About Us

Our History

Imperial College Union was formed in 1907 as the representative body for students of Imperial College London. We are based in our purpose built Union Building in the Beit Quadrangle next to the Royal Albert Hall. 

A Brief Timeline
 
  • 1907 - Formation of Imperial College of Science and Technology incorporating Royal School of Mines, Royal College of Science and City and Guilds College
  • 1907 - Imperial College Union formed as a federation of the 3 College Unions
  • 1911 - The Union building in South Kensington is constructed
  • 1922 - Founder member of NUS (leaves for the first time in 1923)
  • 1949 - Felix is founded
  • 1969 - First directly elected sabbatical President
  • 1984 - The Union starts catering operation
  • 1985 - The Union Starts running own bars
  • 1987 - First professional welfare advisor at the Union
  • 1988 - Imperial College School of Medicine is established at St. Mary’s
  • 1996 - Union Council is made the supreme governing body
  • 1997 - Union stops running bookshop on campus
  • 1997 - First medical student to be elected President (Andrew Heeps)
  • 1998 - First Deputy President (Education & Welfare) Sabbatical
  • 1998 - Imperial College School of Medicine merges with Charing Cross and Royal Postgraduate Medical schools
  • 2000 - Merger with Wye College and Kennedy Institute
  • 2001 - Sir Richard Sykes appointed Rector of Imperial College
  • 2003 - College adopts Faculty structure in place of constituent Colleges.
  • 2004 - College rebrands as "Imperial College London"
  • 2005 - Union Building Redevelopment - Project starts
  • 2005 - First Deputy President (Graduate Students) at the Union
  • 2006 - Union Building Redevelopment - Construction work starts
  • 2007 - Imperial College Centenary
  • 2007 - The Union rejoins the NUS (again)
  • 2007 - Imperial College leaves the University of London
  • 2008 - The Union leaves the NUS
  • 2009 - Second phase of the Union Building Redevelopment completed adding a new Student Activities Centre and Union Offices
  • 2010 - Third phase of the Union Building Redevelopment completed with a new nightclub, Metric and bar, FiveSixEight
  • 2012 - Imperial College Union achieves the highest turnout in England and Wales for a Students' Union election
  • 2013 - New Constitution and Bye-Laws passed
  • 2013 - Once again achieves the highest turnout in England and Wales for a Students' Union election
  • 2013 - Registered as a Charity #1151241
  • 2013 - New meeting rooms completed on the first floor and third floor of the Union Building