Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London

The Central School of Speech and Drama has been going much longer than a great many university drama departments. It was founded in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer an entirely new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students. The choice of name - the Central School - highlighted the School’s commitment to a broad range of training systems for vocal and dramatic performance. It espoused principles that were firmly held yet responsive to change. That sense of continuing critical openness to new developments is a lasting hallmark of the School.