1. Faculty of Environment
  2. School of Geography
  3. Research and innovation
  4. Our reputation

Our reputation

Student experience

10th in the world for Geography, ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022

The School of Geography is globally renowned for the quality of its research, and the funding it attracts, meaning we’re able to invest in world-class facilities and academic staff who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research. Our academics are internationally renowned and working at the top of their fields – at the forefront of knowledge and thinking. 

We have just over 1000 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

Athena SWAN Silver award

We have been commended for our strong and continued commitment to gender equality in the form of a prestigious Athena SWAN Silver 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: Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

  • 93% of research submitted was rated as either ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
  • 90% of our Impact Case Studies were graded as 90% world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
  • 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality

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