Our reputation

Image of international students at the University of Leeds

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 Professor Ronghui Liu, interim 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
University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2021, High Fliers Research
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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