Our reputation

6th in the UK for Mechanical Engineering - The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021

Globally renowned for our teaching and research, the School of Mechanical Engineering is one of the leading mechanical engineering schools in the UK. We have over 1,200 students from over 70 countries studying with us.

The School is led by Head of School Professor Harvey Thompson, supported by Professor Sophie Williams Director of Research and Innovation and Dr Andrew Shires Director of Student Education.

Our achievements

• Top 150 in the world for Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020

Mechanical Engineering

• Top 5 in the Guardian University Guide 2021
• 6th in the Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021
• Top 10 in the Complete University Guide 2021
• 90% overall student satisfaction for mechanical engineeringin the National Student Survey 2020 and ranked top 5 in the Russell Group

Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering

• 6th in the Complete University Guide 2021

University awards

• 87% overall student satisfaction score in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2020
• 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: Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

• Ranked 2nd in the UK for Mechanical Engineering
• Joint fourth for the quality of our research in our unit of assessment
• 3.14 overall quality profile
• 100% of our research has either ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ impact
• 84% of our research is ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
• 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality
• 75% of our research outputs are ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.