Our reputation
15th in the world for Transportation Science and Technology, Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2020
The Institute for Transport Studies is one of the UK's leading departments for transport teaching and research. We deliver internationally excellent research outputs, which impact upon transport policy and practice, and contribute to the wider economy and society. We have a diverse international community and a global alumni network. We have just almost 200 students from over 35 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 Simon Shepherd, Institute Director, supported by Dr Eva Heinen, Director of Research and Innovation, and Frances Hodgson, Director of Student Education.
We are continually committed to meeting the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard and improve the quality management of our research, development and consultancy contracts.
Our achievements
- 15th in the world for Transportation Science and Technology, Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2020
- 2nd in the UK for research power, Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014
- Awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education (2009) for "sustained excellence - 40 years' impact in transport research and teaching."
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.
The Institute for Transport Studies was assessed by the Civil and Construction Engineering sub-panel, as part of a joint submission with the University’s School of Civil Engineering.
- 3.04 overall research quality profile
- 7th in the UK for research quality
- 2nd nationally for research power
- 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality
- 92% of our research has either ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ impact
- 85% of our research is ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
- 80% of our research outputs are ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
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