Our reputation
Awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for research in climate and extreme weather
The School of Earth and Environment has expertise in areas ranging from geology and geophysics, environmental science, meteorology and climate science, to environmental social science together under one roof. We have just over 1,100 students from almost 80 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.
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Academic excellence
- Awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize (2021) for research in climate and extreme weather, aiding vulnerable communities in the global south with new forecasting and warning systems.
- 25th in the world for Atmospheric Science, ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2021
- 10th in the UK for Earth and Marine Sciences, Guardian University Guide 2022
- 19th in the world for Earth and Marine Sciences, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021
- 13th in the UK for Geography and Environmental Sciences, Complete University Guide 2022
- 29th in the world for Environmental Studies, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021
- Top ten in the UK for Geology, Complete University Guide 2022 and The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022
- 17th in the world for Geology, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021
- 15th in the world for Geophysics, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021
- The University of Leeds is among the top 100 universities, QS World University Rankings 2022
- University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2021, High Fliers Research
- 89% overall student satisfaction for Earth Sciences, National Student Survey 2021 and ranked 4th in the Russell Group
- We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014
The School of Earth and Environment has an excellent reputation for world-class research and innovative teaching. The latest Research Excellence Framework (2014) ranks us 1st in the UK for the quantity of world leading research.
Unit of assessment: Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences
- 3.26 overall quality profile
- 2nd in the UK for research power
- 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality
- Over 95% of our research has either ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ impact
- 90% of our research is ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
- Over 85% of our research outputs are ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
Gender equality
We have been commended for our strong and continued commitment to gender equality in the form of a prestigious Athena SWAN Silver award.