Key facts An overview of the University of Reading Welcome Whilst the University of Reading makes every effort to ensure that the contents and statements The University of Reading has established made in this publication are fair itself as a leading force in British higher and accurate, it can accept no liability for omissions, errors or education. It is ranked as one of the UK’s 10 subsequent changes. most research-intensive universities and as This document is © Copyright University of Reading 2008. one of the top 200 universities in the world. It was designed by Leigh & Glennie Ltd and printed in Reading is consistently one of the most March 2008 by Advent Colour Ltd, Andover, Hants. popular higher education choices in the UK. Our unusually broad portfolio of full and part-time degree programmes covers the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. Key facts For more information, Our first-class resources support please contact: world-class teaching. Communications Office At Reading we also pursue an ambitious and University of Reading Whiteknights innovative enterprise agenda. Reading RG6 6AH United Kingdom [email protected] Tel (0118) 378 8408 www.reading.ac.uk www.reading.ac.uk Campus tours Every Wednesday afternoon during term-time we provide an organised tour, giving a general insight into the University. Visitors are guided round our beautiful 130-hectare Whiteknights site, attend an introductory talk about the University, hear a student’s account of History life on campus and find out what there is to do in and around Reading. We are proud of our tradition Self-guided walking tours of academic excellence which You can explore the campus on your own using dates back to the late nineteenth our self-guided tour leaflet and map, available from century. Whiteknights House or online at www.reading.ac.uk/ Our origins lie in the Schools of Art selftour. No appointment is necessary. and Science established in Reading in 1860 and 1870. These became part of an extension college opened in 1892 by Christ Church, Oxford. The college thrived, receiving its first treasury grant in 1901. Three years later the local Palmer family, of the famous biscuit manufacturer Huntley & Palmers, donated the In 2006 we London Road site. Their continued celebrated support helped to fund expansion, the 80th including the opening of Wantage Hall in 1908 and The Research Anniversary Institute in Dairying in 1912. of the granting We received a Royal Charter in Visits by people with special needs 1926, the only university to do so If you have additional support requirements, or would of our Royal between the two world wars. At the prefer an individual and accompanied visit, please Charter same time, Dr William M Childs contact our Disability Office. We will do all we can to became the University’s first ensure that your visit is successful. Vice-Chancellor. In 1947 we purchased our main Events programme Whiteknights campus, the former Throughout the year we also run a full and varied country estate of the Marquis programme of public lectures, exhibitions, sports of Blandford. Our merger with and cultural events, many of which are free. Open Bulmershe College of Higher to everyone, they attract students, staff and the local Education in 1989 added our third community, as well as commercial and educational campus, a 42-acre site in Earley organisations. See www.reading.ac.uk/events close to Whiteknights. Achievements We have a world-class reputation for excellence. Important achievements include: • being the first British university to integrate an industrial Research and Development Group on its campus (1972) • being the first university to win the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement (1989) • twice receiving the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education (1998 and 2006). Established as a leading force in British higher education, we continue to build on our success. Our ambitious multi-million pound investment programme is delivering twenty-first century facilities, strengthening our international reputation for quality teaching, research and enterprise. Our international reputation for research excellence attracts talented people at the cutting edge of their disciplines to study and work with us. Research at Reading The University of Reading is highly regarded, nationally and internationally, for the quality of its research and is committed to enhancing its position as a leading research University. We enjoy great success in bidding for research funding, with our winning over £35 million of new research grants and contracts in the past financial year. This funding complements our strong Quality-Related research income from the Higher Education Research Council that reflects our excellent performance in the past Research Assessment Exercise. We are committed to ensuring that we have the highest standard research environment and continue to invest in new state of the art buildings and facilities to support our research, including our Centre for Brain Behaviour & Health, our Biocentre Facility and our Centre for Advanced microscopy. We have also won a number of other awards for our research, including twice winning the Queen’s Anniversary Prize (in 1998 for our work on early modern staging, conducted with the new Globe Theatre on Bankside, and in 2006 for exceptional contribution to Meteorology). Our research excellence extends across a broad range of disciplines in the life sciences, environmental & physical sciences, social sciences and arts & humanities. Government, commerce, charities and research councils are among the many organisations that utilise and value our specialist expertise. Reading’s research strengths in a range of areas of international excellence enable the University to develop a number of cross-discipline research themes: • ageing (with a human health focus) • aquatic systems science & management • climate systems science • computational science • food chain & health and biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences • nanoscience and materials • the material text • modern European histories and cultures • neuroscience • poverty, exclusion and access • sustainable ecosystems science • sustainable environment and technologies Quality support Our new student services building draws together the University’s many services for students in the heart of the main Whiteknights site. It brings together administration, career, learning, teaching and welfare services under a single roof ensuring our students have easy access to the support they need. Teaching facilities Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Two Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning have been established at Reading: Applied Undergraduate Research Skills and Career Management Skills. The University is also a collaborative partner in two further CETLs: Centre for Excellence in Innovative Physics Teaching (Open University), Learn Higher (Liverpool Hope). The University library This is a storehouse of information with over one million volumes, 3,750 periodical subscriptions, plus archives, manuscripts and multimedia materials. We provide skills training to help students, researchers and teaching staff make the most of library facilities. Information technology Our first-class facilities include: • 24 computer rooms – some open 24 hours – across our campuses and offering access to the University network, the Internet and the World Wide Web • our Student Access to Independent Learning suite provides flexible access to electronic media and communication tools • ‘Blackboard’, the University’s virtual learning environment is used by many departments to enhance online learning and teaching. Specialist facilities These strengthen teaching, learning and research in a number of areas, for example: • archaeology students can gain practical excavation experience at the important Roman site at Silchester • students of film, theatre and television can develop and practise at the newly refurbished Bob Kayley Studio Theatre at our Bulmershe Court campus • our archives, rare books and special collections • our museums: The Cole Museum of Zoology, The Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology and The Museum of English Rural Life. Enterprise at Reading At Reading we pursue an ambitious and innovative enterprise agenda. Our active involvement in wide- ranging initiatives means we enjoy close links with many businesses in the Thames Valley. We also play a leading role in several regional and national enterprise programmes. The main focus of our entrepreneurial activity is start- up and small to medium-sized technology and knowledge-based companies. In particular, we work with businesses that have the potential to benefit most from the University’s strengths in management, environment, information and computer technology and life sciences. By tapping into our academic We provide knowledge, professional expertise research and and world-class facilities, an consultancy increasing number of fledgling enterprises are turning their services ideas into viable commercial for many propositions. companies We offer a number of services to help companies innovate, grow and including Esso, compete successfully including: Proctor & • consultancy services Gamble and • investors and funding sources British Airways. • innovation and enterprise labs • lectures, networking events and workshops • licensing of intellectual property • low-cost serviced office and laboratory space • employment of high-calibre graduates • research and development facilities at our Science and Technology Centre