The University of London Worldwide (previously called the University of London International Academy) is the central academic body that manages external study programmes[5] within the federal University of London. All courses are branded as simply "University of London", having previously been "University of London International Programmes" and earlier "University of London External Programmes".[1][2] It claims to be the world's oldest distance and flexible learning body, established under the University of London's royal charter of 1858,[6][third-party source needed] although academics have disputed whether it offered distance learning at that time.