The University of Greenwich is launching a landmark campaign to reimagine Devonport House as the new home for Greenwich Business School. With £75 million already committed and a £25 million philanthropic goal, the campaign will create a place where students from every background can develop the skills, confidence and connections to thrive — and where business and education come together to shape a fairer future.
Philanthropic investment will not only transform a historic site but also directly change lives; every gift will translate into new scholarships, enriched learning environments and opportunities for students who might otherwise be left behind.
Located on the University's historic UNESCO World Heritage Site campus, the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Devonport House will create a new home for Greenwich Business School, a cutting-edge hub where students, academics, entrepreneurs and industry leaders come together to tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Just minutes from Canary Wharf — one of Europe’s leading financial and digital innovation districts — Devonport House will place students at the heart of a global business ecosystem, opening powerful networks and real-world pathways into industry.
At the University of Greenwich, we do not stop thinking about tomorrow. Professor Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Greenwich, said: "This is a pivotal moment for Greenwich. Devonport House will become a vibrant centre of ideas, innovation and opportunity, buzzing with students, businesses and entrepreneurs and reflecting the remarkable diversity of our community. This campaign invites our supporters, alumni and partners to join us as we shape business education for a new generation of digitally native, ethically minded and future focused graduates."
The launch of the Devonport House Campaign advances the University’s Strategy 2030, bringing its long-term vision to life through bold investment in people, places and innovation. It reflects the University’s ambition to be a modern university of choice, recognised for inclusive education, world leading knowledge creation and transformational partnerships. The campaign will accelerate progress across the three core pillars of Strategy 2030: Student Success, Research and Knowledge Exchange, and Partnership. It will focus philanthropic investment and volunteer support where they can create the greatest impact for students, researchers and the wider community.
A university built on social mobility
For over 130 years, the University of Greenwich has been defined by a single purpose: removing barriers to education and unlocking human potential
In 1890, we became the second polytechnic college in the country, opening access to education and skilled employment for the local community.
In 2026, nearly 40 per cent of our students work more than 20 hours a week to fund their studies. One in five works over 40 hours. Almost a third have less than £50 of disposable income each month. Many are the first in their families to go to university.
These are not statistics to skim past. They describe the daily reality for thousands of talented, determined young people — people who arrive at Greenwich with ambition and ability in abundance, but not always equal access to opportunity.
Nearly 60 per cent of students from ethnically diverse backgrounds, over half joining through non-traditional routes such as BTECs, Access courses and Foundation years, and with one of the largest care-leaver population of any English university, Greenwich remains one of the most socially diverse higher education institutions in the country.
Today the university continues to champion access, aspiration and excellence, but what if we could go further?
Introducing a business school without walls
Greenwich Business School is one of the largest in London, with over 7,000 students from more than 140 countries studying across 50 programmes. Devonport House will give it a visible, dedicated home — and a fundamentally new way of operating.
The concept is simple: a porous campus where business meets education. Students will collaborate with industry partners on live projects, access real-world simulation environments, and build portfolios of professional experience throughout their degree, not just during a single placement year. Greenwich was an early champion of the year in industry, adopting sandwich placements as far back as the 1930s. Devonport House continues that pioneering tradition.
For employers, the model offers a direct pipeline to diverse, digitally capable talent. For students, it means the networks, skills and confidence to compete on equal terms in the graduate market.
Building for the future: heritage, sustainability and innovation
Designed in the 1920s by Sir Edwin Cooper, Devonport House will be sensitively restored and extended by Stride Treglown with Purcell. The project includes a three-storey extension, restoration of historic interiors, non-fossil-fuel energy systems and a BREEAM Excellent sustainability target, supporting the university’s commitment to net zero by 2030.
Planning permission was granted in March 2025, with support from major heritage, civic and cultural stakeholders. This is an investment in both heritage and future purpose: preserving an important historic building while transforming it for education, enterprise and public benefit.
How to get involved
The Devonport House Campaign offers many meaningful ways to make a difference, at every level of involvement.
Give
Name a major space within the new Greenwich Business School. Endow a Chair to advance academic excellence in AI, responsible business or digital transformation. Fund scholarships and bursaries that remove financial barriers for students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Support the development of next-generation learning environments.
Mentor
Join the university’s career mentoring programme, connecting students from underrepresented backgrounds with professionals who can help them navigate the job market, elevate their ambitions and build lasting networks.
Partner
Offer placements, live project briefs or guaranteed interview opportunities to students from target groups. Sponsor interview support packages that cover travel, professional clothing and workspace for final-year students facing financial barriers to pursuing graduate roles.
Volunteer
Guest-lecture, sit on advisory boards, participate in the annual jobs fair, or support the Postgraduate Task Force, which is working to raise the profile of postgraduate study for Asian students and those from the most deprived areas.
“This is one of the most significant philanthropic moments in our history. Our supporters have the opportunity to shape the future of business education, empower diverse young people and create a legacy that lasts for generations.”
— Paulo Moreira Gomes, Head of Alumni and Fundraising
Your gift, your legacy
The University of Greenwich was founded through philanthropy, driven by a belief that education is a force for social mobility and economic progress. That founding spirit lives on in every student who arrives on campus against the odds and leaves ready to change the world.