Our reputation

2nd in the UK for Agriculture, forestry and food, Guardian University Guide 2022

We are globally renowned for our teaching and research across the whole spectrum of food, from the molecular level to how food affects our body and how our diet is influencing our health. We have just over 600 students from almost 50 countries studying with us.

The quality of our research, and the funding it attracts, means we’re able to invest in world-class facilities and academic staff who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research, which means you will be taught by internationally renowned, inspirational academics working at the top of their fields.

Our achievements

• Top 100 in the world for Agriculture and Forestry, Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2022 
• 2nd in the UK for Agriculture, forestry and food, Guardian University Guide 2022
• 4th in the UK for Food Science, Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021 
• Top 100 in the world for Food Science and Technology, ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2021
• 94% student satisfaction for food sciences, and 91% for nutrition and dietetics, National Student Survey 2020

Athena SWAN Bronze award

We have been commended for our strong and continued commitment to gender equality in the form of a prestigious Athena SWAN Bronze award.

University awards

• The University of Leeds is among the top 100 universities, QS World University Rankings 2023
• The University of Leeds was named University of the Year in 2017 by The Times and The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide
• University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2022, High Fliers Research
• We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021

Every six years, the UK’s four higher education funding bodies undertake an exercise to measure the quality of research undertaken by UK higher education institutions (HEIs), known as REF. The funding bodies use the outcomes to inform the allocation of their research funding to HEIs. 

Unit of assessment: Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science

• 100% of our submitted research environment was classified as ‘being conducive to producing research of either world-leading or internationally excellent quality in terms of vitality and sustainability.’
• 91% of our submitted research outputs are classed as world-leading or internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigor. 
• 86% of research activity is rated as either ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent.
• 66% of our submitted research has impact classed as ‘world-leading or internationally excellent’.

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Industrial Advisory Board

Our Industrial Advisory Board comprises academics and representatives from industry. The Board provides a strategic view from the industrial community on our research, student education, innovation, and external engagement activities.