Following the inauguration of University Square Stratford in September 2013, the University of East London (UEL) is a public university in the London Borough of Newham, London, England, with three campuses in Stratford and Docklands. The institution's founding dates back to 1892. In 1992, it was given university status. More than 28,000 students from 120 different countries attend. UEL's founding dates back to 1892, when the newly founded County Borough of West Ham made the decision to found a technical college to serve the neighborhood. Speaking at the building's dedication, John Passmore Edwards described the institute as a "people's university." The institution built its own internal degree programs in science and engineering, which were approved by the University of London, as well as courses in science, engineering, and art. There was also a Women's Department there. Walthamstow and Dagenham were the sites of two new colleges established by Essex County Council in response to the rising demand for technical education during the 1930s and 1940s. The North East London Polytechnic was established in 1970 as a result of the merging of these three colleges (West Ham, Walthamstow, and Dagenham). Buildings like the 1982-built Arthur Edwards building on the Stratford campus modernized and revitalized campuses. The North East London Polytechnic changed its name to the Polytechnic of East London in 1989 after converting to a higher education facility in 1988.