Our reputation
Top 10 in the UK for Chemical Engineering, Guardian University Guide 2025
The School of Chemical and Process Engineering is globally renowned for its teaching and research with an established reputation across the entire spectrum of chemical, energy, petroleum, nuclear engineering and aviation technology.
We take a multi-disciplinary and modern approach to chemical engineering research and innovation, integrating world-leading analytical infrastructure and state-of-the-art physical science. The breadth of our capabilities allows us to take a true ‘atoms-to-products’ approach to process engineering and design, with impact across virtually all industrial sectors.
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.
We have just over 900 students from over 50 countries studying with us.
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Academic excellence
- Top 10 in the UK for Chemical Engineering, Guardian University Guide 2025
- Top 10 in the UK for Chemical Engineering, Complete University Guide 2025
- Top 100 in the world for Chemical Engineering, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
- The University of Leeds is ranked 82nd in the world, QS World University Rankings 2025
- University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2024, High Fliers Research
- We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities
- 97% of the research outputs submitted was rated as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”, Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
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.
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
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 2021.
Unit of assessment: Engineering Unit of Assessment (UoA12)
- 97% of the research activity submitted to the Engineering Unit of Assessment (UoA12), which includes Chemical and Process Engineering, were assessed as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”.