King’s College London Invests £45.5M in Science and EdTech

Professor Rachel Mills, Senior Vice President (Academic) and Professor of Ocean Chemistry at King’s College London

King’s College London has announced an investment of £45.5 million into its science disciplines, including the funding of EdTech projects, aiming to revolutionise interdisciplinary science education and research. 

It says that the funding will enhance the core natural sciences of chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics, aiming to develop growth and innovation across the University.

With a long history of scientific achievements, including discovering the DNA structure and conducting the world's first human-to-human blood transfusion, King’s College is set to expand its role in science. It hopes the investment will not only bolster its science education offerings but also create new synergies across various disciplines. 

Professor Rachel Mills, Senior Vice President (Academic) and Professor of Ocean Chemistry at King’s College London, says: “King’s has been delivering groundbreaking science for almost two hundred years. Today, the world’s most pressing challenges demand science solutions that are not defined by traditional disciplines and that emerge from the intersection of current knowledge.”

“Through this multi-million-pound investment programme, King's will leverage its two century legacy – building on the exceptional work of our world class scientists – to power a new era of interdisciplinary science innovation that meet society’s ever changing needs.”

The University plans to stimulate new discoveries by appointing 64 new academic positions in core science disciplines and interdisciplinary interfaces. These appointments, along with teams supporting education, technical services, and research development, are aimed at strengthening King’s scientific excellence.

Additionally, King’s is launching interdisciplinary research centres in critical growth areas for the UK economy, including the Net Zero Centre and the Centre for the Physical Science of Life. These will connect academic specialities to address major societal challenges, such as sustainability and future healthcare.

Among the most notable initiatives is the plan to establish a new centre in Quantum Technologies, a field that stands at the forefront of modern science and technology. Quantum Technologies harness the unique properties of quantum physics - the fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the natural world at the smallest scales of energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles. 

King’s is introducing a Natural Sciences degree programme, welcoming its first cohort in September 2024. This undergraduate programme combines interdisciplinary scientific study with entrepreneurial training and professional development, preparing students for a wide range of careers.

The investment also includes the development of state-of-the-art laboratories and science teaching spaces across King’s central London campuses. 

Professor Mark French, Assistant Principal (Campus Futures), says: “This is an exciting time for science at King’s. We are driving forward an ambitious investment programme that will rapidly scale our science capabilities by strengthening our science education programmes, bolstering our research talent and transforming our facilities and infrastructure. This significant investment will deepen our academic excellence and propel innovation across scientific disciplines.”