XClose

UCL London

Menu

UCL London Office Community Tea Party celebrates 200 years in London

30 April 2026

The UCL London Office Community Tea Party welcomed UCL colleagues, London partners and students to the Quad for a celebratory afternoon to mark UCL’s 200th anniversary, highlighting UCL’s strong connections across London.

Image of London red bus on the quad during the party

Celebrating community and partnership in the new quad 

On Wednesday 29 April, 2026, over 200 guests enjoyed afternoon tea, live music and dance performances from Students’ Union UCL societies, outdoor games, and showcases from UCL departments including UCL Computer Science, UCL Grand Challenges and London‑based partners including the Knowledge Quarter and Coram. The relaxed programme created opportunities for conversation, connection and collaboration, while highlighting the breadth of UCL activity in London, which was reflected in the iconic London red bus at the centre of the event.  

Dr Michael Spence, President & Provost of UCL, who spoke at the event said: “As we celebrate 200 years of UCL, events like the UCL London Office Community Tea Party remind us that our strength lies not only in world‑leading research and education, but in the relationships we build with our communities and the importance of our place here in London. It was a pleasure to see colleagues, students and partners sharing in the newly remodelled quad the Quad and celebrating UCL’s role at the heart of London.” 

UCL Salsa Society performs at UCL London Office Community Tea Party

Opening up the newly remodelled Quad to our London partners 

The event was also an opportunity for students from the local area to experience the wider UCL community and campus environment. The UCL Academy, a strategic partner of the UCL London Office, brought 15 students to attend the day. Andrea Pomphrey, Principal of The UCL Academy said: “Bringing our students to the UCL London Community Tea Party gave them a real sense of being part of the wider UCL community. Experiencing the atmosphere in the Quad, meeting staff and partners, and seeing UCL’s history and values brought to life made it a genuinely memorable afternoon for them.” 

The UCL London Office Community Tea Party reflected UCL’s ongoing commitment to openness, collaboration and engagement with our neighbours in our locality, as well as the valued relationships between the university, its students, colleagues and London partners.  

Live Music Performance Society

UCL’s impact in London through our strategic partnerships 

The UCL London Office plays a central role in strengthening the university’s engagement with the capital. The team manages 12 key strategic partnerships, working closely with local boroughs including Camden, Newham and Islington, as well as business and innovation networks such as British Land, BusinessLDN and the Knowledge Quarter. Through this work, the London Office helps connect UCL’s research, education and mission with London’s communities, institutions and industries, supporting collaboration and shared impact across the city. 

Professor Alan Thompson, Pro-Provost (London) and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Brain Sciences, said: “The London Office is deeply committed to building and sustaining mututally-beneficial partnerships across the capital, ensuring that UCL is genuinely connected to the life of London. Our staff and students continually deliver impact beyond the campus, making a meaningful difference to communities in Bloomsbury, Stratford and across the city. The afternoon tea was a wonderful celebration of UCL’s work in London over the past 200 years, and an opportunity to look ahead as we continue to grow and strengthen our partnerships in the years to come.” 

Dr Michael Spence, Prof Dame Hazel Genn and Prof Alan Thompson

Thank you to the London Office strategic partners for their support of the event and Stagecoach for their generous help in getting the London red bus onto the Quad. Thank you also to the many UCL departments who helped make the event so memorable including UCL Estates, UCL Security, UCL Logistics, UCL PEARL, UCL Computer Science, UCL Grand Challenges and Students' Union UCL teams.  

Image of London red bus on the quad during the party

Links

Images

  • Iconic London red bus visits the quad for the UCL London Office Community Tea Party
  • UCL Salsa Society performs in front of the London red bus on the Quad
  • Live Music Performance Society performs on the stage during the event
  • Dr Michael Spence, President & Provost of UCL, Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Pro-Provost (Bicentennial), and Professor Alan Thompson, Pro-Provost (London) stand at the entrance of the London red bus
  • Professor Alan Thompson, Pro-Provost (London), speaks from the stage in front of a London red bus in the newly remodelled quad as part of the even