The University of Leicester was one of the first Universities to offer Distance Learning courses. Opened in 1921, it was formally granted its Royal Charter 30 years later. The site for the University was donated by businessman Thomas Johnson as a World War I living memorial for the locals who made sacrifices, reflected in their motto Ut vitam habeant – ‘so that they may have life’.
A winner of the Queen’s Anniversary award, over the course of its history the University has consistently ranked in the top 2% of educational institutions worldwide.
- Times Higher Education 2018 World University Rankings: Leicester is ranked 159th in the world out of 1000 institutions listed.
- CWUR 2017 World University Ranking: Leicester is placed 19th in the UK and 226th in the world. 27,770 degree-granting institutions of higher education worldwide were evaluated.
- QS 2018 World University Ranking: Leicester is ranked 238th out of more than 950 institutions.
- Best Global University Rankings 2018: Leicester is ranked 232nd of 1,000 formally ranked universities.
- The University has won Times Higher Awards in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and most recently in 2013 for Outstanding Communications Team and Outstanding Fundraising Initiative. It is the only university to win awards in seven consecutive years.
- The Association of Graduate Recruiters has recognised the University of Leicester as the best institution in the UK for its best initiative to prepare students for the world of work.
- The University of Leicester is consistently one of the most socially inclusive of the UK’s universities with a long-standing commitment to providing fairer and equal access to higher education.
