THE UNIVERSITY of Reading has been named as the Sustainable University of the year for 2025 in the The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.
Reading has moved up to joint 24th in the UK’s overall rankings, a rise of 10 places on last year.
The rankings cited the “impressive headway” made by the institution in reducing carbon emissions by more than 60% since 2009 and its cutting of waste by more than a third.
It follows the university’s placement at the top of the People & Planet League Table, and its winning of the Times Higher Education’s award for Environmental Leadership.
It is also the fourth highest ranked in the South East, following only the universities of Oxford, Southampton, and Surrey.
Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: “We are proud to be a multi-award-winning community playing a sector-leading role in addressing climate change and environmental sustainability through our world-leading research, teaching and campus operations.
“It is excellent to be recognised as Sustainable University of the Year, which reflects the incredible hard work of our students, colleagues and partners who together have a shared commitment to securing a better global future.
“This is wonderful news to receive as we start a new academic year, and I look forward to our community continuing their efforts to make a real difference in the years ahead.”
Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “The best universities — whether they were founded in the 15th century or 2005 — are local and global powerhouses of intellectual thought and creativity, from the arts to science, that can power economic regeneration and lead the way to a better life.
“This year we have tweaked our methodology to keep up with contemporary concerns around climate change and careers and have added in a sustainability metric, teaming up with People & Planet, and boosted the weighting of graduate prospects.
“The higher education sector is facing unprecedented challenges from debates on free speech to financial stability, but it is important to remember the force for good that going to university can be.”
Full rankings are available to view via: thetimes.com/uk-university-rankings
