Boroughs and Local Government

As outlined in the London Framework, UCL is committed to being an a good neighbour and making an impact locally. Our Borough partnerships are core to this commitment.

The London Borough of Camden and UCL have strategic objectives that align in many areas. Both have long-term strategies that reference the other (Camden 2025 and UCL 2034 respectively). However, the relationship between Camden and UCL is more than this. We share the same space, roads, green spaces, air and in many cases buildings. Many UCL students and staff live in Camden and residents of Camden are employed by UCL. The challenges and opportunities for Camden are, in many instances, challenges and opportunities for UCL and how and when Camden develops over the next ten to twenty years is critical to the success of UCL. Collaboration examples include:

• Many varied and impactful Council Student Placements and Projects
• Institute for Global Prosperity and London Borough Camden: Citizen Science Academy. 
• UCL SU Student Volunteering: UCL Students contribute to fantastic causes across the borough including a project supporting Camden charity Hopscotch and their work with Afghan refugees.

How to get involved 
For UCL community members interested in connecting with Camden, please contact Sarah Beech - s.beech [at] ucl.ac.uk
 
Islington Council
Islington Council and UCL have an ambitious shared vision. We're determined to make Islington fairer; to create a place where everyone, whatever their background, has the opportunity to reach their potential and enjoy a good quality of life. UCL established our memorandum of understanding with Islington in November 2023.

Building on the Islington Together 2030 vision, our memorandum of understanding outlines the following key areas of collaboration:  

• Investing and supporting local jobs and businesses 
• Working together to create a cleaner, greener, healthier borough 
• Ensuring communities are safe, connected and inclusive 
• Ensuring children and young people have the best start in life 
• Creating affordable and secure homes for all 

We are proud to collaborate on multiple different activities, which include:

• UCL researchers collaborate with Islington Borough Council on the retrofitting of social housing  

• Supporting youth mental health through the EMPOWER project, led by Dr Keri Wong with Islington Youth Progression 

How to get involved 
For UCL community members interested in connecting with Islington, please contact Annie Aldham - annie.aldham [at] ucl.ac.uk

Newham Council 
UCL and Newham Council work in partnership to develop meaningful opportunities for residents, businesses and communities through place based collaboration, strategic planning and supporting innovation. UCL has been working closely with Newham since the 2012 London Olympics and through planning the development of the East Bank. The UCL East campus is now open on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and both UCL and Newham continue to share a commitment to the success of it’s the Olympic legacy in Newham and East London. 

Together UCL and Newham Council are committed to delivering a programme dedicated to building a Fairer Newham and seek to ensure the borough is a place that empowers its residents to be healthy and happy, to live well and to thrive through shared priorities:  

• Health, wellbeing and happiness. 
• Tackling economic and racial inequalities through community wealth building and embedding an inclusive economy.
• Generating opportunities for our residents to gain skills for life and access the jobs of the future, for example in the emerging data economy.
• Making Newham the best place in the world for young people to grow up. 
• Tackling the climate emergency. 
• Becoming a beacon of participatory democracy. 

Examples of our partnership projects include:

• UCL Integrated Legal Advice Clinic (UCL iLAC) – Free legal advice and representation on social welfare issues for members of East London 
• Institute of Global Prosperity – published a report with Newham Council to project the creation of 5500 ‘open data’ jobs in the borough by 2035. 

How to get involved 
For UCL community members interested in connecting with Newham, please contact Simon Magness - s.magness [at] ucl.ac.uk

City of London Corporation 
The City of London Corporation is the municipal governing body of the City of London, committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the district as a world-leading financial center and ensuring its contribution to a diverse and sustainable London. Examples of our collaboration include:

• Dr. Michael Spence, President & Provost of UCL, served on the Senior Advisory Group for the ‘Financing for growth: A roadmap’ project at the City of London Corporation. This project aimed to reinforce and renew the UK’s role as a global financial center, focusing on sustainable finance, financial services technology innovation, efficient markets, and international trade policies.
• Vincent Keaveny CBE served as Lord Mayor of the City of London in 2021/22 and was a key link for UCL at the City. He was awarded a UCL Honorary Fellowship in May 2024. 

How to get involved 
For UCL community members interested in connecting with the City of London, please contact Amy Lightstone - a.lightstone [at] ucl.ac.uk

Greater London Authority
UCL has strong links to the Greater London Authority, the democratically elected body for London overseen by the Mayor of London. UCL is also connected to the GLA via the London Research and Policy Partnership (LRaPP), which aims to build long-term partnerships between academic researchers and policymakers, sharing knowledge and skills to tackle some of the capital’s biggest challenges.

How to get involved 
For UCL community members interested in connecting with the GLA, please contact Amy Lightstone - a.lightstone [at] ucl.ac.uk