WELCOME LONDON EDUCATION
Epitome Of Our Times And The Rome Of Today
This quote by Emerson beautifully captures the vibrancy, diversity and clout of London. It is one of the world's most important financial, business, educational and cultural centres, with an unmatched contribution in the fields of politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts. Hence London proudly wears the title of “global city.”London, the capital of the United Kingdom, has a recorded history that dates over 2000 years back to its founding by the Romans, who had then named it Londinium. Since its foundation, London has been an integral part of many movements throughout history, including the English Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution & the Gothic Revival. It is a true melting pot of cultures. A recent survey of London's ethnic and religious diversity revealed that there are over 300 languages spoken and more than 50 non-indigenous communities in London. The city offers a great variety of cuisine as a result of its ethnically diverse population. Other than cultural tolerance, it is one of the most handicapped-sensitive cities in the world. London has the most extensive wheelchair-accessible transport network and there is a system of audio-visual announcements for the deaf.
Home to numerous universities, colleges and schools, London has a student population of about 378,000 and is a popular destination for education & research. University of London, Imperial College-London and University College-London are counted among the top 10 universities in the world. The London School of Economics has created a niche in social sciences education. London is also known globally for its business education, with the London Business School ranked 1st in Europe and Cass Business School named as the top finance school. The city also houses three international universities - Schiller International University, Richmond University and Regent's College.
Besides being an educational hub, London is a major centre for international business & commerce. This offers a wonderful dual opportunity to students of earning while learning. Central London is the headquarters of more than half of the UK's top 100 listed companies and over 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies. London has the 6th largest city economy in the world & generates approximately 20% of the UK's GDP. Over 85% of London's employed population works in service industries.
Manufacturing, construction, banking, & media companies are other major employers. Tourism is one of London's prime industries and employs the equivalent of 350,000 full-time workers to cater to an estimated 27 million overnight-stay visitors ever year. One of the charming features of London is its temperate marine climate. The city rarely faces extremely high or low temperatures, but has regular, light precipitation throughout the year. Snow is relatively uncommon; however some snow is usually seen up to a few times a year.
The famous author, Samuel Johnson once remarked “By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show.” Truly, London is a vibrant kaleidoscope of sights and sounds that are mesmerising and unforgettable. From parks such as Hyde, Kensington, Royal & Regent to galleries & museums such as Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, National Gallery & Tate Modern; from Piccadilly Circus with its giant electronic advertisements; to statues of famous personalities at Madame Tussaud's Wax museum or the performances at the Royal Opera House - the choice is endless. The most important landmarks to visit are the Buckingham Palace, Change of Guards, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, London Zoo and the most famous London Eye. London is home to the first and original Hard Rock Café and has numerous renowned venues for rock and pop concerts such as Earls Court, Wembley Arena and O2 Arena
London is a shopping magnet and a sports haven. At Oxford Street, Europe's busiest shopping area, among others, stands the famous Harrods Department Store. London is one of the four fashion capitals of the world and is home to famous designers such as Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Stella McCartney and Jimmy Choo. Sports are at the heart of London's identity. Football, rugby and cricket are immensely popular here. Famous premier league clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea & Fulham are based in London. The city is synonymous with Wimbledon and the London Marathon. It is the proposed venue for the 2012 Olympics.
London's transport system is very well organized and commuter-friendly. Its public transport network is one of the most extensive in the world. The main attraction is the London Underground (popularly called The Tube) which has eleven interconnecting lines. It is the oldest, longest, and most expansive metro system in the world, dating back to 1863. London's bus network, one of the largest in the world, runs 24 hours a day, with 8,000 buses, 700 bus routes, and over 6 million passenger journeys every weekday. The distinctive red double-decker buses are internationally recognised, and are a trademark of London transport. Boats, trams and the popular black taxi cabs are other convenient choices of inner-city transport.
Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic and the air space is the busiest of any city in the world, serving over 180 destinations in more than 90 countries
To get to central London from Heathrow there are three rail options:
Heathrow Express: Trains run non-stop every 15 minutes between London Paddington and Heathrow. Journey time is 15 minutes from Terminals 1, 2 or 3, or 21 minutes from Terminal 5.
Heathrow Connect: Half-hourly stopping services run between Paddington and Heathrow. The journey takes 26 minutes from Terminals 1, 2 and 3, a few minutes more from Terminal 4.
London Underground: Piccadilly Line trains run between Heathrow and central London. The journey takes less than an hour.
