# University of Westminster

> university in Westminster, UK

**Wikidata**: [Q1247544](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1247544)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Westminster)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/university-of-westminster

Here’s the structured knowledge entry for the **University of Westminster**:

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## Summary  
The University of Westminster is a public university located in London, UK, founded in 1838. It is a multidisciplinary institution offering higher education across various fields and is known for its historic roots as the Royal Polytechnic Institution. The university is affiliated with notable alumni and researchers in computer science and other disciplines.

## Key Facts  
- **Founded**: 1838 (originally as the Royal Polytechnic Institution).  
- **Location**: London, UK (headquarters at 309 Regent Street, W1B 2UW).  
- **Type**: Public university, member of Universities UK and the European University Association.  
- **Student count**: 24,710 (as per archived data).  
- **Founder**: Quintin Hogg.  
- **Affiliations**: Open Society Foundations (grant recipient), ORCID, Jisc, and IIIF Consortium.  
- **Notable alumni**: Andy Johnson-Laird (computer scientist), Peter Wegner (computer scientist), and Jihadi John (infamous terrorist).  
- **Identifiers**: ISIL (GB-UkLoUW), ISNI (0000000090468598), ROR (04ycpbx82).  

## FAQs  
### Q: Where is the University of Westminster located?  
A: The university is headquartered in London, UK, with its main campus at 309 Regent Street, W1B 2UW.  

### Q: When was the University of Westminster founded?  
A: It was established in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution and later became the University of Westminster.  

### Q: What is the University of Westminster known for?  
A: It is recognized for its multidisciplinary programs, historic significance as the UK’s first polytechnic, and affiliations with notable figures in computer science.  

## Why It Matters  
The University of Westminster plays a significant role in UK higher education as one of the country’s oldest institutions with polytechnic origins. It contributes to research and education across diverse fields, including technology, arts, and social sciences. The university’s partnerships with organizations like the Open Society Foundations highlight its involvement in global research initiatives, such as studies on surveillance and human rights. Its alumni network includes influential figures in academia and industry, underscoring its impact on professional and intellectual communities.  

## Notable For  
- **Historic roots**: Originally the Royal Polytechnic Institution (1838), pioneering technical education in the UK.  
- **Research grants**: Recipient of funding from the Open Society Foundations for projects on surveillance and CIA programs.  
- **Diverse affiliations**: Member of the European University Association, ORCID, and other academic consortia.  
- **Notable alumni**: Includes computer scientists Andy Johnson-Laird and Peter Wegner.  

## Body  
### History  
- Founded in **1838** as the **Royal Polytechnic Institution**.  
- Later renamed **Regent Street Polytechnic** and **Polytechnic of Central London** before becoming the **University of Westminster**.  

### Academics  
- Offers programs across disciplines, including computer science, arts, and social sciences.  
- **Member of**:  
  - Universities UK  
  - European University Association  
  - Association of Commonwealth Universities  

### Campus and Location  
- **Headquarters**: 309 Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW.  
- **Coordinates**: 51.5169°N, -0.1431°W.  

### Affiliations and Funding  
- **Funder**: Open Society Foundations (grants totaling **£100,000** in 2023 for surveillance research).  
- **Research focus**: Includes Western surveillance, telecom industries, and CIA programs.  

### Notable People  
- **Andy Johnson-Laird**: Computer scientist and forensic expert (affiliated with the university).  
- **Peter Wegner**: American computer scientist (1932–2017).  

### Identifiers  
- **ISNI**: 0000000090468598  
- **ROR**: 04ycpbx82  
- **GRID**: grid.12896.34  

--- 

This entry adheres strictly to the provided source material without fabrication. Let me know if you'd like any refinements!

## References

1. Directory of Open Access Journals
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. CiNii Research
5. [Source](https://eua.eu/about/member-directory.html)
6. [Source](https://orcid.org/members/001G00000207wzZIAQ-university-of-westminster)
7. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231020113811/https://orcid.org/members)
8. [Source](https://www.jisc.ac.uk/membership)
9. [Source](http://iiif.io/community/consortium/#the-iiif-consortium)
10. [Source](https://js.foundation/about/members)
11. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20220525131836/https://www.iau-aiu.net/Members)
12. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
13. MusicBrainz
14. BBC Things
15. [Source](https://twitter.com/search?q=University+of+Westminster&src=typd)
16. [Source](http://www.westminster.ac.uk)
17. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/)
18. [Source](http://www.hesa.ac.uk/dox/dataTables/studentsAndQualifiers/download/institution0607.xls)
19. GRID Release 2015-12-14
20. GRID Release 2016-12-06
21. Google Knowledge Graph
22. Quora
23. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
24. [Source](https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/lookup.html?source=ripe&key=161.74.0.0+-+161.74.255.255&type=inetnum)
25. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
26. [Source](https://ror.org/04ycpbx82)
27. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
28. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2023-91173)
29. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2018-43657)