Mission and vision
The mission of Kingston University is to:
- promote participation in higher education, which it regards as a democratic entitlement;
- strive for excellence in learning, teaching and research;
- realise the creative potential and fire the imagination of all its members; and
- equip its students to make effective contributions to society and the economy.
Although this statement was first made about 10 years ago, it continues to sum up the University’s key aspirations – widening participation, excellence in teaching and research, and enabling graduates to pursue successful careers as well as being active citizens.
To realise this ambition, Kingston has developed as a comprehensive university – with a wide range of subjects taught at all levels, and with a diverse student body. We are as proud of our past as a polytechnic, from which our enduring commitments to widening participation and vocational preparation/professional formation are derived, as we are ambitious for our future as a university with a growing research reputation and international presence.
Kingston has also developed as a civic university, working closely with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the wider community (notably in terms of economic development, sustainability, cultural strategy and civic engagement) and with local schools and colleges. Our geographical position enlarges this civic role. As the only large multi-faculty university in south-west London, we continue to play a central role in the provision of higher education in a sub-region with a population of 1.5 million, larger than any city outside the capital.
