The University College of Estate Management is to rebrand as the University of the Built Environment from next month, following a consultation by the Office for Students (OfS).
The new title will formally come into effect in June 2025, marking the culmination of a process launched in July 2024 when UCEM applied for permission to use the protected term “university” in its name.
In its approval statement, the OfS said it had received 81 responses to the consultation, with some raising concerns that the new name might cause confusion with academic departments elsewhere or diminish the legacy of the UCEM brand.
However, the regulator said the risk of confusion was low due to the inclusion of “University of” in the name and the provider’s communication strategy during the transition.
Founded in 1919 as the College of Estate Management, the institution, based in Reading, was granted university college status in 2016.
It delivers online education to students worldwide, with an outpost in Hong Kong. Approval from Hong Kong’s accreditation council is still pending for the simultaneous launch of the new name there.
Vice chancellor Ashley Wheaton said the change followed “lengthy research with students, staff, employers and alumni”, and would align the institution’s identity with its mission to be the leading specialist provider of built environment education.
“We are the only specialist university focused entirely on the built environment,” he said.
“This name change will build on our legacy and align our name with the work we do and the value we bring to the sector.”
The rebranding reflects a strategic shift by the institution to broaden its course portfolio across the built environment sector, going beyond its traditional estate management roots.
Chair of the board Peter McCrea said the new name better reflected the scope and scale of the institution’s provision and acknowledged “many years of planning and deliberation”.
UCEM said the transition will be managed in phases, with a focus on clear communication to stakeholders throughout the rebranding process.
Sources: UCEM press release and Office for Students notice