Two 35th anniversaries: Celebrating The King’s Foundation and Kellogg College
Throughout 2025, both The King’s Foundation and Kellogg College are marking 35 years since their founding in 1990 – a shared milestone that is most significantly reflected through our partnership in establishing the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation (GCHU).
Guided by the vision and values of His Majesty King Charles III, The King’s Foundation has worked since its establishment (originally as The Prince of Wales’s Institute of Architecture) to promote sustainable communities and improve quality of life. Its inaugural summer programme launched in Oxford in 1990, and was rooted in the King’s principle of Harmony – the belief that people should live and build in balance with nature to create sustainable, human-centred environments.
This philosophy laid the groundwork for a long-standing collaboration with the University of Oxford. In 2009, the Foundation partnered with Oxford to establish the Master’s in Sustainable Urban Development, now delivered by Oxford Lifelong Learning. A decade later, this academic partnership evolved further with the creation of the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation, based at Kellogg College. In March 2020, His Majesty visited Kellogg to officially launch the Centre, and was bestowed with the College’s most prestigious award, the Bynum Tudor Fellowship.
The GCHU builds on decades of shared commitment to research, innovation, and knowledge exchange. The Centre brings together academics and practitioners in sustainable urban development and evidence-based healthcare, forging a strong interdisciplinary knowledge base and global networks. Through research, teaching, and public engagement, it explores the vital connections between urbanisation and health – helping to shape cities that are sustainable, equitable, and resilient.
This dual anniversary offers an opportunity to celebrate 35 years of achievement and to look ahead to the continued potential of this partnership. Kellogg is proud to host a research centre that contributes to addressing critical challenges in urban health and sustainability. As urbanisation continues to reshape communities around the world, the collaborative work of the GCHU – grounded in evidence and enriched by diverse expertise – remains central to building healthier, more sustainable futures.
King Charles meets Kellogg students during his visit in 2020