Established in 1907 by Royal Charter, merging the Royal College of Science, Royal School of Mines, and City and Guilds College, Imperial College London is now one of the best public research universities in the world. It focuses exclusively on science, technology, medicine and business. More than 59% of its students come from outside the UK, and 140 countries are represented on campus. Notable alumni, faculty and staff include 14 Nobel Prize winners, including Sir Alexander Fleming and Peter Higgs, and numerous promiment personalities. Imperial College London is also widely known to have been a critical contributor of the discovery of penicillin, the invention of fiber optics, and the development of holography. The university is ranked as the 8th best university in the world by QS World University Rankings and 11th by Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
