Professor Sir Ivison Macadam OBE was the founder and President of the National Union of Students (NUS), and one of the first presidents of KCLSU (King’s College London Students’ Union). An ardent believer in education for all, he dedicated his career to advocating for the rights of students across the UK and beyond.

Sir Ivison was born in Edinburgh in 1894. He attended Scouts as a boy and was awarded the prestigious King’s Scout Award by the founding member, Sir Robert Baden-Powell.

As a young man, Sir Ivison served in World War I, making history as the youngest major in the British Army. His military prowess and leadership skills earned him an OBE at the age of 24.

After the war, Sir Ivison came to King’s to study Engineering. In 1921, he was elected President of the Union Society, which would later evolve into KCLSU. One year later, Macadam founded the NUS.

Motivated by his wartime experiences, Sir Ivison’s vision for the NUS was to promote friendship between future leaders across the world and create a movement of cooperation. In a moving speech to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, he spoke of the ‘spirit of service that permeates the movement’. He also remarked that, ‘if students are co-operating today, surely there is hope for tomorrow.’

As NUS President, Sir Ivison helped establish the Confédération Internationale des Étudiants (International Confederation of Students), which brought together national student union representatives from different countries. The NUS also led the way for gender equity, making sure that women were involved at all levels of the organisation.

When World War II broke out, Sir Ivison joined the Ministry of Information. He is credited with creating the very first edition of the popular Keep Calm and Carry On poster. Originally designed to boost public morale through the war years, this iconic image is still used to this day. Post-war, Sir Ivison continued to nurture his creative streak, taking on the role of editor and chairman of the advisory board for The Annual Register of World Events.

In 1939, Sir Ivison was made a Fellow of King’s College London. He suggested that two students should be chosen to join the governing body and his peers agreed to the idea. Thanks to Sir Ivison, King’s was one of the UK’s first universities to include students on their board, paving the way for higher education across the UK.

Sir Ivison remained at King’s until his death in 1974. Though gone, his spirit of service lives on through KCLSU and the university’s exceptional students, staff and alumni who continue striving to make the world a better place.