Our History
The School of Advanced Study, founded by the University of London in August 1994 as a federation of nine of the University's research institutes in the humanities and social sciences, was officially opened on 15 March 1995.
Many of its institutes already functioned as centres of international excellence to facilitate advanced study in their respective fields for the benefit of the national and international scholarly communities as a whole.
The constituent institutes of the School range in age from the Institute of Historical Research (founded in 1921) to the Institute of Philosophy (founded in 2005).
School of Advanced Study Milestones
1994: Launch of the School
1995: The School is officially opened on 15 March 1995 by Sir Anthony Kenny
1997: Opening of the third floor of Senate House
2004-2005: The School celebrates its tenth anniversary
2004: Creation of the Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies and the Institute for the Study of the Americas
2005: Creation of the Institute of Musical Research and the Institute of Philosophy
2005-2009: Senate House and Stewart House Redevelopment Project
2006: The School undergoes its quinquennial Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) funding review, chaired by Sir Ivor Crewe
2007: The School announces the successful outcome of the HEFCE funding review
2008: The national mission of the School is redefined
2009: The School moves into new premises in Senate House
2012: The School undergoes its quinquennial Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) funding review, chaired by Professor Edward Acton
2013: The School announces the successful outcome of the HEFCE funding review; the Acton Report declared that public funding for the School would be continued at the current level on the basis of a rolling five-year grant
2013: The Institute for the Study of the Americas is closed and the Institute of Latin American Studies is established in its place. The Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies is renamed the Institute of Modern Languages Research
2015: The School celebrates the twentieth anniversary of its official opening
2018: Research England Council recommend a further five year tranche of special funding in view of the fact that the School provides clear value for money for Research England’s investment to facilitate and promote research in the arts, humanities and social sciences nationally.
The panel agreed that SAS provides a valuable national resource, facilitating research through the stewardship of unique collections, provision of specialist training for the next generation of researchers, promoting a number of emerging research fields and protecting some endangered ones.
2019: SAS develops new innovative five year strategy following major organisational restructure.
2021: SAS receives first ever extra funding from Research England to assist with taking strategy forward.
2021: IHR celebrates its centenary.
2022: Warburg Institute starts work on an exciting refurbishment project having raised over £5m in philanthropic donations.
2024: The School celebrates its 30th anniversary, and secures funding from Research England for the next five years.
