Reading named Sustainable University of the Year 2025

Reading has been named Sustainable University of the Year 2025 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.

We have moved up to joint 24 in the UK overall in the table, a leap of 10 places since the 2024 ranking, and into the top 25.

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 said Reading had ‘made an impressive headway towards its ambition of being one of the greenest universities in the world’.

Reading, which is already top of the People & Planet League Table of UK universities and won the Times Higher Education’s award for Environmental Leadership was highlighted for reducing its carbon emissions by more than 60 per cent since 2009 and cutting waste by 35 per cent.

The Guide highlights Reading’s status as one of the world’s leading universities for the study of climate change – as indicated by the award of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2021.

Vice-Chancellor Robert Van de Noort 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.”

How you can share the news

This accolade would not have been possible without the hard work of colleagues across the University.

We have produced a series of graphics for download that you can use in your own communications, including assets for social media, web pages and email signatures. You can link to the University’s news page for the full story.