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Our milestones

Our milestones

Building on our rich history, we’re making strides to ensure an outstanding and inclusive learning and teaching environment for our students, colleagues, partners and global community.

Over the last few decades, we’ve made some important developments to improve the way we deliver a world-class education and student experience while enhancing our positive impact on society.



Royal Holloway undergoes a major campus redevelopment between 2002-2008 with an investment of £100 million to deliver new facilities for teaching and student living, including the Windsor Building, modern halls of residence and innovative spaces to eat and meet such as Imagine and The Hub.

In 2003, Community Action Volunteering, now Royal Holloway Volunteering, is formed to help students contribute to the local community and beyond, while gaining transferable life skills.


In 2010 comedian and Comic Relief founder, Sir Lenny Henry CBE, is awarded an MA in Screenwriting, and renowned alumnae sopranos Dame Felicity Lott, Susan Bullock and Sarah Fox perform at the University to mark the Silver Jubilee of Royal Holloway’s merger.

Royal Holloway hosts the Olympic Village for Rowing in 2012, while former Mathematics graduate, Sophie Christiansen OBE, becomes triple gold medalist at the London Paralympic Games. As a mark of her achievements, a golden postbox is built on campus. In the same year, our particle physicists contributed to the groundbreaking discovery of the Higgs Boson particle.

Royal Holloway’s Music department is awarded a Regius Professorship by Queen Elizabeth II to mark her Diamond Jubilee – one of only two in the last century. On 14 March 2014, students and colleagues warmly welcomed Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on campus to celebrate the prestigious honor.

In 2015, Royal Holloway launches the Magna Carta Doctoral Centre for Individual Freedom to examine issues of personal freedom in the digital age and mark its anniversary.

A state-of-the-art building opens named after alumna and Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison in 2017. Opened by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, Chancellor of the University of London, the striking building features a new library, student services centre, a careers and employability services area, study hubs and new events and exhibition spaces. 

Royal Holloway Volunteering receives The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK, later that year. 


In 2018 the Beatrice Shilling Building is opened by Professor Dame Ann Dowling, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering at Royal Holloway’s Egham campus. The landmark science building welcomes students to the university’s new Department of Electronic Engineering.


In 2022, Royal Holloway develops a world-leading research hub for air, land, and water-based drones, robotics, autonomous vehicles and a dedicated testing and training facility. The following year, the centre is opened to global research and commercial partners with uncapped potential for social purpose-led innovation.  

A new interdisciplinary Department of Health Studies is also launched to drive research and development (R&D) and innovation in public health and social wellbeing.

Building on the expertise of StoryFutures in creative R&D, applied technology and story, in 2013 Royal Holloway is chosen to support innovation in the UK’s creative industries to ensure it has the research infrastructure and skills to compete globally. Meanwhile, Royal Holloway Volunteering celebrates its 20th anniversary.

In 2024, Royal Holloway marks the 175th Anniversary of the founding of Bedford College with a series of events across its London and Surrey campuses.


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