From our humble beginnings as Woolwich Polytechnic in 1890 – the UK’s second Polytechnic – through to Thames Polytechnic, multiple incorporations of colleges such as Dartford in the 70s and the Natural Resources Institute in the 90s, present day University of Greenwich has remained committed to its vision. That being, providing accessible, transformative support and learning to everyone while breaking down barriers to deliver education without boundaries. Our name may have changed over the years, but the university has always been a place where history and innovation intertwine.
Our alumni community is at the core of our institution's enduring legacy and in 2024, the Alumni and Fundraising Team led a major campaign encouraging alumni to reconnect with us. We are grateful to alumni who got back in touch – and it was encouraging to have met many of you at the first ever alumni reunion in May 2025 here on the Greenwich campus.
Reconnecting with Steve Malkin
From this project, emerged the idea to create a video that would follow alumnus and university strategic partner Steve Malkin, CEO & Founder of Planet Mark, on a journey from the old Thames Poly campus in Woolwich and the surrounding areas to the Greenwich campus.
Steve’s academic foundation began at Thames Polytechnic in civil engineering, giving him the problem-solving mindset that would define his approach to sustainability challenges. He went on to found Planet Mark, a leading force in the promotion and delivery of net zero initiatives across the UK.
In 2023, Planet Mark became an official strategic partner of the university – Steve commented:
I still draw upon the skills today that I developed while studying for a degree in Civil Engineering at Thames Polytechnic, which later became the University of Greenwich. I am very proud to be continuing this relationship through our partnership, and hope today’s students develop the same lifelong passion for sustainability that I have been so fortunate to enjoy.
The partnership continues to focus on two key areas of collaboration: graduate employment opportunities and the development of more sustainable teaching methodologies. Planet Mark remains a valuable partner and supports our own sustainability journey at Greenwich by undertaking our annual carbon validation and has inputted into our Net Zero Plan. It seemed fitting to bring Steve in for this nostalgic project as once student, now graduate and strategic partner.
We want to also extend a huge congratulations to Steve, who in July 2025, was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Greenwich for his outstanding achievements in sustainability. This is what Steve has said about receiving his honorary degree:
“It’s even more meaningful because I graduated from Thames Polytechnic (now UoG) in 1988 with a B.Eng in Civil Engineering, after being let in on a concessional entry. I’d failed A-level maths (not ideal for an engineer!), but they gave me a second chance. That chance shaped my life. And now, years later, Planet Mark is partnering with the university, supporting student pathways, co-creating sustainability courses, and working with Simon Goldsmith and the brilliant team to help take UoG to net zero. This award has re-energised me. I’m more determined than ever to keep going, do more, and keep building this partnership with a place that’s played such a big part in my journey.”
We hope that the shots of University of Greenwich will resonate with all of our alumni. Nostalgia plays a big part as Steve discusses his time at as a student and his recent reconnection with the university.
Watch the video
We encourage everyone to watch the video and to share far and wide among fellow alumni and staff who worked at our former polytechnics.
What next? Reconnect with us.
The journey does not stop at this year’s reunion or at this video – we are launching this video to encourage alumni to get back in touch. We want to know where you are today and offer you the opportunity to reconnect with Greenwich to gain insights into alumni benefits, events, news, ways to get involved and so much more.
We mostly email, so if you have updated your email recently, or are eager to join our mailing list then we invite you to get in touch by updating your details.
- Join over 300,000 other alumni today and reconnect with us!
- Follow us today via social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.
- Join us via our alumni community groups: LinkedIn (all alumni) or our Woolwich and Thames Polytechnic Facebook Group.
Interested in getting involved or sharing your story? Email us at alumni@gre.ac.uk – we’d love to hear from you.