Andrew Shires

L'Oréal

Leeds is among the top ten universities for research in the UK and is internationally acknowledged as a centre of excellence in a wide range of academic and professional disciplines. We have an ambitious vision to join the top 50 universities in the world by 2015 through our distinctive ability to integrate world-class research, scholarship and education. Integrating research and learning and teaching is at the heart of our strategy. Our courses are taught by staff who are engaged in world-class research and cutting-edge professional practice. We invest our own resources in helping organisations turn university research into world-class products and services. From the invention of the Ultracane which helps blind and visually impaired people, to a spin-out company which provides expert services and new technologies for the biopharmaceutical, defence and healthcare sectors, we are at the forefront of innovation. Our size and international reputation enables us to offer one of the widest ranges of academic courses in the UK. During the current academic year there are over 30,500 students attached to 700 undergraduate and 474 postgraduate degree programmes. A further 31,382 men and women are enrolled on short courses with the University.