In 1984 Rockford College, Illinois, (now
Rockford University) acquired the former South Villa Estate campus of
Bedford College in Regent's Park and named the new institution Regent's College. The site was originally leased by Bedford College in 1908, and a new set of buildings designed by the architect
Basil Champneys was opened by
Queen Mary in 1913. The buildings were modified and added to over the years, especially after bomb damage during the
Second World War. Bedford College merged with
Royal Holloway College (another college of the University of London) in 1985 and moved to Royal Holloway's campus at
Egham in Surrey, vacating the premises in Regent's Park. Regent's College gradually expanded, and the European Business School London moved to the College campus in 1987. It was granted degree-awarding powers for taught degrees with effect from 1 September 2012. In February 2013 it agreed to acquire
American InterContinental University London from Career Education Corporation. In March 2013 it received approval from the
Department for Business Innovation and Skills to become a university. Validation of research degrees (MPhil and PhD) was transferred from the
University of Wales to the
University of Northampton for students starting from September 2016. The university's taught degree awarding powers were renewed for a further six-year term in 2018, after which they were made permanent in 2024. In September 2020 the university was sold to Galileo Global Education, a multi-national education group. ==Administration==