The Water Conservation Trust has supported Birkbeck, University of London for several years, providing bursaries and awarding dissertation prizes to post graduate students. The Water Conservators’ Company along with other livery companies and leading figures in the City of London, were honoured to be invited to the inauguration of Baroness Chakrabarti as Birkbeck’s President. In addition to ceremonial roles she will represent and promote the University. She is a Member of the House of Lords, distinguished human rights lawyer and a great role model. We are very pleased to welcome her.
On 11 November 1823 Dr George Birkbeck spoke out of the importance of educating the working people of London and the London Mechanics’ Institute was founded a month later. It became Birkbeck College in 1866. ‘For the first time, artisans and craftspeople could learn about science, art and economics: a concept so controversial that Birkbeck was accused of “scattering the seeds of evil”‘. In 1830 women were admitted as students, nearly 40 years before Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
The Trust is keen to support Birkbeck especially its teaching and research on water and the environment. Birkbeck is renowned for its evening as well as daytime teaching, and has a high proportion of more mature students and those changing careers.
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