Kingston University (informally Kingston) is a public research university located in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, United Kingdom. It was originally founded in 1899 as Kingston Technical Institute, a polytechnic, and became a university in 1992. Campuses are located in Kingston and Roehampton. There is a range of undergraduate and postgraduate work spread across seven faculties, as well as some further education provisions. The Kingston Technical Institute opened in 1899. A School of Art in Kingston was founded in the 1890s. In 1970 the two institutions were merged in Kingston Polytechnic, which was granted university status under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. This is the main university campus located close to Kingston town centre. In addition to teaching facilities, it features a library, health centre and canteen. Students based here study; Arts and Social Sciences, Civil Engineering, Computing and Information Systems and Mathematics, Earth Sciences and Geography, Statistics, Science, and Radiography. Across the road is the Reg Bailey Theatre which houses a stage area used by drama and dance students.