the-future-ravensbourne-college-764885.html | work=The Independent | author=Lucy Hodges | date=13 December 2007 | title=The shape of the future: Ravensbourne College}}</ref> * [[Zerkaa|Joshua "Zerkaa" Bradley]], YouTuber<ref name=Zerkaa>{{Cite tweet |number=67058930660032512 |user=ZerkaaHD |title=@TheTrout91 Yeah it was Harrow campus, umm theres lots of Media/Art College/Unis. Im going Ravensbourne (next to 02 Arena) |date=7 May 2011 |access-date=26 June 2021}}</ref> * [[Jake and Dinos Chapman|Dinos Chapman]], artist<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishcouncil.jp/en/private-utopia/artist-profiles/jake-and-dinos-chapman |title=Jake and Dinos Chapman |publisher=British Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311093913/http://www.britishcouncil.jp/en/private-utopia/artist-profiles/jake-and-dinos-chapman |archive-date=11 March 2014 }}</ref> * [[Maria Cornejo]], fashion designer<ref name=livingstone>{{Cite news|author=David Livingstone |title=Fashion: Michelle Obama, Holt Renfrew among designer Maria Cornejo's big fans|url=https://www.thestar.com/living/fashion/article/1153393--fashion-michelle-obama-holt-renfrew-among-designer-maria-cornejo-s-big-fans|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=28 March 2012}}</ref> * [[Beryl Dean]], embroiderer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/people-and-functions/artists-designers-and-embroiderers/dean-beryl-1911-2001|title=Dean, Beryl (1911-2001)|last=Willem|website=trc-leiden.nl|language=en-gb|access-date=2019-10-28}}</ref> * [[Mary Farmer]] (Beckenham School of Art), textile artist and former Tapestry Course Director, [[Royal College of Art]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://artcollection.culture.gov.uk/person/farmer-mary/ | title=Mary Farmer }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://contemporaryartsociety.org/artists/mary-farmer | title=Mary Farmer | CAS }}</ref> * [[Rose Finn-Kelcey]], artist<ref name=Guardian>{{cite web|last=Brett|first=Guy|authorlink=Guy Brett|title=Rose Finn-Kelcey obituary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/feb/24/rose-finn-kelcey|work=The Guardian|date=24 February 2014|access-date=25 April 2014}}</ref> * [[Nazaneen Ghaffar]], weather presenter, [[Sky News]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nazaneen-ghaffar-7a52434a |title=Nazaneen Ghaffar |website=LinkedIn |access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref> * [[Wilbur Soot|Will "Wilbur Soot" Gold]], YouTuber and musician<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gold |first=William |title=Will Gold |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-gold-276a36180 |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=[[LinkedIn]]}} {{Self-published source|date=June 2022|ABOUTSELF=y}}</ref> * [[Robert Hewison]], literary scholar<ref>{{cite web |author=Robert Hewison |url=https://victorianweb.org/authors/ruskin/encounters/hewison.html |title=How I first discovered Ruskin |website=The Victorian Web |date=4 May 2019 |orig-year=18 November 2014 |access-date=25 November 2021 }}</ref>  * [[Peter James (writer)|Peter James]], writer and film producer<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.peterjames.com/career/ |title=Career |website=Peterjames.com |date=29 November 2004 |access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bookseriesinorder.com/peter-james/ |title=Peter James |publisher=Book Series in Order |date=22 August 1948 |access-date=10 September 2016}}</ref> * [[Andrew Kötting]], Artist film maker<ref>{{cite web |title=Andrew Kötting |url=https://art.tfl.gov.uk/artists/andrew-kotting/ |access-date=25 November 2021 |website=Art on the Underground |publisher=Transport for London}}</ref> * [[John Leckie]], record producer<ref>{{cite web |author=Mark Cunningham |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/people/john-leckie-true-brit |title=John Leckie: True Brit |type=interview |website=Sound on Sound |date=May 1997 |access-date=25 November 2021 }}</ref> * [[Anthony McCall]], artist<ref>{{cite web|title=This is Tomorrow|url=http://www.thisistomorrow.info/viewArticle.aspx?artId=710|work=Anthony McCall: VERTICAL WORKS| date=14 March 2011 }}</ref> * [[Stella McCartney]], fashion designer<ref name="rave-key"/><ref name="ind-shape"/> * [[Jasper Morrison]], product designer<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jasper Morrison {{!}} Timeline |url=https://jaspermorrison.com/timeline/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=jaspermorrison.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Intents & Purposes — A Conversation with Jasper Morrison |url=https://www.norseprojects.com/journal/a-conversation-with-jasper-morrison |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=www.norseprojects.com}}</ref> * [[Phil Mulloy]], film maker and animator * [[Bruce Oldfield]], fashion designer<ref name="ind-shape"/><ref>{{cite web|author=The FMD |url=http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/designers/bruce-oldfield/ |title=Bruce Oldfield – Fashion Designer | The FMD |website=Fashionmodeldirectory.com |date=14 July 1950 |access-date=10 September 2016}}</ref> * [[Chris Orr (artist)|Chris Orr]], artist<ref>{{cite web|author=Chris Orr RA |url=https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/artist/chris-orr-ra |title=Chris Orr |publisher=Royal Academy of Arts |access-date=10 September 2016}}</ref> * [[Jay Osgerby]], product and furniture designer<ref name="rave-key"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://designmuseum.org/designers/barber-and-osgerby |title=Barber and Osgerby |publisher=Design Museum |access-date=10 September 2016}}</ref> * [[Andi Osho]], comedian<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asff.co.uk/delegate/andi-osho/ |title=Andi Osho: Performer & Director |website=Aesthetica Short Film Festival |date=November 2021 |access-date=25 November 2021 }}</ref> * [[Tim Pope]], film director<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timpope.tv/pages/bio |title=Biography |website=TimPope.TV |access-date=25 November 2021 }}</ref> *[[Bruce Pennington]], artist *[[Carol Tulloch]], Professor of Dress, Diaspora and Transnationalism<ref>{{cite web |url=https://professorcaroltulloch.com/about.html |title=About |website=Professor Carol Tulloch.com}}</ref> *[[Gareth Unwin]], film producer<ref name="rave-key" /> * [[Alison Wilding]], sculptor<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/alison-wilding-2146 |title=Alison Wilding |work=Tate Etc. |date=10 December 2015 |access-date=10 September 2016 |archive-date=11 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311011221/http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/alison-wilding-2146 |url-status=dead }}</ref> * [[Clare Waight Keller]], fashion designer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/clare-waight-keller|title=Clare Waight Keller|date=7 March 2019|website=Business of Fashion|access-date=7 March 2019}}</ref> * [[Richard Howarth]], Vice President, Design at Apple.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-howarth-52a7482/ |title=Richard Howarth |website=LinkedIn |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref> * [[Daniel Eatock]], artist and designer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Built for Industry: Daniel Eatock |url=https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/people-and-stories/blog/built-industry/built-industry-daniel-eatock |access-date=6 October 2025 |website=Ravensbourne University London}}</ref>

==Notable faculty== * [[Jeremy Gardiner]] * [[Armin Medosch]]

==See also== * [[Armorial of UK universities]] * [[List of art universities and colleges in Europe]] * [[List of universities in the UK]] * [[Visual arts education]]

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * [http://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/ Higher Education website] * [http://www.ravesu.co.uk/ Students' Union website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ravensbourne}} [[Category:Ravensbourne University London| ]] [[Category:1962 establishments in England]] [[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1962]] [[Category:Art schools in England]] [[Category:Art schools in London]] [[Category:Education in the Royal Borough of Greenwich]] {{Coord |51|30|6|N|0|0|20|E|type:edu_region:GB-GRE|display=title}}