Alistair Grandison

University of Reading

The University of Reading is one of the UK's leading research intensive universities and ranked in the top 200 universities in the world by QS. We have a proud history. In 2016 we celebrated the 90th anniversary of being granted a Royal Charter. From our appointment of the UK's first female professor, Edith Morley, to the social reform campaigner Lord Wolfenden being our Vice-Chancellor, we have 100,000 alumni and students at the top of their professions in academia, arts, broadcasting, business, government and sport. We have a global outlook, with 17,000 current students from 150 countries and our state-of-the-art University of Reading Malaysia campus opened in 2015. We offer 250 undergraduate and 150 postgraduate courses, with great research-led teaching, a top-class 24/7 library and 94% of our graduates in work or further study after six months. We have a 89% student satisfaction rate with a top 10-ranked Student's Union, which runs 150 clubs and societies. We do world-leading research, across the sciences, arts and humanities, including tackling the planet's biggest challenges – climate change; food security; poor nutrition; and disease. The national Research Excellence Framework 2014 classed 78% of our research was classed as internationally excellent and 27% world-leading – ranking us 19th in the UK for research intensity and 27th for research power. We have invested more than £400m in excellent research, teaching and student facilities in the last decade. We have three UK campuses, including our award-winning 130-hectare main Whiteknights Campus and our London Road campus, home to the Institute of Education and from September 2016, our new School of Architecture. We are home to the triple-accredited Henley Business School – one of the leading business schools in the UK and Europe.