The event celebrated an important partnership between the institutions and the impact made on the local community
Date: 2 October 2026
London Metropolitan University and Islington Council recently celebrated their long-standing and growing partnership with a celebration event at Islington Town Hall.
It included an exhibition which showcased many of the projects between the two organisations which are designed to improve the lives of local residents.
Held on 22 September, the event began with opening remarks and reflections from senior leaders at both institutions and was followed by networking.
Professor Julie Hall, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of London Metropolitan University, addressed attendees at the event and said:
“Over the last five to six years, our relationship with the Council has developed into one of the most important partnerships for London Met.
“What began as collaboration on individual projects has become a genuine strategic partnership, built on trust, shared values and a shared commitment to creating opportunity for local people.
“As a civic university, we believe our role extends far beyond our campus on Holloway Road. Islington is not simply where London Met is based, it's our home. That’s why this partnership matters so much to me and to all of us.”
As one of London’s vital civic institutions, located in the heart of Islington, London Met has a strong emphasis on civic and community engagement.
The University is a founding member of the Borough of Islington’s Anchor Institution Network - an association of major employers and key organisations dedicated to boosting the local economy and helping to create a more equal borough.
Through the University’s Centre for Applied Research in Empowering Society (CARES), the centre’s director Dr Torange Khonsari worked with 30 students from the Architectural Association (AA) to propose and deliver creative and cultural projects in the borough.
One of these projects, highlighted in the exhibition, was the Archway Creative Enterprise Zone academic partnership. This partnership enabled the mapping of potential spaces in the area for creatives and developed feasibility studies on three of those spaces.
These studies opened possibilities and some have evolved into projects which can provide the foundations for future bids.
This includes the creation of the first Affordable Workspace in the north of the borough, which has seen the development of a creative tech hub at Archway Library.
Also speaking at the celebratory event, Victoria Lawson, Chief Executive of Islington Council, said:
“It is a pleasure to see so many people here today as we celebrate a partnership that has delivered real benefits for our communities, our economy and our residents: the partnership between Islington Council and London Metropolitan University.
“At its heart, this partnership is about connecting knowledge, research and opportunity with the needs and aspirations of local people. It is about ensuring that economic growth is inclusive, that opportunities are accessible and that residents can benefit from the resources and expertise that exist within our borough.
“The work on display tonight illustrates just how broad and impactful this relationship has become.”
On the important partnership, Sophie Cloutterbuck, Director of London Engagement at the University, said:
“There are some really interesting projects on display at today’s exhibition, and we are proud of the impact each project has made on the lives of residents in Islington. But this isn’t the end, this is only the beginning of an important partnership.
“Our new commitment to London is looking more at ‘place’, and we have our biggest site here in Islington, so we will be focussing a lot of our work in this area. We look forward to continuing to invest in this borough, listen to its residents and show up as a partner to build a more inclusive, fair future.”
Councillor James Potts, Archway Ward Councillor and Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Planning, said:
“The university shares many of our ambitions: creating opportunities, supporting social mobility, promoting inclusion and ensuring that local people benefit from economic growth.
“The Creative Enterprise Zone is an excellent example of how those shared goals translate into action.
“Through the Zone, we have supported residents to develop new skills through creative bootcamps, gain paid work experience through internships, explore self-employment and access opportunities within the creative industries.”
