Imperial College London – with its new home in the White City Innovation District – has been ranked the top university in the UK and Europe. This means the university has leapfrogged Oxford and Cambridge for the first time.
Overall, the annual QS World University Rankings elevated Imperial College London from sixth to second place, just behind the USA's Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"It's testament to the quality and commitment of our entire community," said a delighted Prof Hugh Brady, Imperial's President. "It's inspiring to see our students, staff and partners come together every day to interrogate the forces that shape our world and address the challenges facing humanity and our planet."
In 2017, Hammersmith & Fulham Council launched its partnership with the College to boost local bio-tech, digital and creative businesses. Our pioneering Industrial Strategy partnership is boosting enterprise, innovation, skills and infrastructure locally to create economic growth and innovation.
New understanding
Imperial's Provost, Prof Ian Walmsley, pointed to the White City research campus as evidence of the university "driving new understanding and new applications across health, science, engineering and business" and focusing on "discovering more about the world, innovating to benefit people everywhere, and educating the next generation of leaders".
Although Imperial has regularly figured in the QS survey's top 10 and The Times annual top 10 list, this is its highest ever rating. Last year, the Guardian University Guide named it University of the Year.
The ratings measure research performance, employability scores and sustainability. Oxford came third and Cambridge fifth in the assessment of 1,500 universities.
The QS accolade comes after Imperial College won the BBC's University Challenge in April for the fifth time.
White City campus
Princess Anne recently opened Imperial's new £120m eight-storey Laboratory of Medical Science on the White City campus, met members of the Young Hammersmith and Fulham Foundation charity and heard how the new lab will involve the community in projects researching genes, the environment and heart diseases.
Part of Imperial's mission in the north of the borough is to involve residents in medical research projects.
Imperial's White City campus covers 23 acres. The new laboratory is home to 400 scientists researching genes, the environment, and heart and metabolic diseases.
Its leader, Prof Wiebke Arlt, uses a new approach called "team science" in which different specialists work side by side, with input from the public and patients, and a role for the wider community of Wormwood Scrubs, with events to join and public lectures to share the knowledge around.
H&F Council is also working with the university to give local business leaders expert advice, facilitate learning and development, and extend networking opportunities through its Upstream partnership.
The Young Hammersmith and Fulham Foundation is free to join, and supports voluntary organisations in H&F, to increase partnerships and create opportunities for young people.
Imperial College London's campus in White City covers 23 acres
