Our reputation

1st in the UK for Food Science, The Complete University Guide 2021

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.

The School is led by Professor Alan Mackie, Head of School, supported by Professor Francisco M. Goycoolea, Director of Research and Innovation, and Dr Lisa Marshall, Director of Student Education.

Our achievements

• 1st in the UK for Agriculture, forestry and food, Guardian University Guide 2021 
• 1st in the UK for Food Science, Complete University Guide 2021 
• 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 2020
• 94% student satisfaction for food sciences, and 91% for nutrition and dietetics, National Student Survey 2020

University awards

• The University of Leeds is among the top 100 universities, QS World University Rankings 2021
• We achieved a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) the highest award possible
• The University of Leeds was named University of the Year in 2017 by The Times and The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide
• The latest High Fliers report, The Graduate Market in 2020, has ranked Leeds in the top 10 most targeted universities in the UK by graduate recruiters
• We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014

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). The funding bodies use the outcomes to inform the allocation of their research funding to HEIs.The Research Excellence Framework was the framework used in 2014.

Unit of assessment: Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science

• 3.06 overall quality profile
• 100% of our research has either ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ impact
• 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality

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