Address: University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, England, United Kingdom
Space Science, Archaeology, Genetics
The University of Leicester began in 1921 as Leicestershire and Rutland University College, founded as a memorial to local people who died in the First World War. Thomas Fielding Johnson, a local businessman, provided the site, and the university’s motto, Ut Vitam Habeant, “so that they may have life”, reflects that memorial origin.
The college received a Royal Charter in 1957, which gave it university status and the right to award its own degrees. Its research has produced two events widely associated with it: in 1984 Sir Alec Jeffreys developed DNA fingerprinting at the university, and in 2012 university researchers identified remains found under a Leicester car park as those of King Richard III, matching mitochondrial DNA with living descendants of the king’s sister.
The directory lists space science, archaeology and genetics among its main subjects, and the university is public. Student and staff numbers vary by year and by definition, so applicants and researchers should use the university’s current facts and figures. Entry requirements and fees are published per course on the official website, together with guidance for international students on visas, English-language tests and scholarships. Researchers interested in genetics or space science can find the relevant school and department pages through the main site.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Bioinformatics, Data Analytics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Physics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Home to the National Space Centre. Partnerships in medical research (Leicester Biomedical Research Centre), archaeology, and genetics. Strong links with industry in space and earth observation.
Research:
World-renowned for research in genetics (DNA fingerprinting discovered here by Sir Alec Jeffreys), space science (instrumentation for space missions), archaeology (King Richard III discovery), and museum studies.
Famous Alumnis:
Sir Alec Jeffreys, Bob Mortimer, Atifete Jahjaga, Sir David Attenborough (honorary), C.P. Snow
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3100
Current students***:
18500
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
145000
Pros
Strong research reputation in specific niche areas, diverse and compact campus, good student experience, significant historical discoveries.
Cons
Smaller city compared to some other university locations, some older campus buildings.
Best For
Students interested in science, particularly genetics, space, or archaeology, at a research-led university with a friendly atmosphere and a history of groundbreaking discoveries.
University of Nottingham, a public university, lists pharmacy, engineering and agriculture, comparable to Leicester in being a large Midlands research university.
Loughborough University is in Leicestershire and is listed for sports science, engineering and design.
Norway's University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway has arctic research, marine biology and space physics.
Italy's Università degli Studi di Trieste lists physics, neuroscience and engineering.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, in Germany, is listed for physics and geosciences alongside biosciences.
Australia's University of Western Australia is a public university with science, engineering, medicine and business.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How old is the University of Leicester?
It opened in 1921 as Leicestershire and Rutland University College. It received its Royal Charter, and with it university status, in 1957.
Why does Leicester have the motto Ut Vitam Habeant?
The motto means "so that they may have life", and it recalls the college's origin as a memorial to those lost in the First World War. Local businessman Thomas Fielding Johnson provided the original site.
What is Leicester known for in genetics?
In 1984 Sir Alec Jeffreys invented DNA fingerprinting at the university.
How was King Richard III connected to the university?
In 2012 Leicester researchers identified remains found under a car park in the city as Richard III. The identification used mitochondrial DNA matched to living relatives of Richard's sister.
What subjects is the University of Leicester associated with?
The directory records space science, archaeology and genetics. The official website lists the full set of schools and departments.
What does the 1957 Royal Charter mean for the university?
It gave the former university college the status of a university and the right to award its own degrees. It is the legal basis of Leicester's degree-awarding powers.
Who publishes the fees and entry requirements for Leicester?
The university publishes them for each course on its official website. International applicants should also look at the pages on visas and English-language requirements.
Biomedical Sensors, Environmental Impact, Innovation, Space
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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