construction began on the mount pleasant site, funded by grants from the british and federation of rhodesia and nyasaland governments, anglo american corporation, the british south africa company, the rhodesia selection trust, the beit trust, the ford foundation and the dulverton trust and in july 1953 her majesty queen elizabeth, the queen mother laid the foundation stone. in 1955 the british government formally adopted the institution, establishing the university college of rhodesia and nyasaland (ucrn) by royal charter. the college was admitted to the privilege of special relation with the university of london the following year and in 1957 all activities were transferred to the mount pleasant campus. the following year the college was granted pieces of land upon which the college farm and the lake kariba research station were constructed. in 1963 the medical school opened and was affiliated to the university of birmingham. after the dissolution of the federation of rhodesia and nyasaland, the university college continued as an independent institution of higher education and research, open to all races. in 1970 a phased termination of the associations with the universities of london and birmingham began.