Our Achievements
The University of Leicester is a leading UK University committed to international excellence through the creation of world changing research and high quality, inspirational teaching. Leicester is the most socially inclusive of Britain's top-20 leading universities.
Our Standing
When awarding it the title, University of the Year, the judges of the Times Higher Education magazine cited Leicester’s ability to “evidence commitment to high quality, a belief in the synergy of teaching and research and a conviction that higher education is a power for good”. Leicester was, said the judges, "elite without being elitist".
We’re proud of our elite status and are consistently ranked in the top 20 of major national tables out of over 120 universities:
- 16th in the Complete University Guide
- 17th in The Times
- 18th in the Times Higher Education Table of Tables
- 19th in the Guardian
- Leicester is ranked in the top 10 in the UK and top 100 in the world for research citations by the QS World Rankings.
The University has won Times Higher Awards in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and most recently in 2012 for Outstanding Library Team. It is the only university to win six consecutive awards.
Founded in 1921 we received our Royal Charter in 1957.
Leicester is a member of the 1994 Group of internationally renowned universities engaged in leading-edge research and high quality teaching.
High quality research and teaching
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Leicester is ranked fourth in the 2012 National Student Survey amongst 120 mainstream public universities in the UK. Leicester's levels of student satisfaction have been consistently in the top ten since the annual survey commenced in 2005.
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The UK University Guide states "The introduction of [the National Student Survey] measure has helped to consolidate the positions of Oxbridge, St Andrews, Leicester, Loughborough and Exeter as first class universities.’
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The Times states "Leicester has been enjoying a period of unprecedented success... Consistently among the leaders in the National Student Survey, it has become a fixture in the top 20 of The Times League Table"
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Research by THE and Opinion Panel published in February 2011 rated Leicester third best in England (after Oxford and Cambridge) for the quality of lecturing staff.
- Leicester’s Quality Related research funding (QR) is the 19th highest of Britain’s 120 universities.
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It was here that DNA Genetic Fingerprinting was invented by Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys and where Professor Ken Pounds was critical in proving a fundamental law of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity - that black holes exist and are common in the universe. Leicester led the successful search for the lost grave of King Richard III using cutting edge techniques to solve a centuries old mystery.
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Leicester has one of the highest proportions of staff who are research active in the UK, with approximately 93% of staff submitted for the national 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Of these, Leicester has 87% of research activity deemed by the RAE to be producing internationally significant research.
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Leicester is home to the department with greatest concentration of world class research of any department of any discipline in the UK – in our Department of Museum Studies.
Inclusive and accessible – a diverse University
- Of the UK’s top-20 leading universities, as ranked by the Times Good University Guide, only one meets its government benchmarks for inclusivity for students from state schools and lower socio-economic groups. That university is Leicester.
- Leicester has one of the strongest student completion rates – 91% of our students leave the sector with an award according to government performance indicators.
- The University won the 2009/10 THE Award for Outstanding Student Support.
- A University of 23,000 students, our turnover is in excess £260m per annum. Our students’ spending contributes a further £140m directly and indirectly into the economy and our international students generate a further £61m. In total the University's turnover has a knock on effect that contributes £729m of activity annually to the economy.
- The University directly employs over 3,300 people and indirectly supports the employment of over 4,300 others.
