Our Story

History

Warnborough College was founded by Ethyl Tempest-Mogg in Oxford in 1973. Originally founded for visiting American students keen to experience the Oxford Socratic method of learning, Warnborough soon acquired an increasing number of international students who had the opportunity to study English and take courses for university entrance.

From its beginning, sponsorship was obtained from many American educators including the Presidents of various universities, Bishops of several dioceses, and the President of the National Council of Churches of America. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sent her warmest wishes for a successful future. Read more about our founding sponsors.

Expansion of Programs

During the 1980s and 1990s, Warnborough expanded its facilities and programmes to cater for an increase in international students from all over the world. Many governments sponsored students to study at Warnborough, including from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela, Jordan, Malaysia, and Uruguay. Popular International Summer Schools (ISS) were held at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and London and appealed to mature American students.

Further expansion in 1985 saw the successful launch of a study abroad programme in Australia for American students. In 1987, the Archbishop of Canterbury authorised the appointment of an Honorary Chaplain to Warnborough, who was also responsible for the Warnborough Australian Studies Programme.

From 1988 to 1991, Warnborough College held degree-granting status from the Education Licensure Commission in Washington, DC. Thereafter, Warnborough offered foundation courses for entry into UK universities, and American colleges and universities. The college became an accredited centre for the University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations in 1990, and courses were taught for their Certificate in Travel and Tourism, and International Business English.

Relocation and the Internet

While Warnborough had acquired an excellent reputation for its various programmes, the Boars Hill campus in Oxford had reached its capacity and was unable to meet the college’s expansion requirements without substantial reinvestment. The campus was sold in 1992 and then leased back until the college relocated in 1996.

1996 was also the year in which the college made the decision to embrace the new technology offered by the Internet to offer its courses by distance learning. Initially, it was an option just for students to complete the dissertation requirement of their programmes. Today, internet technology forms the backbone of most of our programmes.

A Branch in Ireland

Warnborough University was incorporated in 1997 to offer online and distance learning programmes leading to degrees at all levels. It was renamed Warnborough College Ireland in 2006 to meet accreditation requirements. It celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017.

Warnborough College Ireland has been active in transnational ERASMUS+ projects with university and other partners, including the €1 million Pro-VET project to professionally-develop over 450 VET teachers across Russia and Serbia. These partnerships have led to other opportunities for collaboration and will drive the College forward in its mission.

The very first batch of Warnborough University graduates at the Royal Overseas League — The first graduates of Warnborough University at the Royal Overseas League

Graduation at Canterbury Cathedral in 2007

Warnborough in Canterbury

Warnborough College made the famous cathedral and university city of Canterbury its new home in 2001. Like Oxford, Canterbury is steeped in history, being the first place in England where education was formalized. It is somewhat poetic that the Archbishop of Canterbury had appointed an honorary chaplain to Warnborough over a decade beforehand. A new building was purchased and dedicated in 2010 as the new Warnborough headquarters.

Looking Ahead...

Warnborough Publishing was founded in 2011 to provide a new opportunity to students, staff, and alumni in terms of publishing their work. Since 1998, Warnborough has focused on partnerships with centres and institutions around the world to help develop its vision of bringing education to students, rather than students to education. We now have over 40 academic partners around the world offering a range of qualifications at different levels.

The annual Kent Arts Conference (formerly Canterbury Arts Conference ) was inaugurated in 2013, sponsored and spearheaded by Warnborough College. Participation has come from all corners of the world. The Warnborough Foundation was founded in 2020 to help support and emancipate disadvantaged communities and individuals through a range of community development programmes, working in various countries to help build capacity, improve knowledge and enhance opportunities locally.

Our Vision

The College’s vision encompasses teaching, learning and fostering academic communities at all levels. Its intent is to make accessible and provide quality educational opportunities to as many people as possible. The College is proud to be an international and forward-thinking institution committed to providing quality life-changing and student-centred educational opportunities to students of all backgrounds while fostering the goodwill and academic community that is the bedrock of the College philosophy.

Our vision is global.

We believe that learning is not a terminal process nor restricted by boundaries.

Our vision is learner-centered.

We believe that the academic and career goals of each learner are paramount, and treat learners as experienced equals in the learning process either through distance or through traditional learning.

Our vision is open learning.

We believe in strongly supporting learning in its many forms. We design programs to maximise effective learning and combine technology (e.g. the Internet, multimedia) with traditional methods (e.g. face-to-face teaching at our learning centres worldwide).

Philosophy

Warnborough believes in its independence and focuses on creating an international, multi-cultural and multi-racial student body and faculty. The College believes in linking academic disciplines with the worlds of learning and work, and between nations. A Warnborough education is based on the following principles and values:

A commitment to academic freedom
A disciplined exploration of ideas
Rational discourse, clear thinking, and articulate self-expression
A tolerance of, and an appreciation for intellectual and cultural differences
Fostering international understanding through mutual co-operation among all students

Warnborough assures equal opportunity for all qualified persons without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or veteran’s status, in the admission to and participation in its programmes and activities.

Our History

The Best Education Place

Dr Kameyama was one of the first people to graduate from Warnborough College Ireland. Dr Kameyama joined the college in the late 1990s and worked with Professor Eric Radford of St Edmund Hall, Oxford University. In this video he recollects his experience to Dr Julian.

Our Commitment to Education

Warnborough is an Experience

Mariaelena Murphy describes how learning at Warnborough was more than just studying and researching – it was a whole experience of learning, from the support staff to the mentoring.

Our Council

Dr Brenden Tempest-Mogg, President
Dr Julian Ng, Executive Vice-President
Rev Canon Dr Richard Martin, Vice-President (Alumni Relations)
Dr John Allen, Council Chairman
Dr Pamela Hatton, Council Secretary
Mr John ‘Jay’ Allen
Dr Michael Ange
Dr Tulio Barrios Bulling
Mr David Christy
Dr Matina Chronopoulou

Dr Jocelyne Clarke-Fletcher
Dr John Fossum
Dr John Gaal
Mrs Sonja Hauenstein
Dr Jill Kiefer
Mr Jeffrey Ng
Mr Teck Yeong Ng
Mr Gouhar Pirzada
Dr Carmel Thompson
Dr Kenneth Vella

We Celebrate 50 Years in 2023

Visit our 50th Birthday page to see more information and photos from the archive.