The University of London (UOL) is a world renowned institution of learning, research and scholarship. It is unique in that it is structured on the basis of a federation which includes 19 colleges and a number of specialist institutes. Specialized colleges such as the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) and multi-faculty institutes which include University College London and King's College London are internationally recognized and respected.

To provide for the needs of people who could not do programmes on-campus in London, the University of London established the External System to offer a range of flexible external programmes in 1858. Under this system students could choose to study full-time or at their own pace.

The University of London prides itself on being an international institution by offering a range of degree programmes to students world-wide through its External System for some 150 years. Today, more than 40,000 students are studying UOL programmes in over 180 countries, while the University itself runs more than 100 programmes to meet the needs of students studying on-campus in London.

The University continues to maintain its robust academic standards through a series of quality assurance mechanisms. Equal standards are maintained for students studying on-campus or under the External System in and outside the United Kingdom. All study materials, examination papers, and marking of scripts for on-campus and External System students are compiled, prepared and done by UOL academics. This is to ensure that the University's reputation for academic rigour and its qualifications are highly respected by employers throughout the world. All graduates are awarded a University of London degree or diploma upon completion of their course.

Like its federal main institution the University of London, the London School of Economics is the United Kingdom's world-leading institution for the social sciences. Notable for its academic excellence, innovative teaching and research, the LSE is globally associated with the benchmark of quality.

The LSE offers degree programmes that cover a broad range of areas. A unique feature of LSE has been its strong emphasis on key world issues which impact the general well-being of people, societies and the world. Major research and expertise areas of LSE academics include globalization, new information technologies, corporate management, patterns of governance, and ecological policies.

Another key feature of LSE has been the great diversity of its academics who come from all corners of the globe. They bring with them a rich collection of cultural, ethnic and social experiences. Many of these academics feature prominently in the United Kingdom and international media, assuming vital roles as commentators, analysts, government advisors, or as seconded consultants and specialists to many British and international organisations.
Finally, but no less unique to the making of LSE's benchmark of academic quality and honours, the LSE is proud of its ability to constantly extend the list of distinguished personalities among its alumni and former staff, including 13 Nobel Prize winners and 30 heads of state.