Northern Polytechnic Institution Northern Polytechnic

The origins of the Northern Polytechnic lie in the Charity Commissioners' scheme of the 1880s to develop a network of polytechnics modelled on the Regent Street Polytechnic (now part of the University of Westminster). The Northern Polytechnic Institution in Holloway, North London opened on 5 October 1896. Its mission was 'to promote the industrial skill, general knowledge, health and well-being of young men and women....(and)... the means of acquiring a sound General, Scientific, Technical and Commercial Education at small cost.' In the first year, a thousand students enrolled on courses ranging from English, mathematics and chemistry to machine construction, plumbing, dressmaking and millinery, mostly in evening classes. By 1900 the number of students had doubled, and by 1911 five-year evening degrees were available, recognised by the University of London. It changed its name to the Northern Polytechic c1931.
The Northern Polytechnic introduced polymer science courses at the turn of the 20th Century and developed an expertise in rubber technology. In 1948 the Northern Polytechnic was appointed as the National College of Rubber Technology, where it enjoyed a strong reputation for teaching and research. In 1982 the College merged with the Polytechnic of the South Bank's Polymer School to form the PNL (later UNL) School of Polymer Technology.
On 26 January1971, as more polytechnics were designated, it was decided that the Northern and North Western polytechnics should merge to form the Polytechnic of North London (PNL), which then had its degrees awarded by the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA). The PNL became the University of North London (UNL) in 1992, and in 2001 the UNL annonced that it would be merging with London Guildhall University to form London Metropolitan University.