University of Exeter

At the University of Exeter, we welcome over 30,000 students from more than 150 countries to our beautiful, green campuses in Exeter in Devon, and Penryn and Truro in Cornwall. We are a leading UK university with global impact, placed 153rd in the world in the 2024 QS World University Rankings and 30th in the world in the 2024 QS Sustainability Rankings. As a member of the UK’s prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities, we combine excellence in research with outstanding teaching and student experience. Exeter is also one of the few Russell Group universities to be awarded triple gold by the UK’s Teaching Excellence Framework (2023).

The UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 review showed that we are doing more research, of better quality, with a bigger impact on the world than ever before. More than 99 percent of our research was rated of international quality1 and 12 of our subjects were in the Top 10 for world-leading impact.2

We challenge and inspire our community of learners to thrive, develop the skills they will need for the future and lead the change the world needs. Our ambitious Strategy 2030 aims to use our outstanding education, research and global connections to lead meaningful action against the climate emergency and ecological crisis; make key breakthroughs to transform human health and wellbeing; and progress towards creating a fair, socially just and inclusive society.

Exeter is a global leader in sustainable development and our research and policy expertise on the climate emergency and ecological crisis is exceptionally strong. Over 1,500 Exeter academics work in these fields and the University is home to five of the world’s top 25 most influential climate scientists (Reuters Hot List). Our commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is reflected in the 2023 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings where we ranked 18thin the world. We are also 1st in Europe for Climate Action and secured the top spot globally in the Clean Water and Sanitation category for our pioneering research, action and commitment.

We have been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, the highest national Honour awarded in UK further and higher education, four times for our work. The most recent Prize was awarded in recognition of our efforts to combat the effects of marine plastic pollution.

1 Research rated 4* + 3* + 2* in REF 2021
2 Based on ranking for 4* impact in REF 2021