Our reputation

3rd in the UK for Civil Engineering – Guardian University Guide 2021 

The School of Civil Engineering is globally renowned for its teaching, research and engagement with industry and government. We’re one of the largest and longest established Civil Engineering schools in the UK with just over 50 staff and 800 students from over 65 countries studying with us.

The School is led by Head of School Professor Muhammed Basheer, supported by Professor Cath Noakes Director of Research and Innovation and Dr Andy Sleigh Director of Student Education.

Our achievements 

• 3rd in the Guardian University Guide 2021
• 9th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021
• 11th in the Complete University Guide 2021
• 45th in the world for Civil and Structural Engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020
• 97% overall student satisfaction for architecture in the National Student Survey 2020 and ranked 1st in the Russell Group
• 92% overall student satisfaction for civil engineering in the National Student Survey 2020 and ranked 3rd in the Russell Group

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.

Unit of assessment: Civil and Construction Engineering

• 3.04 overall 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’