Whilst we're pretty confident you'll have heard of our amazing proximity to central London, or our international connections, here are five things we bet you didn't know about Regent's.
1. Royal connections
We’re the only British university to be located in a Royal Park. Royal parks are those owned by the British monarchy, and were established in the mid-1800s. Back in the day, royals like King Henry VIII used the parks for hunting and other recreational activities, before they were gradually opened up to the public – with Regent’s being the first in 1845!
2. We co-designed the England Polo shirt
Alongside our fab, internationally competing polo team, Regent’s boasts another star sporting achievement: co-designing the England Polo team’s shirt. A couple of years ago, some of our MA Fashion Design students collaborated with luxury sporting brand Hurlingham 1875, to create the shirt, which made its debut at the Beaufort test match in Dublin.
Worn by both the men and women’s teams, the shirt featured a white base, red sleeves, and navy and red shards across the front and back. The design was specially picked from 29 other designs, before getting the thumbs up from England Polo team!
3. We have our very own beehives on campus!
Bee-lieve it or not, Regent’s has its very own beehives, capable of producing up to 15 kgs of honey a year (roughly equivalent to 15 jars!). The three hives house a few thousand bees each, and can be found beside the University’s Estates building. They've been installed to encourage biodiversity at Regent’s, while raising awareness of the crucial role bees play in supporting human survival.
4. Our industry links with world-renowned fashion brands
As part of our Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing programmes, we fully encourage students to get hands-on industry experience, from internships with luxury retailers, to collaborations with world-renowned brands.
We've hosted talks with Harrods Managing Director, Michael Ward, who spoke about the luxury experience at Harrods and the challenges of marketing to millennials. Some of our second year Fashion Design students collaborated on a design project with COS’ head of womenswear, as part of their degree.
5. Desmond Tutu is an Honorary Fellow
In 2016, Regent’s awarded Honorary Fellowships to Archbishop Desmond Tutu – one of South Africa’s most renowned civil rights activists – and his daughter, Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu van Furth, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to human rights.