A seven-time recipient of the times higher education awards, University of Leicester, UK’s four colleges offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgrad and doctoral programmes to 23,000 students Founded in 1921 and awarded a royal charter in 1957, the University of Leicester is consistently ranked among the Top 20 universities in the UK. The Guardian University Guide ranks it #13 while The Complete University Guide and Times University Guide rank it #16 and #17 respectively. The 93-year-old varsity is also well-reputed for research with its Quality Related Research funding (QR) rank #19 in Britain, and over 90 percent of faculty actively engaged in research. A seven-time (2007-2013) recipient of the Times Higher Education awards, University of Leicester, UK’s four colleges — arts, humanities and law; medicine, biological sciences and psychology; science and engineering; and social science — offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral study programmes to 23,000 students. The university’s department of museum studies is particularly well-reputed and is credited with leading the successful search for the lost grave of King Richard III. It was also at Leicester that DNA genetic fingerprinting was discovered by Prof. Sir Alec Jeffreys. “We are a dynamic 21st century university that provides high quality research and teaching alongside meeting widening participation bench-marks and providing an excellent student experience. It is these features that lead to a positive institutional ethos. This year Leicester has been ranked 17th in the national league tables. We are also delighted to receive highly acclaimed international ratings, coming within the top 2 percent of universities in the world,” says Sir Bob Burgess, vice chancellor of the university. Leicester. Sited in central England, 160 km north of London (70 minutes by train), Leicester (pop. 300,000) is the country’s tenth largest city offering a wide variety of shops, restaurants, cultural and recreational amenities. They include a range of museums and art galleries; a state-of-the-art theatre (Curve); the largest covered market in Europe (which has been on the same site for 700 years); the National Space Centre (the largest space-related visitor attr-action in Europe); and the Highcross shopping centre. Leicester is a culturally diverse city and hosts the largest ethnic minority population in the UK, particularly of South Asian origin. Consequently the city boasts several Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and other places of worship and the Melton Road district serves as a hub with a large number of Asian restaurants. The city’s Diwali celebrations are the largest outside India. Surrounded by scenic countryside, Leicester is within easy reach of several major towns including Stratford-upon-Avon (the birthplace of William Shakespeare), and the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge. The weather in Leicester is typical of Britain — cold, cloudy and rainy in all seasons with brilliant bursts of summer. Maximum temperatures range from 0oC in winter to 28oC in summer. Campus facilities. Leicester’s compact campus is sited adjacent to Victoria Park, a few minutes’ walk from the city centre. The main Fielding Johnson Building housing the university’s administration offices and law faculty dates back to 1837. Opposite…
